Queen no more

For the first time since I'd known her, Darby didn't strut through the campus like she owned it.

She walked fast. Head low. Glasses on. Hoodie up — as if invisibility could shield her from the weight of the whispers.

And yet, the silence screamed.

Sophie and I sat in the student lounge pretending to study, but in truth, we were watching everything unfold.

Two girls who used to worship Darby walked right past her without a glance.

A guy who used to brag about hooking up with her whispered "manipulative snake" as she passed.

Even her so-called besties from the fashion club suddenly became "busy" and "unavailable."

It was like watching a glass castle collapse — elegant, slow, and loud when it shattered.

"Do you think this is it?" I whispered to Sophie.

Sophie shrugged. "It's never 'it' with girls like her. She's the final boss. And they don't go down without pulling something explosive."

Screenshots from the panel video circled wider than wildfire. But they weren't the only thing.

An anonymous forum post popped up:

"You think you know Darby? Think again. Ever wonder why Melissa dropped out last semester? Or why Tina changed her major? Or why Ava had a breakdown in the middle of a fashion show? Ask Darby. Ask what she did to them."

Names started coming out.

So did more stories. Anonymous voice messages. Deleted texts reposted.

People she'd stepped on were finally stepping forward.

Zariah read every comment with wide eyes. "I thought it was just me…"

"You were never the only one," I said gently. "You were just the first to stop being afraid."

But just as we allowed ourselves to breathe, Darby struck back.

It started with whispers about me.

"She only exposed Darby to get James."

"She's just bitter."

"She's fake nice — don't trust her."

Then Sophie.

"She's using Charlotte to look like the good guy."

"She's not even that smart — she cheats off Charlotte."

And worst of all: Zariah.

"She's lying about everything. She's just jealous she's not queen anymore."

We knew where it came from. Darby still had influence — a few loyal followers who would torch the truth to stay in her light.

I found her by the courtyard steps after class, pretending to scroll her phone like her world wasn't crashing.

"Darby," I said.

She didn't look up. "Enjoying the spotlight, Charlotte?"

"This isn't about the spotlight. This is about the truth."

She scoffed, finally raising her eyes to meet mine. "Truth? What truth? That I was better at playing the game than everyone else? That I was smarter, prettier, more… aware?"

"You hurt people."

"So did the world before I learned how to survive it."

There was no apology. No remorse. Just cold steel behind pretty lashes.

"You don't scare me anymore," I told her.

"No," she said quietly. "But I will again."

And she walked away.

Back in our dorm, the atmosphere was heavy. The three of us — me, Sophie, and Zariah — sat around with hot cocoa and stress snacks.

James showed up later with chips and popcorn. "I thought you guys might need reinforcements."

We didn't speak for a while. We didn't need to.

For the first time in a long time, even though the storm hadn't passed, I felt… steady.

We were in this together.

And no matter what Darby did next — we weren't the ones hiding anymore.

The crown had slipped.

The rumors had turned.

And though Darby still had claws,

for the first time, the girl she used to make invisible

was now the one she couldn't ignore.