Life Within The Halls

Chapter 24: "Karma Is A Bit*h"

LIFE WITHIN THE HALLS

Sandra

Friday, 27th February, 10:30 a.m.

The biggest day at Hill Academy had arrived. All the notable figures you'd expect at a school anniversary gathering were present in the assembly hall. Representatives from the Ministry of Education, the mayor of Bel-Air, and even personalities from the Office of the POTUS graced the event with their presence. Parents were all dressed to the nines in what they deemed to be their most luxurious outfits.

The hall was embellished with banners bearing the words '30th Anniversary' beautifully displayed. News reporters, with their cameramen, were stationed and capturing every moment. Tables were set up for specific guests as well as for all the attending parents. Student leaders occupied the first and second rows from the front, while the rest of the student body filled the seats behind them.

Everyone seemed cheerful. AnonymousX had stopped texting Jayden, and he had even secured an ambassador deal with a clothing company. Victoria had been diligently crafting her speech for the anniversary. Gideon was visibly relieved after confessing to framing Kelvin Cooper. And as for me? I was putting on a fake smile, trying to keep up appearances.

My motive for being in the school was incomplete. I had enrolled to find out what actually happened two years ago at the school night party. What the media had reported was garbage! Total waste! It could never be the truth!

After a number of performances, Ms. Murphy, who happened to be the MC for the ceremony, called upon Victoria onto the stage to read her speech.

She walked onto the stage and positioned the microphone just right.

"Good morning, esteemed guests, faculty members, and fellow students," she began. "As we gather here today to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hill Academy, I am reminded of the remarkable journey that has brought us to this moment. Thirty years ago, my late grandfather, Austin Gregory Hill, had a vision—a vision of creating an institution where students could not only receive an education but also be inspired to dream beyond the confines of their—"

Just as Victoria was about to go on, an unexpected notification sound came from everyone's phones, including mine, disrupting the serious mood.

Unable to resist, I unlocked my phone to find a live video on Instagram by AnonymousX. It had nearly 10,000 people watching.

The live video showed two male students in the school's basketball jackets in a state of terror, desperately crying out for help as they ran through the hallways, as if something terrible was chasing them.

Shock rippled through the hall, leading to a chorus of hushed conversations.

"Oh," I heard one girl whisper to another, "I remember when those two guys from the basketball team used to make fun of Kelvin Cooper, the student who left out of shame for stealing exam papers, by making him sprint through the hallway when teachers weren't around."

The other girl nodded in agreement. "Karma is real!"

A news reporter stood up from her seat, demanding answers.

"Mr. Principal, what's happening here? Is this what's been going on behind the scenes?"

Principal Wilson tried to keep things under control, but he appeared just as helpless as the other school officials. The only thing he could do was to direct Victoria to move from the stage.

Suddenly, the two guys featured in the live stream burst into the hall, their frantic cries echoing off the walls. We all gasped together as they ran to the stage, dropping to their knees in a desperate plea for forgiveness.