They don't leave my room till it's time for us to go for dinner. I had excused myself and taken a quick shower, changing into something more relaxed. I go to the mess with them, sitting on the same table while having my dinner. They're all loud most of the time, laughing loudly and earning the attention of all the others in the room. They stay back but Elliot and I leave the moment we're done.

Walking back to the Serpens dormitories, I begin to notice a shift. There's something different in the air with the way students are exchanging glances and whispering to each other in hushed voices at this hour. Elliot and I look at each other. We stop in front of the building and he takes out his phone, opening RedRow—the only possible explanation for the change.

"Wait, Harley, I think you know this girl," he says to me. "Cammy McNolan. Goddamn, these are far fetched claims."

I grab his phone, seeing a picture of her on the screen. There's a huge paragraph in the caption and I begin to read it with Elliot peering over my shoulder to get a look at it as well.

CAMMY MCNOLAN: A CHEATER OR A RISING GENIUS?

by @ohmickeywhatapity

Who am I kidding? Of course that girl isn't a genius. But have you ever stopped to wonder why a girl like her who has remained behind the ranks throughout her first year managed to score this high in the finals? Ever stopped to wonder how she's gained so much confidence all of a sudden? Ever wondered how a girl like her is even here at a prestigious school like this when her basics about anything aren't clear at all? I'm sure the thought that she had been sleeping with a teacher has crossed your mind atleast once and that might be true knowing that she can go really far to get what she wants. You want to know how I know? I'll give you three words and you'll get the answer.

The Redville Leak.

Elliot and I exchange looks. In our week's time here, all the rumours that went around were harmless—the only one that really blew up was Asher and I's dating rumour. But this? This was serious shit. The Redville Leak was a worldwise scandal with no apparent culprit. I don't know if Cammy really was involved in it or not. Either way, this isn't going to be good for her. Not at all.

+++

That night, I sit with my laptop on my bed and read all about it. Searching up Redville Leak brought up articles from May 2021, back when it had first surfaced. For a month, various investigations were conducted by the board. It even went as far as involving the education ministry but somewhere in early June, almost a month after it had all started, the articles stopped coming and the case was buried.

Back then, I'd followed the case with little interest but now, I remember snippets of it—it was all the news channels used to talk about.

With a sigh, I pick up my phone and open RedRow. I read the entire article again and again, and from the search bar, I type up Cammy's name. I scroll through the insignificant mentions of her of her on the app and find what I'm looking for. The original post by a deleted account with a single sentence—'Cammy McNolan is a liar, a cheat, and does not deserve to be here.'

The post never directly implied Cammy's relation to the Redville Leak, but at that time, I don't think it would've taken a genius to reach the conclusion that she was somehow involved in a big scandal. Even if it wasn't true, gossip and shittalking is a stressbuster for people here. This triggered a chain events that went on till late August. Rumours about her family and personal life was revealed online and she was bashed about everything that happened.

After a while, all of it died down and people resumed with their lives, bringing up new stuff to talk about instead of some worn out old news.

I lean back, staring at my dark ceiling. The clock in our room ticks and beeps—it's three in the morning. Jude's soft snore keep me grounded, stopping me from straying into the dark thoughts. It would've been a relief to Cammy when she was returned the sense of normalcy after months of hell. Did someone stay by her side throughout? She doesn't seem like the person who could've done it on her own.

I can't even imagine her right now as the memories of the past year's bullying returned to her. Is her roommate one of the bullies as well? I wonder if Cammy's even in her room right now. I'm not worried about her, I'm just thinking how I could've dealt with a situation like this. I don't know when a rumour of this scale becomes about me, considering how things are going right now. I'm not making this about myself, I just want to be careful, because as far as I've dived into RedRow's archives and past year news, I know that last year, there just were two big scandals—one of which I followed more than the Leak,

At some point, I doze off sitting like that. I wake up hearing the beep of the clock, telling me that it's four now. I keep my laptop on the table and lie down, reaching for my phone to set an alarm for tomorrow but instead, I find two notifications from Instagram that catch my eye.

pennybridgette21 has followed you!

pennybridgette21 sent you a message request!

