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Chapter Thirty One // The Mystery

- Priya's POV -

Sitting in an interview room with two policemen is something I never thought I'd have to experience, it's honestly terrifying. I could be in prison in an hours time or packing my things to go back to my abusive dad.

They both stared at me without even blinking for a long time, I could feel myself beginning to sweat in fear. I smiled slightly and they looked at each other before loosening up and beginning to talk.

"Do you know any information on this fire? Who started it? Or their reason for doing so?" One of them asked me, I stared at him weirdly and looked down at the table we were sitting at.

"Why am I being questioned?" I asked while crossing my arms, I was determined to not look bothered my this 'interview'.

"Everybody who wasn't in a classroom during the fire will be called in here for a chat, nothing major" The policeman with his head buried in a notebook said, he wrote down my name on the top of a blank page.

I thought for a moment before realising that Effie would be called in here too, she wasn't in class because she was the one who saved me from burning to death. I knew as soon as Effie was brought into this room she would blame herself for the fire just to protect me, she knows all of the things I've gone through and she wouldn't want me to deal with more. I sighed loudly and looked at the policemen.

"It was me, I started the fire" I confessed, they both raised their eyebrows at me as if they were shocked. Am I not tough enough to start a fire?! I stared at them angrily but managed to calm myself down slightly as I didn't want to argue with two police officers.

"Why did you do it?" The policeman with the notebook asked, I took a deep breath and tried to get comfortable in my chair.

"My best friend passed away less than a year ago, so basically I'm going insane. I'm grieving to an extent that I think I see her in places, I saw her when I was smoking and I dropped the cigarette by accident. I didn't mean to burn the side of the school building, that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to see Sydney, I'm sorry" I explained while beginning to cry, I wiped my eyes quickly and tried to hold the rest of them in because I didn't want to look weak.

The policemen seemed upset by my reason, they shared a few glances and then wrote some things down in the notebook under my name.

"I-I was told I should start counselling but I'm terrified, I know it would help me but I don't know if I'm ready" I said, one of them nodded and then leaned forward on the table.

"You'll never be ready in all honesty, the death of somebody you love is impossible to overcome. But I promise you that going to a counsellor will teach you ways to cope with it" He told me in a calm tone, somehow I could tell he had lost somebody recently too.

"Tell you what, we aren't going to kick you out of the school. You can become a cleaner in the evenings, help clean up the dinner room and the common room.. That's your punishment for smoking in the school grounds. Also you can start counselling soon because you really need it" The other said sympathetically, I agreed and thanked them for not kicking me out.

"Take care of yourself Priya"

"Thank you, I'll try" I said as I left the interview room with a smile on my face, cleaning does not sound fun but it's much better than being back home. My smile disappeared when I realised how many girls were still standing in the hall, they all went completely silent when I exited the interview room.

"Are you going to jail then?" A girl I had never seen in my life shouted, some of them giggled and I stared across the hallway.

"Fuck you bitch, It wasn't me" I snapped before heading towards the stairs which brought me to my bedroom. I hurried through the corridors because I didn't want to be stared at any longer, it made me feel sick.