No One’s POV
The day started with what everyone thought would be just another ordinary morning—but the tension in the air? Sharp enough to slice through steel.
Whispers floated around the halls of The Aramont Academy like wildfire. Something had happened.
Someone had posted a screenshot in the Gossip Post group. The headline? “Looks like not everyone plays fair. Screenshot taken from the student server. Enjoy!”
Attached was a list. A blurred-out IP address log. But one line? Wasn’t blurred. It showed someone had accessed private student files—files only a few had access to.
And the IP? Was tagged to Skylar Allen’s student account.
The comments blew up instantly.
> “Is she spying on other students?” “Wow. Not so innocent after all.” “Didn’t she get into the council through Aiden anyway?”
Skylar didn’t see it at first. She was with Mia, grabbing her usual chocolate bread and oat milk when her phone pinged repeatedly.
She tapped it open—stared. Read. Re-read.
Mia blinked over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
Skylar’s face went pale. “Someone just accused me of hacking the student portal.”
Mia almost dropped her bread.
“WHAT?!”
Skylar shoved her phone into Mia’s hand and started walking. Fast.
“This is fake. Someone's setting me up. I swear on everything,” Skylar said, voice shaking.
“I know. But who’d even—wait, are you crying? Oh my god, Sky.”
Skylar wasn’t crying. Not yet. But her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
Her phone pinged again. Another notification.
This one was different.
Anonymous Message: Stay away from Aiden Starr. If you know what’s good for you.
---
Lucas’s POV
He was in the tech lab, fixing a minor bug in the school system firewall (because of course he was), when Mia barged in like a tornado on Red Bull.
“Lucas. We have a code red.”
Lucas didn’t even look up. “What kind? Fire? Plague? Did they cancel cafeteria coffee again?”
“Skylar’s being accused of hacking.”
Now he looked up.
“What?”
“And someone sent her an anonymous message telling her to stay away from Aiden.”
Lucas blinked. “That’s... personal. And serious.”
“Exactly.” Mia tossed him Skylar’s phone. “We need to trace the IP.”
He stared at her. “That’s a privacy breach.”
“You break privacy laws every Tuesday.”
“Touché.” He grinned. “Alright. Let’s dig.”
---
Aiden’s POV
He slammed the folder down in front of Bianca. “I need answers.”
Bianca raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like the student council police?”
“This Gossip Post drama. They’re attacking Skylar now.”
Bianca sipped her coffee like it was champagne. “And?”
“She didn’t do it. You know she didn’t. You’ve seen the logs. Who else had access?”
Bianca met his gaze. Something shifted in her eyes. “You really care about her.”
Aiden said nothing.
“Fine. But I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing this because someone’s using my council as a playground. And I don’t like that.”
He exhaled. “Thank you.”
Bianca leaned closer, voice soft. “But Aiden? If you let your emotions make you sloppy… I won’t cover you. Cousin or not.”
---
Mia’s POV
Lucas was typing like his fingers were chasing time.
“This list wasn’t leaked from Skylar’s device. It’s a rerouted IP. Someone framed her.”
“Wait… you mean—”
“Yup.” He turned the screen. “Original source came from… someone in the student council office.”
Mia stared at the screen. The name that popped up?
Cassidy Lynn Merra.
She gasped.
“That snake.”
Lucas tilted his head. “You seem oddly happy about this?”
Mia grinned. “Revenge is better when it’s accidental.”
---
Skylar’s POV
By lunch, her hands had stopped shaking. She sat quietly as students still whispered.
Until Cassidy walked in. Dramatically. Fake sympathy dripping off her voice.
“Oh, Skylar, babe. Don’t worry, we all make mistakes. Even... data crimes.”
Skylar looked up.
Aiden stood behind her, arms crossed. “Funny. Because the tech logs just pointed straight to you.”
Cassidy paled.
“What?”
Bianca entered behind him, holding a print-out. “Cassidy. You’ve been suspended pending investigation.”
Gasps echoed around the cafeteria.
Cassidy looked around like a fish flopping out of water.
Mia smirked. “Oops.”
Lucas whispered behind her. “Bet she regrets logging in from the school printer.”
Skylar let out a small laugh. For the first time today.