Page 28 of A Touch of Madness

Except it’s not me.

It’s Lara.

I slam the papers back down on the desk. “This isn’t me.”

His brow furrows. “Sylvie, the evidence is clear?—”

“No,” I snap, cutting him off. “It isn’t. I would never break into an off-limits area. And I have no use for anyone’s records.”

He exhales slowly, like he’s trying to keep his patience. “I understand you haven’t been on campus quite as much, but you have still been here. The woman in the photo is clearly you.”

“Regardless, Mr. Fallon. I did not do what you’re accusing me of.” I shake my head in complete disbelief. “Plus, again, why would I need to tamper with records? It makes no sense.”

The words come out louder than I intend, and he flinches slightly. He leans back in his chair, regarding me carefully. “Sylvie, I’m trying to help you here, but you need to be honest with me. If there’s something going on, now is the time to tell me.”

“There issomethinggoing on,” I say, my voice shaking. “But it’s not what you think.”

Mr. Fallon raises an eyebrow. “Then what is it?”

I hesitate. How do I explain this without sounding insane? I can’t tell him the truth—that my twin sister is working with a secret society filled with dark magic and is somehow impersonating me to… to do what, exactly?

“I think…” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “I think my sister is pretending to be me.” Iknowmy sister is trying to be me. That’s what I should have said. There’s no other excuse.

His frown deepens. “Your sister? Sylvie, I’ve spoken to Lara. She came in to withdraw from her own classes last week. All of them, in fact. She seemed fine and I haven’t seen her since. Why would she drop her classes, tamper with classified information, and then pretend to be you? Surely you know that sounds a bit…unbelievable.”

Of course, Lara seemed fine,I think bitterly. She’s always been good at pretending.

“She’s… complicated,” I say finally. “Things are complicated. Different. We’ve been going through a lot, and I think she might be acting out. She isn’t happy with me right now.”

“Acting out by committing academic fraud and putting the blame on her twin sister?” He doesn’t even bother hiding his skepticism.

“I don’t know!” I snap, my frustration boiling over. “I just knowIdidn’t do this, and there’s no way I could have. I wasn’t even in this area of the school when that was timestamped. If I know it isn’t me, and I do, then there’s one explanation and it’s the person who looks identical to me.”

He sighs, rubbing his temples. “Sylvie, I want to believe you. I really do. But the evidence is overwhelming. He glances down at the S necklace around Lara’s neck. “If you have proof that your sister?—”

“I don’t have proof,” I say, cutting him off again. “But I swear on my life, this wasn’t me.” I shrug. “Don’t you see how easy it would be for her to say she’s me when she’s caught? We’re identical twins, Mr. Fallon. You have to at least understand it’s a possibility to explore.”

For a moment, we just stare at each other. The room feels unbearably small, the air heavy with tension. My thoughts switch to Lucian and how I wish he were here. He’d know how to fix this. He’s become a sense of security for me, and I’m falling for him in a way I never thought possible. Everything is better when he’s by my side. I lose myself in thoughts of Lucian as the guidance counselor ponders my life, until finally, he leans back in his chair, his expression softening slightly.

“I’ll bring your concerns to the administration,” he says, his tone cautious. “But for now, the suspension stands, and my hands are tied. You’re not permitted on campus until further notice.”

The finality in his voice is like a punch to the gut.

“Mr. Fallon, please,” I whisper, my voice cracking. This could ruin everything for me.

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he goes back to working on the mess of papers on his desk, and without looking up he says, “Would you like me to get security to escort you? Or do you think you can make it on your own?”

I refuse to answer and instead stumble out of his office, disoriented, my head spinning. The hallway feels colder now, the fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on the tiled floor. My footsteps echo in the empty space, each one a reminder of how completely I’ve screwed up my life.

No. Not me. Lara.

Lara has completely fucked me over, and it’s increasingly hard not to be pissed at her for all of this. I have to keep reminding myself that this isn’t her—that who she was is still more important than what’s happening right now.

I can’t think straight. My heart is racing, and my hands won’t stop shaking. By the time I reach Nicole and Rebecca’s dorm, I’m on the verge of hyperventilating. I knock on the door, and when Nicole answers, the look on her face tells me everything I need to know.

“I’m screwed,” I say, pushing past her into the room.

“What’s going on?” Rebecca asks from her spot on the couch, her tone cautious.

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