Chapter 2

Having said that, Ms. Stafford turned away to urge the other students to get on with their exams, not sparing me another glance.

I clutched the exam papers I had just retrieved and hurried back to the classroom, only to be intercepted at the doorway by her again.

"Don't you try any funny business this time!"

I nodded silently and returned to my seat. Just as I reached for my stationery case, I suddenly froze in place.

It was empty.

I glanced around the classroom. The other students who had been staring at me a moment ago all abruptly ducked their heads and looked away.

The exam had already been underway for over ten minutes. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself and turned around to ask Jake behind me if I could borrow a pen from him.

"Jake, can I—"

However, I had barely managed to say another word when Jake shot up from his seat, his hand flying into the air with startling speed.

"Ms. Stafford! I want to report Darrell for peeking at my answers!"

Completely stunned, I whipped back around. "No, that's not it at all!"

Ms. Stafford immediately marched up to my desk and snatched up my exam paper, her face as dark as thunder.

"How many times do I have to say that cheating is strictly forbidden during an exam?"

"No, that's not it, Ms. Stafford, I swear! I was just trying to borrow a pen!"

My eyes welled up with tears, and I gripped the edge of the desk until my knuckles turned white. But before I could finish, Jake chimed in, "Look, Ms. Stafford, his pen is right there on the desk! He was clearly just trying to sneak a look at my paper!"

I followed the direction of his pointing finger, and sure enough, the missing pen was sitting quietly in the corner of my desk.

It had to have been Pete.

He must have slipped it back while I wasn't looking. I looked sharply at Pete, who was right in front of me, my voice trembling.

"Ms. Stafford, it was Pete! He took my pen just now. I really didn't cheat!"

Ms. Stafford turned her gaze toward Pete, looking skeptical yet uncertain. "Pete, did you take it?"

Pete's voice choked up instantly. "Ms. Stafford, I've been working on my exam the whole time. I never touched his things! Everyone here can vouch for me!"

The students around us chimed in. "We didn't see him take anything, Ms. Stafford!"

Ms. Stafford glanced at the meek-looking Pete, then back at me. Her expression then shifted, clearly leaning in his favor.

She patted him gently on the shoulder and said in a soothing tone, "It's alright. Just focus on your exam."

Then, she grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the classroom, leaving me standing in the hallway. I stood there, trying to explain myself over and over, but she just wouldn't listen. She wouldn't even spare me a glance.

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. My classmates filed out, casting gloating looks my way as they snickered.

"No wonder his grades were always so good—turns out he was cheating the whole time!"

"He's in big trouble now. He's definitely going to get a formal reprimand."

Moments later, an announcement crackled over the school's PA system.

"Darrell Goodwin, from Class 3-3, has received a major disciplinary demerit for cheating on an exam."

The words hit me like a heavy hammer, crushing my heart.

I stormed back into the classroom. Pointing at Jake and Pete, who were chatting and laughing among themselves, I shouted, "I didn't cheat! Jake, your grades aren't even as good as mine! Why would I ever copy off you? And you, Pete—you two set me up on purpose!"

Jake's face darkened at my outburst.

"My grades aren't as good as yours? Darrell, the SATs are right around the corner. You're planning to drop out because you know you won't pass and just find some wealthy sugar mommy to keep you instead, aren't you?"

"Who are you calling a kept man?" I seethed back at him.

Just then, Jake pulled out his phone, tapped on the screen, and shoved it right in front of my face.

There was a photo on the screen. It showed me getting into a luxury car with an extremely beautiful woman. We were also walking very closely together.