The next day, I brought a mountain of evidence to the principalโs office.Every class had a few students whom the school prioritized for their talent. As the top student in my year, the principal naturally knew all about me.โCheryl Summers? Is something the matter?โ He greeted me with some surprise.I immediately cried to him about the unfairness of it all, telling him about my suicidal thoughts over the past few days and my motherโs hospital stay. He was shocked and quickly looked through the evidence. Once he was done, he shook with rage and slammed the table, declaring he would defend me. โI canโt believe someone would harm my best student like that! Tell me who the bastard is, Cheryl, and Iโll get justice for you.โโItโsโฆ Jason Golde,โ I said through subsiding tears.However, the principal paused, his expression stiffening. After some hesitation, he said, โIโllโฆ call your homeroom teacher over to discuss the matter.โI had guessed this would be the outcome. Jasonโs family
The policeโs verdict was as I expected. They would hold Jason in detention for seven days and make him pay a fine of a thousand dollars.I calmly thanked them, but I did not say whether I was satisfied with this result.After discussing with me, the school publicly posted his sentence on their official website and even attached his handwritten apology letter. The letter went viral around the local high school, spelling the end of Jasonโs reputation.Instead of vandalized insults, my table became covered with snacks and small gifts. The classmates who misunderstood me before all came to apologize to me guiltily. โSorry, Cheryl, I shouldโve taken your side from the start. I was worried they would turn on me the way they turned on youโฆโ the girl who sat next to me said in a tiny voice.I smiled and grasped her hand. โIf you really want to apologize, thereโs a favor I need to ask of you right now.โHer eyes lit up and she hurriedly nodded. โJust tell me what it is!โHer mother was
The matter had gone out of hand with all the attention on it. Everyone was waiting for a satisfying result. Eventually, the school announced they were expelling Jason and forbidding him from taking any college entrance exams for three years.Just like that, his bright future was ruined. Apparently, he fainted when he heard the verdict.The incident was over, but I had not forgotten to get back at those people who slandered me. During next Mondayโs assembly, all the teachers and students gathered in the gymnasium. The principal sternly addressed Jasonโs actions and reminded the other students to take his downfall as a lesson.Chavonne was supposed to read the oath. She went onstage, looking pale as she held the microphone and glanced at me. Even after reading the oath, she stayed on stage.โNowโฆ I would like to apologize to Cheryl Summers. Cheryl, I shouldnโt have spread rumors about you and led our classmates to ostracize you. I know now that what I did was wrong, and Iโve learne
โOops, I may have accidentally gotten some ink on my neck when I was doing my homework.โ I calmly wiped the mark off my neck, smirking at my teacher. She had gone pale.โIf thatโs all, Mrs. Smith, Iโll head back to class now.โIn my previous life, my homeroom teacher Mrs. Smith had dragged me out of class just like this, accusing me without rhyme or reason.A picture had been making rounds on the school forums. It was a screenshot of a video chat, and both partiesโ faces were obscured, but the highlight was a photo of a girlโs body with the schoolโs uniform in the background.The school had immediately taken down the post, but everyone had shared the picture privately by now. Even Mrs. Smith got a copy, which was why she confronted me.She held the photo before my eyes, scoffing. โYou look like such a nice girl, Cheryl. To think you would do such shameless things in secret!โWere you chatting with your little boyfriend? Or was it your sugar daddy? โI know youโre here on a schol
When I went to school the next day, everyone gave me strange stares as expected. I could hear their mean whispers everywhere I went.โDid you hear? Cheryl Summers was the girl in the scandal!โโSeriously? Damn, she looks like such a nice girl too. To think sheโs so shameless in private.โโThe girl in the photo is so curvy. Phew, Cheryl hid it well.โSome boys stared openly at my body as they walked past, sniggering in a way that made me want to puke. I gripped my water bottle tightly and weaved through the crowd.As I was filling my bottle, someone suddenly splashed water on me. I could not dodge in time, so I was drenched. The water soaked through the clothes in front of my body, rendering my underwear visible for all to see.I looked at the culprit. It was Chavonne Smith, Mrs. Smithโs daughter. She had hated me since she lost a model student award to me last year, and now she could finally get back at me.Chavonne blinked innocently, but there was no hiding her smirk. โSorry
The scholarship selection went as planned. My results were excellent, and I was almost always first in the year. The scholarship usually went according to academic merit, so I was always a shoo-in for it.My high school was the best in the state. If I received the scholarship for two years in a row, I could guarantee entry into an Ivy League university.When I walked into the room, the loud conversations among the students instantly died down. I could hear their whispers, which included some absurd rumors.Some said I was a serial liar who stole the class funds because my family was poor. Some said prostitution was my family business.There were some brave souls who defended me, too. โDidnโt Mrs. Smith say it wasnโt Cheryl? Besides, she isnโt that type of girl!โHowever, they were quickly refuted with sarcasm and rolling eyes. โAre you really going to believe everything she says? Some people are just two-faced like that. Youโll get betrayed without even knowing it someday.โThe s
