HIGH SCHOOL DIARIES (A Tale Of Love And Deception)

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BACK AT IVORY HIGH

Emily stood at the bottom of the grand staircase, her eyes drifting toward the dimly lit halls of Ivory High. The silence around her seemed to amplify the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. Despite the grandeur of the school and its reputation for brilliance, to Emily, it felt like a prison of secrets, guilt, and shame. The weight of her past was suffocating, and as she dwelled on everything that had happened, the guilt seemed to intensify.

The truth was, Slyvia not telling her about the Black Dragon's demonic control over their school didn't sting as much as she had expected. After all, everyone had their secrets. But Emily's secret? It was a darkness that had consumed her soul for months. She wasn't hurt by Slyvia's silence; she was tormented by her own.

How could she ever tell her best friend about the atrocities she had committed? How could she look Slyvia in the eyes and admit that she had almost taken another student's life? Worse, she had come so close to betraying the one person who had always stood by her side—the only friend who truly understood her. No, Emily thought, she was a monster—a monster hiding behind the mask of a perfect student.

Emily hugged herself tightly, her nails digging into her arms as she stood frozen at the base of the stairs. The heavy, wooden doors of Ivory High creaked as a faint breeze seeped into the hall, and yet it offered her no comfort. No amount of cool air could blow away the sins she carried. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away before anyone could see. She couldn't afford to be weak, not here, not in front of the same walls that had witnessed her rise and fall.

The truth was, she had begun blaming her parents long ago for her descent into darkness. Maybe—just maybe—if her parents had shown her a fraction of appreciation, she wouldn't have turned out this way. She wouldn't have become the person who harbored such terrible, violent thoughts. She wouldn't have almost killed a classmate, and she wouldn't have been so obsessed with proving herself to people who couldn't care less.

Her mother had always despised her. The word "toad" still echoed in Emily's mind, a venomous label her mother used with every breath. "You're just an ugly little toad, Emily," she'd say. "Why can't you be more like Lucinda? Why can't you be anything but a disappointment?" Lucinda, her flawless friend, who was beautiful and brilliant, the top female in their class, adored by everyone—including Emily's parents.

Lucinda never had to try; success and praise came to her naturally. Every time Emily tried to reach even a fraction of her cousin's accomplishments, she only found herself falling further behind, sinking deeper into the shadows of her own failure.

Emily's chest tightened. "I'm sorry, Lucinda," she whispered under her breath. "I didn't mean for things to turn out this way… and now, what if Lamia really ends up dying because of me? No… I can't let this happen."

She was trapped, suffocating in a world she couldn't escape from. She needed to tell someone about what she'd done, about the guilt gnawing at her insides like a ravenous beast. But who could she trust? If she told Slyvia, her best friend might start judging her—maybe even abandon her. And Hadrain? The boy she thought loved her had left her behind, vanishing into the distance with his friend Jayden, leaving her utterly alone.

She had no one to turn to. Not even her parents. Especially not her parents.

FLASHBACK: 3 MONTHS AGO

The memory of that horrible day still haunted her like a ghost that refused to let go. It was the end of the first term of their senior year. Emily had dreaded going home to Roselake. She had been fidgeting the entire journey, anxiety gripping her with every step closer to her family's mansion. She hadn't checked her results online—she didn't need to. She already knew she hadn't done well. Her grades had slipped below 90, and she hadn't made it into the top four, which meant she had failed her father's expectations. Again.

Her father had always been with her password and the key to her school's website results page. He could access her results anytime he wanted. And this time, Emily was certain she was in for it. The moment she saw her name slip further down the rankings, she knew her fate was sealed.

As she approached the tall iron gates of their estate, her heart pounded in her chest. She knocked, and the gates swung open, revealing their old gateman. She greeted him softly, but her voice was strained, her nerves frayed. She wished she could disappear.

But her brother, Harry, was waiting for her on the veranda.

"Hi, sis! How was school? Miss me?" Harry smirked, coming closer and wrapping his arm around her waist, his hand slipping lower in an inappropriate manner.

Emily's heart raced in disgust, but she forced a smile. Harry had always been like this—creepy, invasive, and perverted. She hated him with every fiber of her being, but what could she do? He had threatened her, over and over again, promising to push the blame onto her if she ever told anyone about the things he did to her. And she knew if that ever happened, their parents would believe Harry. He was their golden boy, after all.

