Sophie stood there, overwhelmed by the weight of Miss Charlotte's words.
"And as a consequence of violating a school rule, you are disqualified from the competition."
The reprimand was delivered without hesitation, leaving Sophie motionless as tears streamed down her cheeks. "A letter will be sent to your parents; you may leave now," Miss Charlotte concluded.
"Suspended????" Digi exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. Sophie remained seated on her bed, her head hanging low in resignation. "Yes," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's impossible. There's no way this is happening," Digi fumed.
"I'm confused too, Digi. Mom and Dad are downstairs discussing it," Sophie uttered, her expression devoid of emotion.
"Did you even attempt to explain yourself?" Digi pressed.
"I couldn't, Digi. Everything happened so suddenly; I felt paralyzed," Sophie admitted, anxiety creeping into her voice. "What I don't understand is how it was my email that was used." She gazed into the mirror as her phone buzzed—Faith was calling.
Sophie stared at the screen for a moment before declining the call, uncertain of how to address the situation. "Why aren't you answering?" Digi inquired.
"What exactly do you want me to say? 'Hey Faith, I'm suspended and can't compete; you're on your own. Sorry!'" The bitterness in Sophie's tone startled Digi.
The silence hung heavy in the air until Digi broke it, her voice serious. "Did you actually do it?"
Sophie met her gaze, sincerity shining in her eyes as she replied, "No."
"Then you shouldn't be worried, Sophie. The true culprit will be discovered," Digi reassured her.
"How? There's clear evidence that it was my email. But I know I didn't do it. Someone must have hacked it," Sophie suggested, realization dawning upon her.
"Of course! The computer project! I must have not logged out, and someone else used my email… hacked it to sabotage me," Sophie clarified, but Digi finished her thought.
"If that's true, that's kind of irresponsible of you Sophie." Digi remarked. "I know, but how, when, why, and who?" Sophie pondered. A sudden knock at the window interrupted her. She turned to see Milo perched outside, his bright eyes full of curiosity. "Oh my God, I almost forgot about him." She quickly opened the window.
"Hello, Sophie!" Milo greeted cheerfully, though Sophie felt a weight of sadness in her heart, knowing her parents would not allow her to keep the cat until she cleared her name.
"Are you alright, Sophie?" Milo asked, concern etched in his feline features. Sophie recounted her predicament to Milo, explaining that he would have to wait a little longer before she could bring him inside. Just then, a firm knock at the door caught her attention; it was her mom, arms crossed. "Come downstairs," she commanded before stepping away.
Sophie took a deep breath and followed her mother down. The living room was charged with an unsettling tension. "Sit down, Sophie," her father instructed, his tone a mix of concern and authority.
She sat beside her mother, who placed a comforting hand over hers. "We've been discussing the situation, and we're shocked," her father began. "Can you explain what happened? A straight forward truth."
Sophie recounted everything—the computer project, her suspension, and the disqualification. Her parents listened intently, their expressions inscrutable.
"I swear I didn't do it, Mom and Dad," Sophie assured them.
Her mother's grip tightened around her hand. "We believe you, sweetie. But we must uncover who is responsible for this."
Her father nodded in agreement. "We'll speak with the school. Regarding the cat, I'm afraid its arrival will have to be postponed. You understand?" Sophie looked down, accepting the weight of the responsibility. "Yes, Dad."
"Good, you may go to your room now," he said, his tone calm yet firm. Sophie climbed the stairs, her mind swirling with thoughts. Upon entering her room, she found Digi still waiting.
"Well?" Digi queried, arching an eyebrow.
"I don't know, Digi. Dad claims he believes me, but… I'm still not satisfied."
"I guess the best I can do is find out who did this," Sophie resolved, opening her laptop.
"But why would anyone target you? You're a kind person," Milo chimed in from his perch at the window.
"Milo? I'm so sorry for—"
"It's alright, Sophie. I know you're innocent, and I can wait. But if you need help, just ask. I'm here for you," Milo offered sincerely.
"Thank you, Milo, but this is something you won't be able to handle," Sophie replied gently.
"Perhaps my friends can assist. I can bring them over tomorrow," Milo suggested.
"It's best if you go now, alright?" With a soft purr, Milo acquiesced and left.
Sophie took a deep breath and began by checking her email on her laptop. To her astonishment, the last access to her email was registered at home. This made no sense. She tried repeatedly to verify, but the system yielded the same information, offering no clarity.
Frustrated, she decided to reach out to Bella. Grabbing her phone, she dialed Bella's number, anxiously awaiting a response, given she had been ignoring her calls since she returned home.
The ringing ceased, signaling that Bella had picked up. Sophie's thoughts momentarily went blank. "Hell—"
"WHAT THE HECK, SOPHIE? I've called you a million times! You didn't even have the decency to answer?" Bella's voice erupted from the other end.