Penny Bridgette—I remember her. She's the one with the crazy nails and coloured hair, the one with bold as fuck outfits and a sugarsweet yet shrill voice, the one from the music programme I saw standing with Summer on the night of the welcome party. Third year, about thirteen thousand followers, a close friend of Asher.

Penny: to the left of the clergy of backwards discourse,
and to the right of the fortress sits the knight and his horse,
he's duty bound to protect his majesty and queen,

and though his path is straight he always lands in between.

what is he?

A smile spreads on my lips. The message was sent to me seven minutes ago. I accept the request and reply without giving a second thought to my answer.

Harley: a knight.

I wait for a second or two and the seen receipt shows up. The dots show up on the corner of the screen, showing that she's typing. I know for sure that my answer was correct so there's no chance that she'd correct me. I want to know what she's up to and why she texted me in the first place but right then, the typing symbol disappears.

I sigh, shaking my head and keeping my phone on the bedside table. I grab my blanket, opening it and covering it. I set my alarm and face my table, my eyes on the black screen. The little weariness I had been facing is gone the moment I'd read her text and I don't think it's going to come back any soon. Just then, the screen lights up again.

Adrenaline's rushing through my veins, my heart beating with the thrill and excitement of it all. I'm surprised I ever even thought that this was going to be a scary process to go through with but right now in the middle of the night, my pumped up brain is ready to do every single thing I could've only dreamt of last year. So, I open my text. I read it over and over again, a small smile making it's way on my face. I want to laugh but I don't—Jude's asleep right there.

I shake my head, keeping my head on the pillow and closing my eyes. Her text is right there in the dark, her words dancing right there.

Penny: wanna play a game of chess with me?

+++

Ultimately, I don't get any sleep. I stalk Penny's Instagram, looking at all her posts. There are only three of them and the comments have been turned off. The first one is a silhouette of her and another girl at the dorm terrace. She hasn't tagged anyone but in her caption, there's a single sentence— 'When you take me by the hand'. I let out a breath, scrolling over to the next one.

This time, it's a picture of her and Nate at a party, their faces close to each other and them staring into each other's eyes. There's only an inch of distance between their lips, the tension in the picture unfathomable. You take me by the heart—that's what the caption is. The post is just a few months old. I can picture the two of them as a couple; they'll be one of the crazy ones who commit crimes together. I know it's not possible, though, since Penny is lesbian—she came out sometime last year.

It's difficult to figure out the dynamics between their friend group. I don't know if they like each other or don't. It's all so complicated to understand. The last post is a solo one of her, showing off her outfit and her makeup. She's wearing red here, something I've never seen Penny wear.

I stay in the bed, scrolling through my phone till Jude wakes up. She looks at me, says goodmorning, and walks inside the bathroom before I do. She takes her time to get ready and when she comes out, she eyes me suspiciously.

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" she asks me.

I shake my head, slowly getting up. I grab my uniform and towel.

"What snatched away your sleep? You sleep like a horse."

"Like a horse?" I echo. "Jude, you sleep and snore way more than I do. You've never seen me sleep. What makes you think I sleep like a horse?"

"God, you're cranky. You should've slept." With a yawn, she sits back on her bed. "I'm waiting for you. Be quick, okay?"

I have never once asked her to wait for me to go to breakfast but it's like an unspoken agreement between the two of us. We always walk over to the mess together and she always keeps talking and telling me about the plans she made. She invites me everyday as well but I haven't gone anywhere with her yet. My social energy's usually exhausted by six in the evening.

Getting a shower and slipping into my uniform, I step out. I take my school bag and my dance kit as well. Penny and I have set the time for seven thirty, right after the club activities seize for the day.

The day goes by with nothing really happening. We're notified that on Thursday, there will be a quiz to evaluate where we stand at the moment. They don't tell us the syllabus or the subject, it's just going to be something that will tell everyone just how much information we're able to retain. Elliot and I are speaking now, with the two of us discussing about Cammy's situation a bit. He's smarter than I thought he would be—his observational skills are almost on par with me.

