Chapter 4

A woman I had never met before rushed at me like she had lost her mind. She punched, kicked, and yanked my hair.

"You put a needle in my son's pencil case and cut his hand!" the woman screeched. "The SAT are just two days away.

"If we hadn't brought him in time and the injury hadn't been minor, you would've ruined his whole life!

"You're only 18 years old. How can you be so cruel?"

I pulled away from her in confusion and said, "I didn't do it! I don't even know your son."

"Colin, stop lying. I saw you put the needle in his pencil case!" Joel suddenly stepped out from behind her. He was pointing at me with complete confidence.

My expression hardened. "Why would I put a needle in his pencil case? You have no proof. What gives you the right to accuse me?"

"Who says we don't have proof?"

The moment I heard Megan's voice, a chill ran down my spine.

She held up her phone and played a video.

Because of the camera angle, it looked like I sneaked up to a classmate's desk and slipped something into their pencil case.

Then, I suddenly remembered. I had been delivering a reward from the teacher next door to the top student in their class on the mock exam.

It was just a pen, not a needle.

But my explanation fell on deaf ears. The student's mother snapped, "Joel saw everything. We have a witness and the evidence. How can you still deny it?"

I turned to Megan and asked through clenched teeth, "Did you see it too?"

Megan avoided my gaze and stayed silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse.

"Colin, you've always been jealous and picked on Joel. I never thought you'd go after one of your classmates too. I'm so very disappointed in you."

I stared at her in disbelief. Those words confirmed that I had injured someone on purpose.

"How could a school produce someone as evil as you? I'm going to take this to your school and make sure everyone knows what kind of person you are!"

The victim's mother stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

I looked at Megan, shaking all over.

"Why?" I asked.

She clenched her fists. A mix of emotions flashed in her eyes as she said quietly, "Colin, Joel didn't mean for this to happen. He never thought a prank would get so out of hand.

"If Mom and Dad find out, they will be so disappointed in him. He's always been so proud. This is the first time I've seen him cry like that. He was so scared and heartbroken."

By the end, her voice was so full of sympathy for Joel.

I glared at her and spoke slowly, "So you pretended to make peace with me just to get me here, all so I could take the blame for Joel?"

Megan's breath hitched before she answered with difficulty, "I've already arranged a way out for you. I won't let anything happen to you."

That shattered the last bit of hope left in me.

-

I don't remember how I got back to school that day.

I only remember the disgusted looks and cruel words from my classmates.

"He's the kid who put a needle in his classmate's pencil case. It's dangerous being at the same school as him!"

"Can they just put someone like him in prison and keep him there? He's terrifying!"

Before I even reached my classroom, I was called to the principal's office.

The principal slid a document across the desk to me.

He said, "The victim's family has made a huge scene about this matter. They're demanding an explanation. Your early acceptance has been revoked.

"Other than that, the school's board has unanimously decided to expel you."

I froze where I stood, a chill running through my body.

I couldn't understand.

I had worked so hard just to protect the few things that mattered to me.

But ever since I went back to the Slade family with Megan, it felt like I was always losing something.

I lost Megan.

I lost my home.

I lost my early acceptance.

In the end, I even lost my place at school.

I only wanted to leave quietly. Why was even that so difficult?

A message popped up on my phone. Megan had sent me transfer papers and two plane tickets.

"The Slades helped establish a school in Harborton," she wrote. "I've already spoken with them and arranged for them to accept your transfer.

"It's too late for the SAT this year, but with your grades, you can still get into a good college if you take a gap year to retake it. Once the finals are over, I'll go with you."

So Megan had thought through every consequence. She knew exactly what I would face.

Yet, she still chose to destroy my life for Joel.

I stood outside the school gate in a daze, clutching the papers until the security guard told me to leave.

-

After the SAT ended, I was about to board the train with my suitcase.

A message from Megan popped up. She wrote, "I'm already at the airport waiting for you. Where are you?"

I sent her one last message. "I'm not going to Harborton with you. We're even now."

The moment I sent it, my phone kept ringing nonstop with her calls.

I didn't answer and blocked every way she had to contact me. Then I turned around and boarded the train.

'Goodbye, Megan. Forever.'