"Listen, I know you're upset, but I was—"
"You bet I'm angry! I was worried sick about you!" Bella interrupted, her voice trembling with emotion.
Sophie felt a wave of calm wash over her as Bella spoke. "I'm sorry, Bella. This is all a lot for me to process, and I was already anxious about what my parents might say, which is why I didn't reach out to anyone," Sophie explained.
Bella nodded sympathetically. "We were all concerned about you, Sophie, especially Faith." Sophie was at a loss for words. "I truly regret this. But Bella, there is a way to vindicate myself."
"How?" Bella inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"I was using the school computer for a project associated with my email when I was abruptly interrupted by Faith's call, and I forgot to log out…"
Sophie detailed her predicament, revealing how her email account might have been compromised and used to undermine others.
"And you're saying the email indicates that it was accessed last weekend on your laptop?" Bella asked, processing the information.
"Yes," Sophie confirmed.
"Is there any chance you could bring your laptop over to my house?" Bella suggested.
"I may need to ask my parents first," Sophie replied.
"Alright, I'll wait for your answer," Bella said before they ended the call. Feeling uncertain about how to approach her parents, Sophie summoned her courage and descended the stairs, finding her mother in the kitchen and her father in the living room.
She approached them, articulating confidently that she needed assistance in tracking down the hacker. Her parents exchanged glances, and after her mother nodded, her dad said, "Alright, you can go tomorrow, but only for a short while, okay?"
Sophie smiled faintly and agreed. She then called Bella to inform her of her plans to come over after school the following day.
"But Bella, please don't tell anyone. I don't want anyone else to be implicated because of me," Sophie pleaded. Bella remained silent for a moment before responding with a quiet, "Okay." Sophie felt a small sense of relief, thanked her friend, and ended the call. As she prepared for bed, her mind was filled with worry, yet she prayed for guidance to clear her name swiftly.
The day dawned brightly, but Sophie's spirits were dimmed. Her mother drove her to Bella's house for a brief two-hour visit. "Hello, Mrs. Rogers," Sophie greeted warmly.
"Sophie dear, welcome! Bella is eagerly waiting for you in her room. I hope you two can unravel this mystery," Mrs. Rogers encouraged.
Mrs. Rogers had always treated Sophie like her own daughter. "Thank you," Sophie replied gratefully. She made her way to Bella's room, opening the door only to be taken aback by the sight of all her friends gathered within.
"Sophieeeeeeeee!" Lucy exclaimed, leaping up to hug her tightly. Sophie returned the embrace and noticed Bella's guilty yet cheerful expression. "I thought I asked you not to tell anyone," Sophie said, breaking free from the hug.
"You said not to tell anyone, but we're not just anyone; we're your friends," Brian chimed in, a smile brightening his face.
Sophie felt a surge of frustration welling up inside her when she heard Phil's voice. "Don't despair, Sophie. Now, what have you managed to uncover so far?"
"Well, what I found is quite peculiar," Sophie replied.
"How so?" Nick inquired.
"My last login indicated that it occurred over the weekend when I was at home on my laptop," Sophie explained, her brow furrowing with confusion.
"Hmm. Let me take a look," Miles offered, leaning closer to her laptop.
After scrutinizing the screen, Miles sighed heavily and continued his examination in silence.
"What's the issue?" Nick pressed.
"This data is very broad and convoluted. It doesn't provide any details about other logins," Miles responded, a frown deepening on his face. The group fell into an uneasy silence.
"Wait a minute," Nick said, his eyes lighting up. "What if the hacker used the information and then deleted the traces, not realizing how far back to erase?"
"That does make sense," Bella chimed in, her face brightening. "In that case, we need access to the school computers, but they're locked down for a week after that incident."
"And no teacher will risk getting in there," Phil added grimly.
"Which means it must have taken someone with exceptional skills to pull this off," Brian concluded, crossing his arms thoughtfully.
"How are we going to solve this dilemma?" Lucy asked, her eyes darting from one friend to another. The group regarded her, pondering their next steps.
Miles finally spoke, deep in thought. "There is a way," he said, his tone revealing a flicker of hope.
"What is it?" Faith asked eagerly.
"If we can somehow extract the coding from the school computer using a USB drive, I might be able to analyze the background and recover the compromised information. However, it will be tricky."
"But you can't access the computer labs," Bella reminded him, concern etched on her face.
"That's the challenge," Miles replied.
Sophie felt her anxiety mounting; they needed to act swiftly. They continued to brainstorm, but nothing conclusive emerged. Soon, it was time for Sophie to go home. When her mother picked her up, Sophie felt a wave of frustration wash over her. Once in her room, she flopped onto her bed, overwhelmed by the situation.
Suddenly, she heard a knock at her window. Peering out, she saw Milo.
"Hello, Sophie," he greeted with a friendly purr as she opened the window.
"Hi, Milo! What brings you here?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I want you to meet the friends I mentioned," he replied, letting out a cheerful whistle.
