Chapter 3

Things got worse.

Someone made an anonymous channel and a private Discord server called "Get the Parasite Out of School." Every day, people uploaded photos they'd secretly taken of me, paired with vicious comments.

Me in an ordinary coat, mocked:

"Is that Sebastian's? God, why does she always need attention?"

But Mr. Rivers had bought it for both me and Sebastian.

Me passing the parking lot in the afternoon, and they said:

"Here comes the beggar, catching another ride home from Sebastian."

The truth was, I'd stopped riding in Sebastian's car half a month ago.

But no matter what I changed, it was wrong.

They always found something to pin on the leech. Or rather, they thought my very existence was a lowly mistake.

Before midterms, I spent almost all my time buried in the school library.

I didn't want to go back to the old house. I didn't dare linger in the hallways. I just wanted to hide in the deepest corner of the shelves and numb myself with books.

At 9:30 at night, the library was thinning out.

A few students passing by looked at me and let out sharp little snickers.

An Asian girl walked past, lowered her head, and whispered:

"Watch your back—"

She said it fast, then vanished.

I reached around and touched my back. At some point, someone had taped an A4 printout to it.

In thick red marker, huge letters: "PARASITE."

Below that glaring word was a photo of me and my grandmother. Her face had been scribbled over with black X's, and the word "parasite" written across it.

My head went white with a roar. A fury I couldn't name surged up.

I tore the paper off my back with shaking hands. My nails split and ached from the force. I clutched the crumpled page, tears dropping onto the photo, sobbing so hard I couldn't breathe.

I broke down completely.

They couldn't do this. They couldn't desecrate my grandmother.

I ran out of the library to the front desk and slammed the paper onto it, pleading with the librarian.

"Pull the security footage! Please, help me pull the footage! Someone taped this to my back! They're bullying me!"

The old woman in reading glasses looked at the paper slowly.

"Maya," she sighed, pushing it back to me. "It's already closing time. And pulling footage requires written authorization from the principal. High schoolers are like this. Someone always has to bear it."

My anger deflated like a punctured balloon. I took the photo and walked out of the library in a daze.

Outside, it had started raining. I hadn't noticed. The ground was already pooling with water.

I stood under the tall eaves of the library, shaking all over. Maybe from anger. Maybe from the cold.

I had no umbrella. The forecast had said clear skies tonight.

I was debating whether to run back to the old house through the downpour when Sebastian came across the lawn, holding a huge black umbrella.

In that moment, my heart gave an uncontrollable little flutter.

"Sebastian—"

I spoke softly, my voice carrying a sliver of humble hope and a choke.

Sebastian lifted the umbrella edge, saw me at the door, and looked a little surprised.

"Why are you still here? Have you seen Chloe? She said she was studying at the library."

My body went colder than before.

"No."

"Weird. She said she'd wait for me here."

Sebastian pulled out his phone, scrolling restlessly.

Just then, the glass door beside us pushed open and Chloe ran out.

"Sebastian!" She called out in delight, running under the umbrella. "You really came to get me?"

"It's pouring. I'll drive you home."

Sebastian's voice was gentle. He smoothly tilted the whole umbrella over Chloe's head, like he was afraid a single drop would touch her.

Only then did Chloe seem to suddenly notice me standing there.

"Maya? I didn't even see you." She blinked, smug. "You don't have an umbrella?"

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

"That's too bad," Chloe smiled sweetly, nestling against Sebastian. "Sebastian's umbrella is too small. We can't share it with you. Maybe wait here? Someone else might offer you a ride."

Sebastian glanced at me.

There was no worry in his eyes. Only waiting.

He was waiting for me to nod.

I just stood there. I couldn't say a word.

In the end, Sebastian looked away and turned.

"Let's go, Chloe. The road's going to flood."

He walked into the storm, holding the umbrella over Chloe.

I stood at the library entrance, watching their backs pressed together under one umbrella. Sebastian shielded Chloe, half his shirt soaked through.

Just like twelve years ago, walking down a rainy street together, when he held the whole umbrella over my head.

And now, he wouldn't share an umbrella with a leech.

But the pathetic part? Until that very moment, I'd still been fantasizing that he'd look back.