Yes, Inspector. That night at the prom… I was the one who killed Ella.
You could call it impulsive. There was no grand scheme, no carefully drafted blueprint hidden under my pillow. No poison brewed in secret, no dramatic villain monologue. We just… fought. A stupid argument, a few sharp words thrown like knives, and then it happened.
With my own two hands, I....
"Poisoned Ella," you say?
Huh? No, Inspector. What are you even talking about? I didn't poison her. Why would you jump to that conclusion?
The crime scene?
Sorry. I don't remember much. I panicked. I ran. I left as fast as my legs could carry me, like the floor itself had turned into lava. I didn't look back. I didn't dare go near her body. I didn't even check if she was truly dead.
All I could think about was outside. The night air. The sky. The city lights glowing like nothing had happened. I just wanted distance. As far away as possible from Ella's body… from the way she seemed to be slowly dimming, like someone had lowered the brightness on her existence.
Her condition the last time I saw her?
If I'm not mistaken, she was lying at the bottom of the stairs. Still. Silent. Wrapped in that beautiful dress I once wanted to wear. Her hair was loose, covering part of her face. For a moment, she looked fragile. Too fragile. Like a porcelain doll someone had dropped and forgotten to pick up.
That's all I remember.
"A fallen flower pot," you say?
I don't understand. What pot?
Wait. So you found a shattered pot near the stairs? Soil and flowers scattered around?
I don't know anything about that. I'm not exactly a gardening enthusiast, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't any fallen pot there. The floor where Ella lay was clean. Polished. Like it had been mopped just hours before. I remember that detail clearly. I'm certain of it.
So what exactly did you and your forensic team find, Inspector?
"Ella was lying under the stairs, lips bluish. Faint bruises around her neck. Eyes wide open?"
Are you serious? That's nothing like what I remember. And now there's a broken pot too?
You're giving me a headache, Inspector.
"Most likely, Ella died from poisoning," you say?
I… don't even know how to react to that.
I'm confused. It feels strange.
But I'm also… relieved.
If she was poisoned, does that mean I'm off the suspect list? Does that mean I can erase the guilt I've been carrying and go back to my old life with Mom?
Yes, I admitted earlier that I killed her. But I didn't poison her. And besides…
"Was there anything suspicious at the party?" you ask?
I'm not sure. You know, Anastasia, Mom, and I arrived late. We missed the principal's speech and the opening ceremony. But from what I saw, everything seemed normal at first. Just a typical high school prom. Nothing out of place.
Some students were chatting in the front lobby, all dressed in gowns and suits that screamed expensive. They gave us those subtle, judgmental smiles. But that's normal too. People love pretending they're royalty.
Inside the main hall, it was more crowded. Most of them were still dancing with their partners. The rest were sitting at the edges, eating cake and snacks like it was the highlight of their lives.
Anastasia saw her precious Prince dancing with Ella. Then she ran off crying. After that? Nothing unusual.
"Was there any other student who hated Ella?" you ask?
Besides me and Anastasia? Probably not.
To our classmates, Ella was the sweet, pitiful girl. The victim. Her ridiculous lies worked perfectly. She gained sympathy like it was some kind of superpower.
And yeah, it was annoying.
Those stupid gossipers thought they knew everything. Throwing paper balls at us. Shoving trash into our lockers. Laughing like it was the funniest show on earth. Do they joke with their own mothers like that too?
I didn't care much about their pranks, Inspector. I swear. Even though sometimes I couldn't stand seeing Anastasia cry alone in the bathroom, as for me, I just ignored them. No point wasting energy on insects.
"Did anyone else get bullied because of Ella?" you ask?
No. Ella and her little gang of idiots only targeted me and Anastasia. No one else.
Do you seriously think someone else hated her?
If there really is someone like that, I want to meet them. I want to thank the person who poisoned her. They're practically a hero.
Because of them, Mom can finally live peacefully. No more worrying about that foolish girl.
Why are you looking at me like that, Inspector?
You don't agree?
Well, of course you don't. To a righteous police inspector like you, murder is a serious crime. The culprit deserves punishment. I get it.
So… is there anything else you want to ask?
"Before Ella left for the prom, was there anything unusual?" you ask?
Not really. She acted normal at home. Quiet, as usual. Her head slightly lowered, but her face still looked bright. Not pale at all. Especially with that sheer pink lipstick that made her lips look fresh.
She looked healthy. Completely fine.
Who would've thought that would be her last night?
"Did Prince pick her up?"
I'm... not sure....
Ella went to her friend's house first. I overheard her on the phone. They made plans to go to the prom together.
Ella said she was going to Alice's house.
***