Somehow, the news of Penny and I having a chess match circulates throughout the school as well. It's something people are looking forward to now, many of them approaching me, telling me to back off since Penny is a professional player—someone who's won national level titles for the game. I know that, of course, it's common knowledge. I agreed to this game not because I like the game, but because it's time for her and I meet properly.

By the lunch time, the excitement is buzzing through the crowd.

People are wishing me luck in the mess and it's too much, the way it has become an event the entire school is looking forward to. I would have preferred if this was something private. This being a public event is too much of a hassle.

I look for a table to sit in when my eyes stop at the table in the corner where Cammy McNolan sits all alone with her head down. I watch her for a minute or two and run the possibilities of how our conversation could go like. Suppressing a smile, I walk over to her table.

+++

"What do you think you're doing, Harley?" Cammy says, her voice rather panicked. "You shouldn't sit here with me, you know."

"Relax," I say, shoving my plate forward to make space for my elbows to rest. I lean forward, my chin on my palm as I watch her. "I'm not here to bully you or anything. I'm just here to ask you a question."

She puffs out a breath, playing with her food with a fork. "If you're here to ask me if the rumours are true, I'll count it as bullying. For the hundredth time, I'm telling you—they're not true. Leave me alone now, please."

I watch her without saying anything. I take a bite of my sandwich and a sip of my apple juice. "Where are your friends now? That Adeline girl you said you were gonna meet at Rayon? That guy—what was his name? Reece, right? Where's he now? Did all your friends abandon you again?"

"They didn't abandon me," she mutters. "I sent them away. I told them to leave me alone and they did. That's how friends are. You should leave me alone, too."

"You're mistaken." I blow out a breath. "I'm not your friend."

Her face morphs into an unreadable expression, her eyes holding only skeptism. She looks tired, dark circles under her eyes. She hasn't put in any effort in her appearance like she usually does and her body language slumps despite the confidence she is trying to portray. She might show that she's strong but she isn't. She's at her breaking point now—what matters is if she'll make it through.

"But I can help you," I add.

"You can't," she replies quickly. She closes her eyes. "Stay out of this, Harley. That's what's good for you."

She leaves her food tray and gets up quietly, walking away without sparing me another glance. I don't call out to her—I just watch as her slumped figure exits the mess to god knows where. People really snicker at her as she walks away, whispering things to each other that I have no problem in overhearing.

I blow out a breath when she's out of here. Dealing with her isn't going to be an easy task but I'm in no hurry either. I grab my juice and gulp it down at once, exhaling and slamming the bottle on my tray.

"Can you really help her?" says an oddly familiar voice from behind me. I freeze. I turn back and there's a guy right there, sitting there with his body towards me. He's staring right at me, a knowing look in his eyes. He has blond hair and green eyes, a piercing on one of his ears. He seems tall and lean, his body relaxed as he slightly rests his weight on the table he's sitting at. I know him—he's the guy from the welcome party; the one who saved my ass from Asher and Lily.

It's the first time I'm seeing him again. He didn't tell me his name or year and I didn't have to time to scroll through the profiles of over two hundred students just to find out who he is. I recover pretty quickly, realising that it's just not him here. There's a girl and a guy as well, both of them watching me.

"Can you?" the other guy probs. His light brown hair seem to be recently cut, a scar right over his left eyebrow. They both like a delinquent pair—if not delinquents, then certainly the type of people you'd want to stay away from, atleast by their looks.

"You know Cammy?" I ask them.

"We're her friends," the girl says as if it's something I should know beforehand. She has that snobbish look on her face, the one that gives off the vibe that she's entitled to know everything that's going on here. "I'm Adeline."

Oh. That makes sense. I look at the others expectantly.

"Sean," says the guy with the scar.

The three of us look at the first guy and my heart skips a beat at the look he throws me. I remember the two of us in that room with me pressed up against the wall and him tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear while grazing my face—

"Reece," he says, breaking me out of the chain of my thoughts.

"Can you help Cammy, Harley?" Adeline repeats, irritated.

My eyes lock with Reece. It's just a second in which it happens—just a subtle shake of his head and he looks away. I take in a deep breathe, knowing that all of this now depends on how good of a liar I am.

