All Chapters of One Free Coffee, and I Became a Scammer: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

I watched the insults in the class group chat spiral out of control and hurried to type a reply.[You guys have it all wrong! I passed out from low blood sugar, and the coffee shop owner gave me that coffee! I didn't pay for it!]Brooke Rulin, the class queen bee, chimed in with what sounded like an attempt to calm everyone down.[Come on, guys, don't be so harsh. Maybe Patty really does have her reasons. And she has the right to enjoy life, too… Though… financial aid is meant for people who genuinely need it…][Still sticking up for the liar? You're just too nice, Brooke.]Before I could type out another word, Chuck Grabeel, our class president, jumped in with a sarcastic jab.[Patty, if you have too much money left over from your financial aid, you can always donate it to someone else. Playing the victim for financial aid on one hand while going to coffee shops to splurge every day is pretty hypocritical.]Chuck had the hots for Brooke, so naturally, whatever she said was righ

"Go back and write a thorough statement of self-reflection," Tanner continued. "Make sure your tone is sincere, and admit that you fraudulently obtained financial aid."I couldn't write that. Writing it would be admitting that I scammed the college out of financial aid, and that stain would follow me for the rest of my life!"I won't write it," I said, refusing. "I didn't commit fraud!"Brooke let out a soft sigh."Patty, I've always believed that it's not your fault for being poor. Everyone understands and sympathizes with the fact that your family needs assistance. But pretending to be poor to fraudulently claim government assistance when you're clearly not struggling? That's a question of character and basic integrity."Our classmates immediately exploded with righteous indignation."Exactly! Why not give the grant to someone who actually needs it? Brooke's family is struggling this year, too!""Why should someone pretending to be broke take up a spot?""Give it up already.

"Sir, did you give that girl who passed out a cup of coffee?" Brooke asked."Yeah. Her blood sugar dropped, so I made her a cup of coffee," Malcolm answered. "Why?"Brooke chuckled. "Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering. Did she pay for the coffee herself? It's 5 dollars, right?""No, of course not! What kind of person would I be if I charged my employee for a cup of coffee I gave her after she passed out?"The video stopped there, with the final frame showing Brooke looking down and typing something on her phone.The entire auditorium fell dead silent.I turned to look at the audience. Brooke had her head bowed, her face as white as a sheet.I faced the students and faculty. "I never pretended to be poor. I work part-time until midnight every day. And when I passed out at the coffee shop, the owner gave me a cup of coffee that was worth 5 dollars. That's the whole story. As simple as that."Brooke Rulin, you knew the whole truth from the very beginning. You knew I passed out

I stood behind the counter, apron still tied around my waist, suddenly feeling like I didn't belong anywhere in the room.Priscilla's gaze swept over me, her eyes burning with anger and hurt.She didn't know me. All she saw were pictures of her husband spending time with a female college student late at night.I took half a step forward, trying my best to keep my voice steady."Priscilla, those photos were maliciously cropped. Someone's spreading rumors from a burner account, and I've already asked people to report it.""Be quiet."Priscilla looked at me, her eyes red. "I know who you are. You're the young lady who passed out in the shop. Malcolm has been running all over the place for you, what with the security footage, videos, and the sandwich shop owner. I've never seen him care this much about anything in his life. He told me you were about the same age as our daughter, and that he felt bad seeing you struggle!"Her voice caught, and tears spilled down her cheeks."Daughte

Malcolm poked his head out from the kitchen."Did she really apologize?""Yeah," I answered."You didn't forgive her?"I kept wiping the counter, looking down. "Nope. If I forgive her, what would that make everything I went through? I need to hold on to the fact that I didn't forgive her—as a reminder to myself."Malcolm let out a soft chuckle and ducked back into the kitchen.After work, my phone chimed with a voice message from Grandma.I tapped it, and her booming, energetic voice came through."Sweetheart! I took the medicine, and my back doesn't hurt anymore! I'll make some brownies next week and mail them to you. Share some with your boss who's been looking out for you!"I stood beneath a streetlight and chuckled out loud.…Brooke withdrew from the college. I wasn't on campus the day she left, but Chyler told me she'd dragged a suitcase out of the dorm by herself, and her dad had come to pick her up in his car.Later, I saw the college's final disciplinary notice on