I froze.A sudden surge of anger and embarrassment washed over me, while Chavonne burst out laughing behind me.โAfter all that, you didnโt even get the scholarship. What a waste of your amusing act. How hilarious!โI clenched my hands into fists, demanding, โThe scholarship always went by academic merit, didnโt it? I came first more times than anyone else!โMrs. Smith explained lightly, โWe changed the parameters this year. This time, we took co-curriculurs into account too.โCheryl, I know you need the scholarship because of your background, but you have to be reasonable.โI could only watch as Jason went onto stage and accepted the glory that should have been mine. When he took a photo with Mrs. Smith, he met my gaze and turned away, as though he could not bear to look at me.In my daze, I felt like I could smell that cool scent of pine from his coat again.After school, I saw him waiting for me at the school gates. My hand tightened around my bag, and I wanted to walk aroun
Panic flashed through Jasonโs eyes for a second. Once he saw how certain I was, he decided to drop the act altogether. โSo is that a yes or no?โAll of a sudden, I wanted to puke. He framed me with a photo and then pretended to save me when I was at my lowest.He even managed to steal my scholarship and my seat in university at the same time! What a dastardly plot he had.โNow you know I have the original video. If you agree to be my girlfriend and sleep with me a few times, Iโll expose the real girl in the video onto the forum, and your name will be cleared.โI said through gritted teeth, โI wonโt let another girl suffer the same fate.โJason sneered and waved his phone in front of my eyes. โIs that so? Well, my perfect saintess, would you still think that way if I told you who she was?โI looked up at the screen and froze. The girl in the video was Chavonne Smith.I admit, there was a second when my brain went blank and then burned up. In that instant, I wanted to reveal her t
The matter had gone out of hand with all the attention on it. Everyone was waiting for a satisfying result. Eventually, the school announced they were expelling Jason and forbidding him from taking any college entrance exams for three years.Just like that, his bright future was ruined. Apparently, he fainted when he heard the verdict.The incident was over, but I had not forgotten to get back at those people who slandered me. During next Mondayโs assembly, all the teachers and students gathered in the gymnasium. The principal sternly addressed Jasonโs actions and reminded the other students to take his downfall as a lesson.Chavonne was supposed to read the oath. She went onstage, looking pale as she held the microphone and glanced at me. Even after reading the oath, she stayed on stage.โNowโฆ I would like to apologize to Cheryl Summers. Cheryl, I shouldnโt have spread rumors about you and led our classmates to ostracize you. I know now that what I did was wrong, and Iโve learne
The policeโs verdict was as I expected. They would hold Jason in detention for seven days and make him pay a fine of a thousand dollars.I calmly thanked them, but I did not say whether I was satisfied with this result.After discussing with me, the school publicly posted his sentence on their official website and even attached his handwritten apology letter. The letter went viral around the local high school, spelling the end of Jasonโs reputation.Instead of vandalized insults, my table became covered with snacks and small gifts. The classmates who misunderstood me before all came to apologize to me guiltily. โSorry, Cheryl, I shouldโve taken your side from the start. I was worried they would turn on me the way they turned on youโฆโ the girl who sat next to me said in a tiny voice.I smiled and grasped her hand. โIf you really want to apologize, thereโs a favor I need to ask of you right now.โHer eyes lit up and she hurriedly nodded. โJust tell me what it is!โHer mother was
The next day, I brought a mountain of evidence to the principalโs office.Every class had a few students whom the school prioritized for their talent. As the top student in my year, the principal naturally knew all about me.โCheryl Summers? Is something the matter?โ He greeted me with some surprise.I immediately cried to him about the unfairness of it all, telling him about my suicidal thoughts over the past few days and my motherโs hospital stay. He was shocked and quickly looked through the evidence. Once he was done, he shook with rage and slammed the table, declaring he would defend me. โI canโt believe someone would harm my best student like that! Tell me who the bastard is, Cheryl, and Iโll get justice for you.โโItโsโฆ Jason Golde,โ I said through subsiding tears.However, the principal paused, his expression stiffening. After some hesitation, he said, โIโllโฆ call your homeroom teacher over to discuss the matter.โI had guessed this would be the outcome. Jasonโs family