A few moments later, a small gathering of animals appeared. A wise-looking white owl, adorned with gray streaks in his feathers, perched on a nearby branch and hooted softly. A vibrant red bird landed beside him, chirping a cheerful tune, and a light brown rabbit with an adorable cottontail hopped closer to the window.
"So, this is your human friend you wanted us to meet, Milo?" the owl inquired in a deep, resonant voice.
"Yes, Ozias. Meet Sophie," Milo introduced her proudly.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ozias," Sophie responded, her smile warm.
"Delighted to meet you as well," the bird chirped sweetly.
"I'm Luna, and this here is Benny," the ruby-colored bird added, gesturing to the bunny.
"Hello, Benny," Sophie said, smiling as she gently stroked the rabbit's soft fur.
"Fascinating! How can you understand us, dear? It's quite uncommon for a human to do so," Ozias remarked, curiosity glinting in his wise eyes.
"It's a gift, I suppose," Sophie replied, revealing the extraordinary truth that allowed her to communicate with these creatures.
"We heard you're facing some troubles," Benny said with concern.
"Yes," Sophie admitted, sliding down next to Milo. "Someone hacked into my email account and sent hurtful messages to my friends."
Luna chirped empathetically. "That's horrible! Do you have any idea who might be responsible?"
Sophie shook her head, frustration mounting. "No, that's the issue. The email indicated it was sent from my laptop, but I know I didn't do it."
Benny twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. "That's quite a puzzler. But we're here to help you, Sophie."
Milo nodded enthusiastically. "We'll do whatever it takes to help clear your name."
Sophie felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. "Thanks, everyone. Just talking to you makes me feel a lot better."
Ozias nodded sagely. "Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to address a problem."
"That's true," Sophie agreed, though she still felt uncertainty looming. "But I wish I had that perspective right now."
"Well, if you need us, don't hesitate to call. We'll be here," Benny reassured her.
With that, the animals took their leave, leaving Sophie to ponder, "How can these animals actually help me?" She sighed deeply before drifting off to sleep, her mind racing.
Over the following days, Sophie endeavored to uncover the identity of the hacker, but every lead she followed seemed to hit a dead end. Frustration and hopelessness settled in.
One of the following days, she received a call from Bella informing her that Faith had also withdrawn from the competition. Surprised, Sophie tried calling Faith but received no answer. Determined to get to the bottom of things, she decided to pay Faith a visit.
Upon reaching her room Sophie knocked on the door and said, "Faith…..It's me, Sophie. Can we talk?" She asked. There was no response. "I realized my mistake and I came to apologize." She added but still no response. Sophie decided to go but the door opened and Faith let her come in.
Sophie sat on the bed and Faith closed the door while facing Sophie. "You don't need to apologise." Faith said her voice still below a whisper and a tear flew down her face.
"Faith, what's wrong?" Sophie asked as she stood up.
Faith looked up, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I couldn't do it without you, Sophie," Faith said, her voice shaking. "I know I'm supposed to be strong and independent, but I really needed your help. But you were also very worried and knew that I should disturb you, so I couldn't do it. All this time I tried but I failed and the competition is in 3 days. I was just lost but I didn't want to bother you even if you....promised.
Sophie felt a pang of guilt, as that is what she was worried about the most before all this and had forgotten her friend's situation and abandoned her even though she promised to be by her side, she felt selfish.
"I'm so sorry, Faith," Sophie said, putting her arm around Faith's shoulders. "I didn't mean to abandon you."
Faith cried, explaining how she had felt lost and alone without Sophie's support. Sophie listened, feeling sorry for not being there for her friend.
"Listen Faith, like I said it's going to be ok. If I can clear my name then I can still join you, but if I can't then I know...," Sophie said, hugging her tightly. "You can still do it. You're strong and capable."
Faith smiled weakly.
"Thanks, Sophie," Faith said. "But I think I need to focus on my own situation right now."
Sophie nodded understandingly.
"I need to find the real culprit, Faith," Sophie said, determined in her voice. "I promise I'll clear my name and make things right."
Faith nodded, smiling slightly.
"I know you will, Sophie," Faith said. "You're an amazing person."
Sophie smiled, feeling grateful for Faith's support.
As Sophie walked home, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was running out of time. She needed to find the culprit before it was too late.
When she arrived home, Digi was waiting for her in her room.
"Hey, Sophie," Digi said, concern etched on her face. "How was your day?"
Sophie sighed, flopping down onto her bed.
"It was tough," Sophie said. "Faith is no longer in the competition because of me."
Digi's expression turned sympathetic.
"I'm so sorry, Sophie," Digi said. "But you can't give up. You need to keep fighting to clear your name."
Sophie nodded, determination burning within her.
"I will, Digi," Sophie said. "I just need to think of a way to get the information we need." There was silence for a moment.
Just then, Sophie jumped up and exclaimed, "I got it."