Chapter 5: Betrayals and Beginnings

A few minutes later, the bell rang. I stood alone in the hallway, leaning against the cinderblock wall, nails digging into chipped paint. The smell of cafeteria pizza and cleaning spray made my stomach churn. Through the classroom door, I heard the teacher’s voice—"discipline," "responsibility," "community values"—her favorite lines, painting me as the villain.

When she got to the wallet story, I could practically see Ryan Jacobs’s smug face. We weren’t just desk partners—we were dorm roommates. When he first came, nobody wanted to talk to him, but I treated him like a friend. Then everyone found out he was a kleptomaniac. He’d steal shirts and wear them the next day, claiming his mom bought them. When he got caught, he cried, begged, and promised he’d change. A week later, he did it again. The others beat him up for it. He didn’t blame them—he blamed me, said I didn’t help him.

Just yesterday, he accused me of stealing in front of the whole class. Our seats were by the window. I walked over, locked eyes with him—no guilt, just a smirk. He leaned in, voice low: “You act so high and mighty. I’ll just say you stole something—let’s see what you can do about it.” It felt like swallowing a fly. I used to think Ryan was my friend. Turns out, he was just waiting for his shot.

The homeroom teacher called out, scolding: “What are you doing by the window, Chris? Trying to threaten your classmate into dropping the matter?” She sounded so sure, so righteous. “Even if your desk partner lets it go, it’s my job to get to the bottom of this.” I was speechless. Some people are just itching to ruin you. I hadn’t even said a word, and already the blame was mine. I gritted my teeth, memorizing every slight.

Ten minutes left until class ended. My body trembled—not with fear, but with excitement. Ryan’s seat had a perfect view of me. He probably thought I was terrified, but I saw the anticipation on his face. He made a throat-slitting gesture at me.

The bell rang. That cheerful melody sounded like the most beautiful music in the world. I closed my eyes, let it wash over me. As the homeroom teacher walked out, she noticed a tear on my cheek. “Already crying? You’ll have plenty of time to cry later.” She looked at me with mocking disdain.

I wiped away my tears and grinned, flashing a radiant smile. “You misunderstand—these are tears of joy. I’ve waited over ten years for this moment. Shouldn’t I be so excited I could cry?” I turned to Ryan, letting him see the fire in my eyes. “Don’t let me down.” Ryan flinched and ducked behind the others.

As the bell rang and the gym filled, I wiped away my tears and grinned. This time, I was ready to burn it all down.