Tainted Whispers

2. Cognac

Innessa stepped out of her room as the door automatically locked.

Her eyes darted to her neighbor, and it was Scarlett Walsh. "Hey," She chirped as soon as she saw Innessa.

"Hey," Innessa greeted her with a soft smile. Innessa was wearing a beautiful sundress. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she had a ribbon tied around it.

"You headed to university?" Scarlett asked.

The university was within walking distance of the dorms.

"No, I'm headed to the church. I go there every Friday," Innessa said, earning a surprised nod of appreciation from Scarlett.

"That's lovely. You seem like such a nice person. My roommate and I are planning to explore the town this weekend. If you want to join us, you're always welcome."

"I'd love to," Innessa beamed happily.

"Be ready by 1 in the noon tomorrow. I'll fetch you," Scarlett said and the girl nodded before they headed out of the building together.

Innessa made her way to the church while Scarlett headed to the university.

Innessa went to the church. She prayed there and headed to the university.

As soon as she stepped into the class, all eyes snapped at her, and she flinched, staring at everyone. Innessa couldn't understand why they were staring at her like that as she made her way to her desk only to stiffen up.

There were things written on her desk with a marker.

'Poor.'

'Twat.'

'She licked the boots of the authorities for the scholarship.'

'Whore, what's your price?'

'S.L.U.T.'

'Filthy.'

Tears pricked the back of her eyes, and she didn't have the strength to look at the other students. Despite tears blurring her vision and her heart shattering apart, she retrieved her phone and clicked a picture. At the same time, the professor stepped in. Everyone took their seats while she stood there immobile.

"What is wrong, Ms. Laskin?"

"P... Professor, my... my seat," Her voice wavered as the professor stepped closer only to frown, staring at the table.

"Who did this?" Professor asked coldly but no one said a word.

"I asked who did this?" There was pin-drop silence.

"I'll take the matters to the authorities," she said sharply glaring at the floor, and dashed out of the class.

She headed to the office, and they didn't let her in, so she showed the pictures to the secretary. She was escorted in, and the dean sat on the chair going through some files. "Yes, Ms. Laskin. What's the issue?"

Innessa showed him the picture and told him how no one was giving the name of the culprit. The dean told her that he'd look into this matter and told her to go back to her class. Once she got back, the desk was being cleaned by the janitor, so she sat at the back quietly as the professor gave the lecture.

She wasn't a kid; she had some idea who might be behind all this. After the class, she went to grab her books from the locker. As soon as she opened the locker a bat flew out of it making her scream as she fell back on the floor breathing heavily with tears brimming in her eyes.

She noticed a few of the students laughing while others pulled out their phones to film her. She quickly pulled to her feet and glared inside the locker. She pulled out the piece of paper and read it.