Chapter 2After They Forced Me Out of School, the Campus Tyrant Fell into a Ten-Year Depression

"Dear Robert," she began to read aloud, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Today is the eighteenth day of my secret crush on you. I saw you had a stomachache, so I tucked some medicine into your textbook. I hope you find it."

"Dear Robert, today is your birthday, and it’s also been six months since I started crushing on you. I just paid my rent and only have seventeen dollars left, so I couldn't buy you those limited-edition sneakers, but I got you a pair of socks. I hope you like them."

…

Melinda read on, one entry after another.

My face felt like it was on fire. The only person more mortified than me was Robert. His face was as dark as thunder.

"Deaaar Robert," someone mimicked.

"Rooobert," another jeered.

The room filled with snickering. Someone pointed at Robert’s feet. "Dude, I was wondering why your style took a nosedive lately. Don’t tell me those are the socks she gave you."

"Look, there are even initials embroidered on them! Oh my god, I’m dying."

Robert’s irritation was palpable. He kicked off his shoes, ripped the socks off his feet, and shoved them back into my bag.

"Don't ever give me crap like this again."

Tears instantly stung my eyes.

He slipped his shoes back on his bare feet and stormed out of the classroom, his face a furious mask. A few steps later, he came back, tore the pages about him from my notebook right in front of everyone, and threw the shredded paper in my face.

"And don't ever like me again," he spat. "It's embarrassing."

Through the blur of my tears, I saw him frantically wiping his hands, as if touching the paper had contaminated him.

I just wanted to disappear, to escape this nightmare. But as I tried to leave, Melinda stuck her foot out and tripped me.

"You think you can just steal my lipstick and get away with it?"

"It really wasn't me."

Before Melinda could respond, Robert shot back, his voice sharp. "So your parents don’t give you money. Does that mean they never taught you not to take what isn't yours?"

The tears I’d been holding back finally fell.

He was right.

My parents had never taught me that.

Because they were long dead.