As soon as we stepped into the room next door, Chavonne fell to her knees and begged. โPlease donโt tell anyone, Cheryl, Iโm begging you! If you do, Iโll never be able to show myself around school again.โI looked at her coldly. โSo you do know the effects a scandal like this would have on a girlโs reputation. Why didnโt you consider my feelings when you turned our schoolmates against me, knowing full well that I wasnโt the girl in the photo?โShe wept, her body shaking like a leaf. โIโm sorry, Iโm so sorry! I was justโฆ so scared.โJason was the one who said heโd love me for life once I showed him my body. He promised not to let anyone else see the video, butโฆ I was stunned when I saw the post. I even thought of killing myself!โI just thought Iโd be safe if I turned the suspicions onto you instead! Cheryl, Iโm really sorry! I didnโt want any of this to happen. If my mom finds out the truth, Iโm dead!โI watched her sobbing like a baby and gave her an ultimatum.โIโll give you tw
Panic flashed through Jasonโs eyes for a second. Once he saw how certain I was, he decided to drop the act altogether. โSo is that a yes or no?โAll of a sudden, I wanted to puke. He framed me with a photo and then pretended to save me when I was at my lowest.He even managed to steal my scholarship and my seat in university at the same time! What a dastardly plot he had.โNow you know I have the original video. If you agree to be my girlfriend and sleep with me a few times, Iโll expose the real girl in the video onto the forum, and your name will be cleared.โI said through gritted teeth, โI wonโt let another girl suffer the same fate.โJason sneered and waved his phone in front of my eyes. โIs that so? Well, my perfect saintess, would you still think that way if I told you who she was?โI looked up at the screen and froze. The girl in the video was Chavonne Smith.I admit, there was a second when my brain went blank and then burned up. In that instant, I wanted to reveal her t
I froze.A sudden surge of anger and embarrassment washed over me, while Chavonne burst out laughing behind me.โAfter all that, you didnโt even get the scholarship. What a waste of your amusing act. How hilarious!โI clenched my hands into fists, demanding, โThe scholarship always went by academic merit, didnโt it? I came first more times than anyone else!โMrs. Smith explained lightly, โWe changed the parameters this year. This time, we took co-curriculurs into account too.โCheryl, I know you need the scholarship because of your background, but you have to be reasonable.โI could only watch as Jason went onto stage and accepted the glory that should have been mine. When he took a photo with Mrs. Smith, he met my gaze and turned away, as though he could not bear to look at me.In my daze, I felt like I could smell that cool scent of pine from his coat again.After school, I saw him waiting for me at the school gates. My hand tightened around my bag, and I wanted to walk aroun
The scholarship selection went as planned. My results were excellent, and I was almost always first in the year. The scholarship usually went according to academic merit, so I was always a shoo-in for it.My high school was the best in the state. If I received the scholarship for two years in a row, I could guarantee entry into an Ivy League university.When I walked into the room, the loud conversations among the students instantly died down. I could hear their whispers, which included some absurd rumors.Some said I was a serial liar who stole the class funds because my family was poor. Some said prostitution was my family business.There were some brave souls who defended me, too. โDidnโt Mrs. Smith say it wasnโt Cheryl? Besides, she isnโt that type of girl!โHowever, they were quickly refuted with sarcasm and rolling eyes. โAre you really going to believe everything she says? Some people are just two-faced like that. Youโll get betrayed without even knowing it someday.โThe s
When I went to school the next day, everyone gave me strange stares as expected. I could hear their mean whispers everywhere I went.โDid you hear? Cheryl Summers was the girl in the scandal!โโSeriously? Damn, she looks like such a nice girl too. To think sheโs so shameless in private.โโThe girl in the photo is so curvy. Phew, Cheryl hid it well.โSome boys stared openly at my body as they walked past, sniggering in a way that made me want to puke. I gripped my water bottle tightly and weaved through the crowd.As I was filling my bottle, someone suddenly splashed water on me. I could not dodge in time, so I was drenched. The water soaked through the clothes in front of my body, rendering my underwear visible for all to see.I looked at the culprit. It was Chavonne Smith, Mrs. Smithโs daughter. She had hated me since she lost a model student award to me last year, and now she could finally get back at me.Chavonne blinked innocently, but there was no hiding her smirk. โSorry
โOops, I may have accidentally gotten some ink on my neck when I was doing my homework.โ I calmly wiped the mark off my neck, smirking at my teacher. She had gone pale.โIf thatโs all, Mrs. Smith, Iโll head back to class now.โIn my previous life, my homeroom teacher Mrs. Smith had dragged me out of class just like this, accusing me without rhyme or reason.A picture had been making rounds on the school forums. It was a screenshot of a video chat, and both partiesโ faces were obscured, but the highlight was a photo of a girlโs body with the schoolโs uniform in the background.The school had immediately taken down the post, but everyone had shared the picture privately by now. Even Mrs. Smith got a copy, which was why she confronted me.She held the photo before my eyes, scoffing. โYou look like such a nice girl, Cheryl. To think you would do such shameless things in secret!โWere you chatting with your little boyfriend? Or was it your sugar daddy? โI know youโre here on a schol