Chapter 1

She grabbed my hair and dragged me to the middle of the school courtyard screaming that I stole her boyfriend—so I slapped her back in front of everyone.

It was lunch hour, hundreds of students everywhere.

Lila, the most popular girl in school, marched straight up to me.

Without a word, she grabbed my hair and yanked me down hard.

I fell to my knees. Pain shot through my scalp.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN STEAL HIM FROM ME?" she shrieked, shaking me by the hair.

"YOU SEND HIM LOVE MESSAGES AND PRETEND TO BE INNOCENT?"

The whole circle gasped.

"She's crazy!" someone said.

"I didn't steal anyone!" I shouted, tears stinging my eyes.

"LIAR!" Lila screamed louder. She pulled out her phone and held it high.

"EVERYONE LOOK! These messages are from YOU! Right here! Your name! Your photo!"

I glanced at the screen. My name was there. My photo. Sweet words to her boyfriend.

The crowd turned on me instantly.

"Disgusting!"

"Homewrecker!"

"She deserves it!"

Lila smirked. She tightened her grip on my hair.

"Apologize. On your knees. Or I post these everywhere."

I stood up. Tore her hand off my hair.

My face burned but I didn't cry.

"I will not apologize," I said loud and clear.

Then I slapped her.

Hard.

The sound cracked across the courtyard like a gunshot.

Silence fell.

Lila stumbled back, hand flying to her cheek, eyes wide with shock.

"You... you hit me?" she stammered.

"I defend myself," I said, pulling out my own phone.

"And those messages? They're fake."

"Look closely at the account name."

I held my screen up beside hers side-by-side.

"See the extra letter? The one she added to make it look like mine?"

Lila's face went pale.

"I never created that account," I said.

"And I can prove it—because my account has been verified and linked to the school system for two years."

"This one? It was created YESTERDAY."

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

I looked Lila dead in the eye.

"You made that fake account yourself," I said.

"You sent those messages. All so you'd have an excuse to humiliate me."

The murmurs turned to gasps.

Lila stepped back, trembling. "That's not true—"

"Then explain why you're the only one who ever received them," I cut in.

"And why you were so desperate to show everyone before anyone could check."

I took a step toward her.

"You didn't catch me cheating," I said.

"You got caught framing me."

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The crowd turned on her instantly.

Lila stood there, red mark burning on her cheek, realizing she had destroyed her own reputation in front of everyone.