Chapter 4

The next day, I made up my mind to stay far away from Daisy Mitchell. But she wouldn't quit.

After class, Daisy went to the water cooler for a drink. When she came back, her foot suddenly slipped. A cup of water spilled all over me. The water drenched my hair and clothes, and the books on my desk were wet too. Luckily, the school water cooler only had lukewarm water, so I wasn't scalded.

My anger shot straight to my head, and I kicked my chair back. "Are you blind?!"

Daisy shrank her shoulders, looking innocent: "I just did it by accident. Why are you so mean... I know you've always had it in for me, but I really didn't mean it."

I laughed in exasperation: "Not on purpose? Fine. Then I'll throw you into the fountain downstairs and say I didn't mean it. How about that?"

Daisy froze, then squatted down and started crying: "It's my fault, I shouldn't have bumped into you. I'm new, I don't know the rules, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

The girl in the front seat tugged my sleeve. "Chloe, just let it go. She apologized, and she's new."

"Yeah, look how she's crying. She probably didn't mean it."

I clenched my fists, furious. I was the one who got soaked, but now I was being called aggressive. I've always had a short fuse; in the past, I would have slapped her already. But now, thinking about the consequences of calling parents, I bit down hard and held back. I could only kick my desk, grit my teeth, and go back to my seat to dry my clothes.

I thought if I just put up with it, things would be fine once we changed seats. But in the afternoon, the homeroom teacher walked into the classroom with a grim face. Behind her, wiping away tears, was Daisy Mitchell. The teacher's voice was icy: "Chloe Hayes, stand up."

I was completely baffled. If Daisy was complaining about the water incident, my clothes were still wet. How could she possibly be in the right?

But the teacher slammed her hand on the podium and demanded: "Daisy Mitchell's tuition money is missing. Have you seen it?"

I sneered: "Her money's missing? Why are you asking me?"

Daisy hid behind the teacher, looking as if she was afraid of me. "Teacher, I didn't say she took it. I just said I put it in my backpack, and only my deskmate could have seen it..." She timidly glanced at me, then quickly lowered her head.

I exploded on the spot: "What do you mean by that? I haven't even looked in your backpack!"

Daisy put on a pitiful act, crying and trembling: "I really didn't say you took it. Why are you so upset?... That's money my mom saved up for ages. Chloe Hayes, please, give it back to me."

The atmosphere around us completely changed.

"Chloe Hayes is always fighting. I didn't expect her to be a thief too."

"No wonder Daisy just spilled a little water, and Chloe looked like she wanted to kill someone. Was she feeling guilty?"

"It can't be, her family is pretty rich, right?"

"Who knows? Maybe she just wanted to mess with someone."

I looked speechless: "My family needs your money? If I stole your money, are you crazy or am I?"

The teacher roared: "Chloe Hayes! Fix your attitude!"

Daisy cried even harder, still complaining. "Teacher, look at her. She's been targeting me since the first day. Even now, in front of you, she dares to insult people..."

A girl next to us also spoke up: "Exactly. I saw it with my own eyes just now, Chloe Hayes's expression was terrifying, like she was about to hit someone. Everyone knows Chloe Hayes has a bad temper, deliberately bullying new students."

I was shaking with rage: "That's bull! You were the one who deliberately bumped me and spilled water!"

But the teacher's suspicion grew, filled with disappointment. My reputation was so bad, no one believed me.

I stared at Daisy, gritting my teeth and asking: "You say you brought tuition money, who saw you bring it?" "Are you just broke and trying to scam people at school for tuition?"

Daisy was utterly humiliated by that comment, crying so hard she almost passed out. "You stole my money and then accused me of scamming! Are you trying to drive me to my death?!"

The teacher looked at one girl crying hysterically and another seething with hostility. Our school's tuition wasn't a small amount. She frowned: "This amount is too large; I can't handle it. Call your parents."