Chapter 4The Smear Campaign

Early the next morning, someone taped a piece of printer paper to my dorm room door.

[Please have some self-respect and stay away from Liam Vance. Stop embarrassing the Journalism department.]

Signed: "All the girls in the Journalism Department."

I ripped the paper down and flipped it over.

The back was blank.

Perfect. I needed scratch paper for calculus anyway.

During my morning lecture, I sat in the very last row of the auditorium.

The students sitting in front of me collectively moved three rows forward.

As if I were radiating nuclear fallout.

Chloe's little minion, Mia, went out of her way to walk over and place a boba tea on my desk.

"Chloe bought this for you."

"I don't want it."

"She also said," Mia lowered her voice,

"As long as you post a public apology on the forum today, she'll help you suppress the rumors."

"Apologize for what?"

"Admit that your behavior toward Liam was inappropriate."

"What exactly is inappropriate about normal interactions with my family?"

Mia let out an exasperated sigh.

"The screenshots are everywhere. The entire school saw them."

"No one is going to believe anything you say right now."

"It's better if you just swallow your pride and apologize."

I pushed the boba tea back toward her.

"I'll swallow my pride."

"Right after she gives me my Top Ten Student award back."

Mia rolled her eyes, grabbed the tea, and left.

At lunch, I swiped my meal card at the dining hall. Insufficient Funds.

Liam's debit card had been confiscated by Chloe as "evidence" and handed over to the Student Government.

And my personal bank account only had forty-seven dollars left.

There were nineteen days left in the month.