Only by pretending we were all friends could she gain access to my innermost thoughts, just so she could mock me mercilessly behind my back.
“Andreas, do you think so too?"
Andreas's eyes fell on me with a complicated expression.
I followed his gaze and saw my school uniform, which had been washed white and even a little deformed. I seemed to understand a little bit.
“Andreas, I don't like you anymore,” I yelled at him, then said to Avery, "Avery, I will no longer be your follower. You have to bear the consequences of your own mistakes."
I left without looking back.
Avery's threat came from behind, "Kristi, you will regret this!"
I would not!
During the break, all my classmates looked at me in a different way.
I was too familiar with this malicious look.
There was a lot of discussion behind my back.
"Have you heard? Kristi got first place by cheating."
“I heard it, I heard it, she received the scholarship for two full years, it's really unfair!"
“How can we give this money to someone with bad behavior? Let's tell the teacher and make her return the money!"
"How can she return? Her family is so poor, she must have spent it all."
"No matter what, I'll make her pay for it even if she sells everything she has, or gets the hell out of school!"
Everyone's words seemed to have determined my future.
Avery fiddled with the pen and looked at me mockingly, as if declaring her victory.
Just as I expected, the news of my cheating in the exam has spread throughout the school.
Even if there was no evidence, it would not affect them from throwing dirty water on me.
After all, it took only one mouth to spread a rumor, but it took a lot of effort to refute it.
Just as I was about to explain, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Nash, called me to the office.
He pointed at me and slammed the table, "Kristi, you have brought shame to our class! How could you do such a terrible thing as cheating in an exam?!
“I heard that you even put on a big show in the exam room. Ha, find your father and ask him how he could raise a daughter as shameless as you."
I took out the old phone my father gave me from my pocket and explained, "No! Sir, I'm not the one who cheated, listen."
As I found the recording I wanted, I clicked play.
After the exam, when Andreas was pulling me to the corner of the stairs, I turned on the recording, so I could avenge myself.
Avery's words were still clearly recorded.
"She admitted it, Sir. It was Avery who cheated, not me!"
At this moment, I was extremely grateful that I had become cautious after experiencing a life-and-death slander and had recorded the evidence in time.
Mr. Nash was so angry that his face turned red and white. Then, he snatched the phone from my hand and said, “Show me."
As he handed the phone back to me, the recording was gone.
“Why?!"
“Why?” Mr. Nash said casually, "I already know about the matter. I will handle it. You can go back first."
I stood there and refused to leave, tears streaming down my face as I complained, “Why did you delete my recording?"
Mr. Nash patted my shoulder earnestly and said, "Let's stop here. Do you need me to explain it more clearly? Don't you know who Avery's father is? What can you use to fight her?
"Even if you have evidence that she is the one who cheated, she won't be punished. But you, aren't you afraid of retaliation?
"Okay, let's go now. I will pretend I didn't hear today's recording and you will pretend you didn't record it. Don't talk nonsense when you get back. Do you understand?"
I wiped away my tears and left Mr. Nash's office.
After checking the fresh recording on my phone, I ran to the school's broadcasting room at the speed of a 100-meter sprint. I wanted to let everyone know about their evil deeds.
No one could wrongly accuse me again!