"Yeah, I missed you," Emily lied through her teeth. "When did you get back?"

"This morning," Harry replied with a smug grin. "Oh, and guess what? Mom and Dad were so happy to see me. I got a full-time scholarship to finish my course at Harvard. You know what that means, right?"

Emily nodded, pretending to be happy for him. Inside, she wished he would leave forever. The thought of him being gone, even temporarily, was a small solace. But that wasn't enough.

"Excuse me, Harry," Emily muttered, trying to escape his disgusting presence. "School has been stressful, and I'd like to rest."

Harry's eyes glinted with amusement, and his smirk widened. "Oh, don't worry. I'll be coming to your room later for our 'usual playtime.' You know, sis, it's always fun when it's just the two of us."

Emily froze, the bile rising in her throat. She wanted to scream, to run, to do anything but stand there, frozen in fear and revulsion. Harry's twisted smile only deepened, and he licked his lips as if savoring the moment.

She fled into the house, her legs shaking with every step. Her hands trembled as she reached for the door handle, pushing it open. But no sooner had she stepped inside than her worst nightmare greeted her.

Her father was standing in the living room, his arms crossed and his face twisted in anger. "Emily!" His voice boomed through the house, making her flinch. "What is this I'm seeing? You took the sixth position this semester? What happened?!"

Emily's breath caught in her throat, her knees buckling under the weight of his fury. "I-I'm so sorry, Daddy," she stammered. "Please, give me one more chance. I promise I'll do better. Please, Daddy!"

But her father only let out a chilling laugh, one that sent shivers down her spine. Slowly, he reached for his belt, unbuckling it with deliberate intent. The belt was adorned with cold, hard iron studs. Emily's heart sank as she realized what was about to happen.

"I think," her father sneered, "after today, you'll learn how to take the top position by force. Tell me, Emily, what does Lucinda have that you don't? Oh, silly me. You're an ugly chameleon, and you're dumb. Just plain dumb. Why, Emily? Why are you even my daughter? I reject you, this girl."

Without warning, the belt came down on her back, the sharp metal cutting into her skin. Emily screamed, the pain unbearable, but no one came to help. Her mother sat in the living room, engrossed in her TV show. Her brother was outside, dancing with his headphones on, oblivious to her cries.

The beating continued until Emily could no longer stand. She collapsed on the floor, her vision fading as darkness consumed her.

When she woke, the pain was excruciating. Her back was a maze of welts and bruises, and every movement sent waves of agony through her body. She couldn't even walk without wincing. "Why me, God?" she sobbed into her pillow. "Why did you create me? Is it my fault I turned out this way? I'm trying… can't you see? I'm trying."

She was taken to the hospital that day, treated for her injuries, and then abandoned. After that, she never returned home during the holidays. She stayed with Lucinda or Slyvia, but she never told them what had happened to her. She never shared her pain, her shame. No one knew. No one except one person—the last person she ever expected to confide in.

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BACK TO PRESENT

Emily's tears flowed freely now, her chest heaving with sobs she could no longer suppress. Maybe karma was real, after all. Maybe this was her punishment for everything she had done. But why now?

BACK TO PRESENT

Emily cried so hard, her body trembling with the weight of her memories. Maybe karma was real after all, but why did it have to come at this moment, when everything was already falling apart? She pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to stop the tears, but they kept coming, unstoppable, like a flood she couldn't control. The guilt, the shame, the anger—all of it crashed over her in relentless waves.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of heels clacking against the cold marble floor echoed through the empty hallway. The distinct rhythm of those steps pulled Emily from her sorrow. Her breath hitched, and she quickly wiped at her eyes, trying to regain her composure.

The footsteps grew closer, each one more deliberate than the last. Emily looked up, her tear-streaked face filled with dread as her gaze landed on a pair of sleek, high black heels. The shoes were stunning, towering with an air of superiority. Her heart dropped as she realized who they belonged to.

Abigail.

The last person she ever wanted to see.

Standing before her, Abigail was grinning wickedly, her eyes filled with malice. The sight of that familiar smirk sent a shiver down Emily's spine. She had always hated that smile—it was the smile of someone who took pleasure in others' pain.

"Well, well," Abigail began, her voice dripping with condescension. "What do we have here? The almighty Emily Bennett, reduced to tears. How pathetic."

Emily opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. She was frozen, trapped between the shame of her past and the horror of the present.

But as the Abigail came closer her cold facade broke to worry and sympathy..