"I can't," I murmur, turning back to my tray. "I just want to know what really happened. That's it. You know, I'm not convinced either, right?"

I hear a clank. "Is this girl for real?" she spits out. "Fuckin' bitch. What does she think she's playing at? I swear to God, if a fuckin' oversmart first year tries to pull a move on her, I'll fucking kill them."

"Relax, Lynn," Reece breathes. "She's new."

I get up from there, making my way out of this place for the afternoon class. I do have time before them but I'd rather stay elsewhere than here with that girl who I've decided I'll dislike for now. I stop at the gate, opening my bag and pretending to fetch something out when I look back at that table. Sean and Reece are listening to Adeline talk when they pass each other looks. Then, one by one, they look back at me, just for a second.

I smile to myself in confirmation.

I don't know when I'm going to meet Adeline again, but I do know I'm going to meet Reece and Sean sooner than I anticipated and sort the entire Cammy situation without much hassle.

For now, I had a chess match to focus on.

+++

Throughout the Dance class, all everyone talks about is the chess match between Penny and I—if anyone's talking at all. If I thought that the environment couldn't get worse here, I couldn't have been more wrong. Today, the tension almost reached the breaking point. If the class had gone on for a few more minutes, someone would really have ended up in the infirmary.

I take a quick shower and change into a pair of tracks and a plain white oversized tshirt. I dry my hair a bit with my towel and grab my bag, checking my phone if there's a message from Penny. It's seven forty five already but I doubt that anyone would care since all the club activities end at seven thirty. There's no message from Penny so I'm guessing that the match is still up at the same place.

It's in Lacerta common room. I cycle back to the dorm complex and stroll inside the Lacerta building. The room is packed with students despite being big and I almost want to step out of it at this very moment but I don't. I make my way to the center of the crowd, the people parting to make way for me.

When I'm finally there, I find her sitting there with her feet propped on the table. She's still in her school uniform, all loosened and messed up. She looks bored, as if she's been waiting for me for an entire lifetime here. There's a guy standing next to the table—it's Sean. He does see me coming but avoids eye contact anyways.

Penny looks up at the noise as I drop my bag by the table and her eyes light up almost immediately. She sits straight, an uncomfortably wide smile on her face.

"Took your time, didn't you?" Penny complains. "I thought you wouldn't show up. I cut my class short for you. Couldn't you have done the same?"

I give her a blank stare, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm kidding, girl." She laughs. "We're cool but you're still like twenty minutes late. Should we just start without wasting anytime?"

"I'm ready if you are," I say without hesitation.

"Let's do this."

All the pawns are arranged in order. Sean extends both his fists towards me. I choose the left one and get the colour black. She gets the first move. I sit back, watching her as she opens her mouth to speak. It's very easy to hear her voice since the entire rooms falls quiet the moment we begin.

She's about to touch one of the white pieces when she stops, leaning back. "Let's make this game a bit more interesting, shall we? I've heard you're the best first year student in terms of academic ability and intelligence. I want to see just how smart you are." She lets out a whistle, her smile still intact.

I almost bite my lip. I don't want her to see that she's getting a reaction from me. It'll be too satisfying for her, too early for me.

"Well?" she urges.

I lean forward towards her, my gaze meeting with hers. My lips curl up in a calm smile. "What's the bet?"

She lets out a laugh, watching me carefully. "That's the spirit, Lee. fifty dollars?"

I didn't think she'd bet on actual money here but since I don't mind, I just give her a nod. Sean takes in a deep breath and announces, "It's a bet now. Harley Kingsley and Penelope Bridgette will bet on fifty dollars." He sounds so monotonous that it makes me feel like he's done this a million times before.

Penny kicks him. "I've told you hundred of time to just call me Penny, you fucking freak."

He just rolls his eyes even though I know he's a little caught off guard and scared. "Asher's told me to say everyone's full name when stuff like this is happening. He didn't mention that you were an exception."

She just rolls her eyes, muttering under her breath.

"Begin," Sean says.

Penny sighs and keeps one of her pawns forward.

