8
I couldn’t sleep because of the coughing and
my tongue hurt.
I took more cough medicine and it was better.
I went to the kitchen to get water and heard
Mom and Dad talking.
“It wasn’t my intention to accuse her. Jenny
was talking about how Peter bought a house
and was planning the wedding. I was just
looking at our finances and trying to see how
we could help and I misplaced my gold bars.‘
“”
<
“It’s her fault for stealing stuff. If she didn’t
do that, I wouldn’t accuse her! Why would I
accuse someone else?”
“When is Peter going to propose? He bought
the house three months ago. Why hasn’t
anything happened yet?”
“Don’t worry. He’ll propose. He’s nice to me.
My boss can see it. He gives me gifts.”
The gold bars were found.
Jenny posted: “What’s it like to live with a
thief?”
Someone asked, and she replied: “It’s the
person you know. They did it again.”
“They steal from their own parents. My aunt
is crying.”
“It’s enough to put them in jail.”
“They’re famous at school.”
“Thank you for caring. I’m going back soon. I
won’t bring anything valuable. I’ll keep my
phone with me.”
“I hope they don’t scare my boyfriend.”
“He’s on a business trip.”
“I’ll let you know when things are official!”
I guess the person was a former student, but I
didn’t have them as friends.
I didn’t have any friends in school.
く
After the stealing incident, I was hated in
middle school.
Students avoided me, and the teachers
started looking at me differently.
After my test scores got me into the best
high school in the city, I hoped for a fresh
start, but the rumors kept following me.
Two weeks later, rumors started that the
transfer student was a thief.
It was all because of Jenny, the new popular
girl at school.
Soon, my roommates were saying they lost
their things.
Crving and saving I acted suspicious, as if
they saw me stealing.
Nobody wanted to stay with me.
The school gave me a small apartment in the
corner of the yard.
In their eyes, this was proof I was being
punished for stealing.
I texted my friend, Paul: “Hotel?”
Paul replied: “What do you mean?”
“You know.”
Paul was typing for a while and then replied:
“Porn?”
He deleted it and kept typing.
L
“Yes!”
I didn’t let him reply.
Paul: “Are you sure?”
“You said you are great in bed. Show me
what you can do.”
Ten minutes later.
Paul: “Wait for me to come back. I need to
practice!”
“12”
“I’m out of town!”
He was fast.
That night, he was outside my house.
I got my stuff and left.
“I’m going out,” I said.
“Go. Why are you telling me?”
Mom looked away, and watched TV.
“I’m not going to send you off.”
Mom was kicked out of the group chat and
the dance team, after arguing with Jenny.
Mom was upset and joined the team again,
but they put her in the back.
Mom quit, and took the batteries from the
sound system saving she bought them
sound system, saying she bought them.
“Are you going to search me?” I asked.
She hadn’t defended me and told everyone
the gold bars were found.
Mom was uneasy, but didn’t answer, and
made an excuse.
“Touching you would make me sick.”
I remembered middle school.
I used to have friends.
One day, I said I didn’t feel well and went to
the bathroom.
I went through trash cans. and found a pad
I could say that I was an orphan with parents?
“You’re gross.”
I remembered my friend’s voice.
That day, I lost my best friend.
I didn’t tell her I was worse than she thought.
