𝐆𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 || #𝟏

Chapter 25

"Oh."

"Oh."

"Oh." I add in after.

Alice scoffs, "let's go to that trigonometry test... Shall we?"

-- ------ --

The curtain draws again, and I bow again. The cheers of the audience still register in my ears, as Alexis snidely makes her way to me. It's not that I didn't hear her coming, the sound of her boot and crutches gave her away.

"Well Jasmine," Alexis says, acting as if I had done something to her. "I guess you got what you wanted. Well done."

"Wait, what'd I do?"

"Don't act like you don't know," Alexis says, fake tears brimming her eyes. "You were the one who pushed me down those stairs."

Everybody inherently gasps. My heart drops, and it hits hard against the ground. My cheeks start to heat up, just as I realise what happened.

"I didn't do anything!" I sputtered, my hands fumbling around with my dress. "I don't know how you broke your leg, but it definitely wasn't my fault!"

"Yes you did!" Alexis mock cries, "you pushed me down the stairs!" She points her finger at me, glaring. "You wanted to continue to be the lead of this musical, so you pushed me down the stairs to make sure that I couldn't play my part tonight!"

"I didn't push you down the stairs! I swear on my life! You don't even have any evidence!"

"Evidence? You need evidence?" Alexis scoffs, "fine... It was a little after nine where we were both on the stairwell. You were telling me about how you wanted to be the lead again, and just before I knew it, you pushed me down the stairs. I'm just lucky that I only got away with a fractured leg, or otherwise I might've been really hurt!"

"It's true," Lilliana said, making her way to the front of the crowd. "I saw it happen."

"That's impossible!" Jolene suddenly says, backing me up, "she was with me! We weren't even in the school at nine, we were getting dinner!"

"Yeah, we were," Alice agrees. "We left the school around eight fourty-five, there's no way she would have pushed you down the stairs."

"You are all lying," Alexis sobs, "she probably told you all to say that. You were all in on it as well, weren't you? Unlike Jasmine, I actually have evidence to prove that such a heinous crime was committed upon me-"

"ALRIGHT LISTEN UP!" Mrs G barks, making everyone snap their heads towards her. She is now dressed up as Isabelle from the promised neverland. I watched the first episode with Alice at lunch. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, BUT WHO LIKES MY COSPLAY?"

Everybody is completely silent.

"You really look like Isabella!" Alice quips.

"Thank you!" Mrs G thanks, "at least one person saw it. Well, ever since I was introduced to anime I found out that there were so many characters I could actually dress up as. Alright, I'm done with my announcement. Why is everyone gathered around here? Shouldn't you all be getting changed and going home?"

"Apparently Jasmine pushed Alexis down the stairs," Max informs her.

"Really?" Mrs G says, "but that really doesn't sound like it's in Jasmine's nature."

"I'M HERE!" Claudia sings, "oh look! You've arranged for a welcome wagon! That's so nice of you Jasmine!"

"We're in the middle of proving whether or not Jasmine pushed Alexis down the stairs," Lilliana rudely says. "I don't know who the hell you are, but this is a private matter so can you leave-"

"Lucky for you," Claudia interrupts, "I am actually studying to be a lawyer. So allow me to represent Jasmine as being innocent. I've just gotta go get my law book, I'll be back."

Claudia dashes off. More shouting ensued once she had left, and it all led to Alexis, once again, pointing the finger at me.

"SHE PUSHED ME DOWN THE STAIRS!" She wails, "I can't believe no one believes me over h-her!"

"Maybe Jasmine really did push her down the stairs," Tyler whispers to Brandon. Something in Shawn snaps, and he pushes his way to the center of the circle.

"I can't watch this anymore," he admits. "Jasmine is innocent, she didn't do anything. I was with her, we were all in the city getting dinner."

"What?" Alexis cries, "Shawn what the hell-"

"Stop it," he snaps. "You and I both know that you got your broken leg from falling off your bed. Jasmine had absolutely nothing to do with it, and the fact that you're so obsessed with sabotaging her is making me rethink why I even liked you in the first place."

Alexis scowls, finally opening her mouth. "I see you've chosen your side then."

Using her crutches, she attempts to leave the crime scene, but Claudia finds this the most convenient time to come back in. She takes out her big, long book about law and grins.

"ALRIGHT!" She sings, "time to get this case started! So, my client is obviously innocent because she-"

"We've already established Jasmine is innocent," Max interrupts. "Shawn proved it."

"Oh," Claudia says. Disappointed, "I actually thought Jasmine might've been guilty. Honestly, I kind of wished she did push Alexis down the stairs. But she's still the goody-two-shoes she's always been."

"Everyone!" Mrs G orders, "go get changed. We've got to wrap this up."