"In chess," Penny says, her voice low. "The first move is the most important one. Moreover, there's an advantage to the one who begins first. That doesn't mean that the other player cannot catch up."

I make my move. She makes hers. I have no intention of winning this but I ask her a question just for the sake of passing the time. Our game would be over soon judging by the quick moves we're both making.

"Penny," I say her name out loud for the first time, "you like chess?"

"I thought that was pretty obvious but yeah, I do."

"Why do you like it?"

She makes her move, shifting the knight up a bit. Her eyes are now on the chessboard and the pawns, and there's a kind of amusement in her expression that only someone who's addicted can have. I didn't know that people could be addicted to a sport like this but I'm questioning that judgement as I watch her play.

"Strategies," she whispers. "The planning, the layout, the groundwork, everything about it is so exciting," she continues, her eyes momentarily flicking up to me, "What makes it better is the fact that there's a bet between the two of us. I like betting. It's motivating. Now that there's a prize, I'm sure I'll win."

The confidence in her voice doesn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room.

I stare at the chessboard just as my turn comes and I'm debating whether to play to win or for the sake of continuing the game. Sports like these have never been exciting for me—they were just mere chores I needed to do to get better than everyone else.

"Be quick, Lee. Don't make me wait."

At that moment, I make a decision. I don't know why I'm doing this —maybe it's because I want to evaluate her myself, to see whether she figures it out or not. I make my move and look at her with my hands folded. The path of the game is decided now, neither of us can turn the tides until I want to. However, I know I won't change anything now. I've made my call.

Her lips curl up in a satisfying grin.

However, she doesn't say anything. She just sighs and moves her own queen. "Two turns," she says. "Two turns and it's over. Come on, Lee, I thought you could do better than that. I'd been dying to see if you're really that smart. Don't be a disappointment to me."

I shake my head with a breathy laugh. I watch the board absentmindedly, knowing it's all over now no matter what I do. "Can I ask you a question, Penny?"

She hums.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?" she asks.

I make my move and she giggles. I can't help but smile at the situation even though it should be making me stressed instead. The thrill of it is making me feel alive and human. On her second move, she moves her queen to kill my knight and upon seeing the other pieces, I know she stuck to her word. Two moves and it's over. For her. She seems to have forgotten what I asked.

"Checkmate," Penny sings and leans back, laughing. "Ah, you disappointed me so much. I've never played a more boring game in my life."

I lean forward, the smile still pasted on my lips. "Look again, Penny."

"You just lost, Lee," she beams. "What exactly do you want me to look at?"

"Look. Again."

She huffs but looks anyways and I can see her running the entire game through her mind. I wait for two minutes, watch as her face falls and the franticness consumes her composure. Slapping her hands against the table and almost throwing everything off the table, she gets up. I don't flinch,

She reaches forward to grab my collar pulling me towards her and leaning in herself. She's so close to me that I want to kick her in the face but I keep my calm, waiting for her to begin speaking.

"You," she rasps, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

I keep my face neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You fuckwit, you damn well know what I'm talking about!" Her voice is louder now, attracting the attention of the students who were previously focused on themselves. "You lost on purpose. Why did you lose on purpose? Why did you-"

"What's your proof, Penny?"

"I- Shut up! I want to play a fair match with you. Why the fuck did you lose?"

"It's a game. One of us had to lose. I just took the initiative." I shrug.

Her grip on me tightens. "That's not how it's supposed to work. I want a fair match with you. I want it now."

"Penny," Sean warns. "Asher said no physical fights and only one match."

"Fuck that guy, I swear to God," she yells but lets me go anyways, running a hand through her sweaty hair as she falls back on the chair. "Fucking dumbfucks. All of you."

I shake my head again, straightening my tshirt. "Tell me, Penny. Why'd you do it?"

"I'm in no mood for riddles, Lee. Get to the fucking point already." She massages the bridge of her nose, weariness falling over her. "If you even have a point."

"You're not in a mood of riddles? But didn't our entire conversation start because of a riddle?"

She glares at me but keeps quiet anyways.

I click my tongue. "Okay, fine. You asked for it."

