“What bad luck! On such a happy day, this piece of trash shows up!”
“Everyone, keep an eye on your things, or this lowly thief will snatch them again!”
Just like in high school, they mocked and humiliated me without restraint.
Only Mr. Johnson avoided my gaze.
The bracelet they mentioned had been a birthday gift from my father during my freshman year.
At that time, Isabella and I were roommates. She thought it was pretty and begged me to let her wear it. After I lent it to her, she refused to give it back.
I asked her several times, but she kept brushing me off.
One day, when she took it off to shower and left it on the table, I simply retrieved it myself.
But when she came out, she immediately cried and accused me of stealing it.
Later, Mr. Johnson investigated and told me Isabella’s family was poor and she might never get to wear something that nice in her lifetime. He asked me not to hold it against her.
Out of respect for him, I let her keep the bracelet.
But instead of being grateful, she spread the rumor everywhere that I was a thief, and I was ostracized for three whole years.
Now, facing my classmates’ familiar ridicule, Isabella once again pretended to smooth things over: