They were ready.
At sunrise, Annie and Kayla moved quietly, their backpacks filled not with books—but with small cameras, batteries, and a carefully drawn plan. They knew Rose's habits well by now. She always brought her victims to the same secluded corner of the schoolyard, just behind the gym, where no staff ever passed.
It was time to use that predictability against her.
Hidden behind a cluster of bushes, they set up the first camera—angled perfectly to capture everything. Kayla adjusted it carefully, her fingers steady despite the weight of what they were about to do.
Annie kept watch, her eyes scanning for anyone suspicious. "She won't know what hit her," she muttered.
Kayla smirked. "Let's catch a queen tearing her own crown off."
Sure enough, it didn't take long.
Later that day, during a lull between classes, Annie and Kayla saw it happen—just as they'd predicted. Rose, with her usual smug expression, cornered a nervous-looking first-year girl near the back hallway. Her voice was low, but her posture spoke volumes: intimidation in full force.
And flanking her, as always, were Jenny and Lily—her ever-loyal shadows.
Annie watched from the classroom window, jaw tightening. "There she goes again."
Kayla didn't even blink. "Camera's rolling."
They couldn't hear the words, but they didn't need to. The fear on the girl's face, the threatening stance from Rose, the way Jenny stepped in close—it was the same routine Rose had used countless times before.
Only this time, she was being watched.
After school, the two slipped back behind the gym, careful to stay unnoticed. Kayla crouched behind the bush and retrieved the camera, tucking it securely into her bag.
Annie leaned against the wall, exhaling. "We got it… but I wish we'd placed a hidden mic too."
Kayla glanced at her. "Why?"
Annie looked back toward the hallway they'd watched earlier. "We could've heard everything—her trying to take that girl's money. It would've been solid proof, not just silent footage."
Kayla nodded slowly. "Next time," she said. "We'll plant both. Camera and mic."
They walked off campus, their bags heavier with evidence—and their minds racing ahead. This was just the beginning.
The next day, they got right to work.
Annie and Kayla arrived early, setting up a new set of cameras—this time with hidden microphones. They secured them carefully in the bushes and branches overlooking the usual spot, making sure nothing was visible to the untrained eye.
Everything was ready.
And like clockwork, Rose showed up again—another student in tow, face pale and nervous. Jenny and Lily were right behind her, silent and watchful.
But something felt… off.
Instead of going straight into her usual routine, Rose paused. Her eyes scanned the area—lingering on the bushes, the trees, even glancing briefly toward the direction of the camera.
From their hidden position, Annie felt her chest tighten. "She's looking," she whispered.
Kayla's eyes widened. "Does she know?"
They held their breath as Rose took a step closer to the trees—closer to the camera—but then turned away, as if dismissing a passing thought.
"Maybe she just felt something," Kayla muttered. "She couldn't have seen it… right?"
Annie didn't answer. Her mind was racing. If Rose suspected they were watching, the game just became a lot more dangerous.
They retrieved the camera and mic just like before—quickly, quietly, and without drawing attention.
Back at Kayla's house, they reviewed the footage and audio. There it was: Rose's voice, sharp and venomous, pressuring the girl to hand over money. Threats. Control. Fear.
It was everything they needed.
And yet… it didn't feel like a win.
Annie stared at the screen, hands clenched into fists. "This is solid proof. But what now? If we go straight to the school—her family's just going to bury it. Or worse… silence us."
Kayla leaned back, her brow furrowed. "We need a plan. One that doesn't rely on people who already protect her. We need to make this public. Something they can't cover up."
Annie turned to her, eyes narrowing. "So we leak it?"
Kayla nodded slowly. "We show the truth to everyone—students, teachers, maybe even the media if we have to. We burn the illusion she's built. And we don't give them time to hide it."
Annie hesitated. "That could make us targets."
Kayla looked her in the eyes. "We already are."
Annie shook her head. "No… we don't go straight in. Not yet."
Kayla raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"
"We do this carefully," Annie said. "We leak it—yes—but not under our names. We create an anonymous account. One they can't trace back to us."
Kayla's eyes lit up. "And let the internet do the talking."
Annie nodded. "Exactly. Let the fire spread on its own. Let the students, the parents—even the school board—see what Rose really is. And when they're panicking… when she's exposed and the pressure's high… that's when we strike."
Kayla leaned back in her chair, a slow grin forming. "Strike while the iron's hot."
Annie looked back at the screen one more time. The moment they'd captured. The truth.
"It's time," she whispered. "Let the Rose Garden burn from the inside out."