Chapter 3: The Fall

She stared at me, wide-eyed, fists balled so tight her knuckles were white. The rest of the class caught on fast—eyes narrowing, mouths twisting in disgust. One guy shook his head and muttered to the girl beside him.

"Didn’t expect the class president to be that kind of person."

"Such a sloppy list—how is that proof?"

"We’re in college, for crying out loud. Can’t you do basic math?"

"With a loss that big, we should call the cops, right?"

"She doesn’t look broke. Maybe she skimmed off the fund."

"Who knows where her money comes from…"

Rumors sprouted like weeds. Someone whispered about my new sneakers last week, and suddenly that was evidence, too.

"Ahem, what’s going on here? Isn’t this a class meeting? Why is your class making such a scene?"

Natalie was first to the door, voice tight with anger. "Professor Harris, I need to report something. Class president Aubrey embezzled the class funds."

Her words echoed down the hall. Heads poked in from next door, drawn by the drama.

Professor Harris’s face darkened. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the way my dad did when he got my report card. "What’s going on?"

After Natalie’s account, he looked at me—confusion and disappointment mixing in a way that hurt more than I’d admit. "Aubrey, you… really disappointing."

He’d always had high hopes for me—leadership workshops, scholarship lists. Now he just shook his head. "You’re on the shortlist for automatic grad school admission. How could you screw up at such a crucial time?"

He took off his glasses, rubbing his forehead, respect draining from his eyes.

At the mention of grad school, the class got louder.

"Why should someone like her get automatic admission?"

"Exactly! She’s lucky she’s not kicked out."

"I paid five hundred for the class fund, not to pad her pockets."

"She needs to be punished. If she’s skimming now, she’ll steal more later."

"I’m not okay with this!"

I’d always been a shoo-in for grad school, but now even that felt like it could be yanked away. My stomach twisted. This was worse than any final I’d ever taken.

Professor Harris tried to soften, glancing around, then back at me. "I believe you didn’t mean to do this. But after what happened, if you’re not punished, the others won’t accept it. I can’t cover for you. How about this: you voluntarily give up your automatic admission and return the money you took. Then it’s over. With your grades, you can still get in by taking the GRE."

He sounded like a parent—angry, but hoping I’d fix things.

I frowned, my voice cold. "The GRE’s in two months. If I start now, can I really pull it off? Besides, the money wasn’t spent by me. My report shows it was all used for class activities. I even chipped in myself. Now you want me to pay up? Why should I?"

I held his gaze, refusing to blink. If I was going down, I wasn’t going quietly.

Professor Harris’s hand shook as he pointed. "You… You made a mistake but don’t want to make it right, only thinking about yourself. Unbelievable."

He slumped into a chair, took the water Natalie handed him, and drank deeply, refusing to look at me. The silence pressed in.

Natalie stepped forward, voice low but fierce. "Aubrey, I’m your classmate and roommate. I wouldn’t hurt you. Just listen to Professor Harris. He’s doing this for your own good. Why risk getting expelled over just a couple grand?"

Her words were soft, but I could hear the steel underneath. She wanted me to come clean—even if she couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Someone muttered, "Just call the cops. She doesn’t even admit she’s wrong."

"Yeah, what’s the point of talking to someone like her? I used to think she was a role model. I must’ve been blind."

"Only the advisor and Natalie are decent—still trying to help her. I say just expose her, let everyone see what kind of class president we have."

Chairs scooted away from me, like I was contagious. Even my lab partner wouldn’t meet my eyes. I hugged my backpack tight, wishing I could disappear into the plastic seat.

"I’m not paying, and I’m not donating to him. Do whatever you want."

I tossed out the words, my voice flat as I grabbed my bag and left. The door banged behind me, echoing down the hallway.