I take out my phone, opening spotify. I look up for a particular song and press play on it. Murmurs of confusion pass through the crowd and I see a flash of recognition in Penny's eyes. She's really not a good actress. I get why she isn't in the Drama program.

The song plays for a minute or so till it comes to the point where I wanted it to.

Oh Mickey, what a pity, you don't understand

You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand

Oh Mickey, you're so pretty, can't you understand?

It's guys like you, Mickey

Ooh what you do Mickey, do Mickey

Don't break my heart, Mickey

I pause the song. "You want me to play it once again or what?"

She recovers quickly, covering that expression of knowing something as fast as she could. "I don't get you, Lee. You make no sense."

I exhale. I open RedRow then, click on Cammy's post again. I turn the screen towards her, showing her the title and reading it out as well. "Cammy McNolan: A Cheater or A Rising Genius by @ohmickeywhatapity. Oh, Mickey, what a pity."

"So, that's the same lyric as the song? You're such a genius, Harley. You cracked the case. Now we just have to found just whose favourite song this is to know who the real poster is, right? And guess what?" She leans forward, losing her patience. "This song is a fuckin' classic. It could be literally anyone."

"But not anyone has the lyrics of this song as their Instagram captions, do they?" This time, her face doesn't fall at all. She just tries to stay neutral, but a hint of a smile breaks through anyways. Beside us, Sean takes in a sharp breath. I open Penny's Instagram then, reading out the captions. "'When you take my by the hand', 'You take me by the heart'." I click on her only solo post. "'You're so pretty, can't you understand?' All of these captions were edited an hour before Cammy's article was posted. A coincidence? I think not."

"Go on, Lee, get it all out," Penny prompts, folding her arms across her chess.

"Hours later, you follow me. You text me. You set up this entire meeting and game with me. You said you wanted to see how smart I was. You said you wanted to see if I was more than just an academic genius. You said you wanted to see that just by a game of chess but it wasn't chess you were playing with me, were you?" I flash a smile. "You were playing your own fucking game, weren't you? I bet Asher or Nate put you up to this. You're just a puppet, after all."

I thought she'd react to the last sentence I said but she doesn't. Instead, she's smiling entirely now—that creepy as fuck smile is back where it had been since the beginning but this time, I'm not unnerved. She's not as tough as she looks. In fact, she's probably the weakest of them all. That's why she's here like this, sitting here carrying out something her friends asked her to do.

"You spread the rumour about Cammy, Penny."

Nobody says a word for a moment. It's just Penny and I staring at each other, reading each other's mind. Then, she laughs.

"So?" she retorts. "Yeah, I did spread the rumour about Cammy being a fucking cheat but does that make it any less true? No, it fucking doesn't. She's still a liar. She's still a cheat. Nothing will change that."

"Yeah?"

"You really are smart, Lee. I like you, honestly. You're really my type. You figured this out so congo to you! But that's where it ends, Harley. Nobody cares if I posted that rumour about Cammy. Nobody gives a flying fuck about me. But you know what? They do give a fuck about her and what she does, and she's going to get hell for that. This is where it ends, Lee. You got to the bottom of this. You can't dig any deeper." She smiles. "You can't stop a rumour from spreading, no matter what."

I don't know what it is, but there's something in her tone that flips the switch inside me. Anger's right at its edge, ready to topple over but I control myself. Now's not the time to lash out. I reach for my bag and grab my bag. Taking out a fifty dollar bill, I keep it on the table and get up, walking out of the door as the crowd makes way for me again.

She gave me a fact, I took it as a challenge.

They'll know how far I can go and they'll learn not to underestimate me. They won't need to test me again but they sure will need to be cautious.

They think I should be the one watching my step because I'm in their territory in an unknown place but what they don't know is that this place? It isn't unknown to me. I know them more than they will ever know me.

I stop at the door of Serpens dorms catching my breath, calming myself down. I sort my thoughts together before I do something reckless because that's the last thing I need right now. I can't fall when I really am walking on a rope, no matter how familiar.

One wrong step and I'll fall down and down and down and there will be nobody to catch me.