- 10.
Chrissy never thought my dad would call the
く
cops over this.
She thought he’d protect her no matter what,
because it would be bad for the family image,
and because he loved her.
But my dad was determined to have the
police investigate.
It was only now that she realized that
everyone’s love had vanished.
“You’re really going to do this?”
She spoke so softly that only I could hear.
Then, she lifted her head, sneering. “Fine, call
the police. Let them reveal the truth!”
I immediately knew something was wrong.
く
C
>
“Dad, I’ll show you who you should love.”
Chrissy got up from the floor, glaring at me
like a snake.
Sure enough, when the police went to get the
security footage, they discovered that all the
cameras in the classroom and hallway were
mysteriously broken.
“Ashley, you keep saying I’m after you,”
Chrissy said in the office. “But why does
everyone in class say you’re a bad person? If
everyone says it, am I making it up?”
Chrissy lifted her chin, looking like she
wanted to stab me with her eyes.
“Ashley, you’re such a terrible person. How
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can you even stay in this class? You’re a
disgrace to your parents!”
“Mom and Dad are going to be ruined
because of you. How can they ever show their
faces in public again!”
Just then, I got a text from Mom.
She said: Honey, Mom will always protect
you. Don’t be afraid of anything, just keep
going forward.
At the same time, a cop suddenly held up his
phone and said loudly, “I have a video with
powerful evidence!”
He glanced at Chrissy and played the video
on the screen.
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A lot of students had gathered outside to
watch, even kids from other classes.
Everyone gasped when they saw the video.
It clearly showed Chrissy stealing the money
from Sarah’s desk and putting it in my desk
when nobody was in class.
Her deadbeat boyfriend was with her.
The guy was sitting on my desk, kicking my
chair.
“Your Mom and your dog of a brother must
have lost it. They start caring about their real
daughter.”
“They’re dead,” Chrissy said angrily. “Since
they adopted me they shouldn’t have taken
<
Ashley in. There’s only room for one daughter
in the Cunningham family! Everything that I
have is mine. I worked so hard for this!”
“I don’t know why they suddenly changed. But
as long as Ashley is made out to be a thief,
the Cunningham won’t stick up for her
anymore.”
Chrissy stomped on my bag before putting it
back.
“Arnie, get her after school, I haven’t taught
her in awhile. Her skin must be itching.‘
I later found out that my Mom had guessed
what would happen, so she sent someone to
record it.
But she didn’t think I’d fight Chrissy and get
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hurt, which she regretted.
The video made everything clear.
Not only were the students shocked, but the
teachers couldn’t believe there was such a
cruel student in their class.
Some of the more honest kids finally spoke
- up.
They ran into the office, telling the cops and
teachers.
“Chrissy’s been bullying Ashley the whole
time. She always hits her where it doesn’t
show.”
“Yeah, she made Ashley drink water from a
dirty drain, I almost threw up smelling it!”
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against her gets beat up by her and her
boyfriend, so we’ve been scared to say
anything.”
“She acts all innocent, and anyone who goes
“Ashley’s a really good person, she’s super
nice, and she spent a whole class helping me
with a project.”
“Chrissy threatened me, she’s scary, and her
boyfriend has lots of tattoos. I’m super
terrified…”
Chrissy was white as a sheet, unable to say a
word.
She was expelled on the spot. She realized
she’d lost everything, and that she could
never go home again.
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Her former followers‘ parents took them out
of the school.
Before they left, they made their kids
apologize to me.
My dad cut back on work and had his driver
take me to and from school every day.
Without Chrissy, I had all their love.
Sometimes at night, I’d watch TV with my
parents and brother, and we’d eat fruit and
debate about what we were watching.
It all felt too good to be true.
This was the scene I’d dreamed of so many
times.
<
It was actually happening.
I was so happy.
