Chapter 2

I took screenshots of every transfer from those two months.

The next day at noon, I caught Sienna outside the classroom building.

Her smile faltered when she saw the screenshots.

“Chloe, you actually went through everything?”

I held out my phone and said, “See for yourself.”

“You've been charging me more than you send me every week.”

“One or two mistakes, fine, but it's almost every entry.”

She scrolled more slowly with each screenshot.

“That might be for something we bought together before.”

She kept scrolling and said, “I don't remember this one.”

I took my phone back and said, “Then don't strain yourself.”

“Just work out what you still owe me and send it.”

Her face went pale.

“You make it sound like I'm stealing from you.”

Adrian came up behind us and hurried over when he saw her red eyes.

“What happened?”

Sienna shook her head and looked away, saying, “Nothing.”

His eyes dropped to my phone.

“You're really checking every single thing she's spent?”

I showed him the screenshots and said, “Good thing I did, considering what I found.”

He barely glanced at them before pushing my phone down.

“It's a few dollars here and there, probably just bookkeeping mistakes.”

“Chloe, since when have you needed to worry about a few dollars?”

My chest tightened.

“How is that the point?”

“It's my money.”

Adrian's face darkened as he asked, “Do you have to be so aggressive?”

“Sienna tracks four people's spending every day, and she barely has time to eat.”

“Now you're standing here interrogating her over a few screenshots.”

People were starting to stare.

Sienna tugged his sleeve and said, “Adrian, please stop.”

Her plea only made him angrier.

“She's always been spoiled.”

“Everyone at home gives in to her, and now she's finding fault with a friend who's trying to help.”

My hands curled into fists.

When I went to my first overnight pack training camp, Adrian had stuffed my bag with snacks so I wouldn't go hungry.

Before leaving, he'd warned my roommates, “She won't ask for help, so make sure she eats.”

Back then, he couldn't stand the thought of anyone mistreating me.

Now I'd actually gone hungry, and he thought I was embarrassing myself over a few dollars.

Logan and Mason arrived soon after.

Logan heard a few words, frowned, and tried to pull me aside.

“Enough, people are watching.”

I shook off his hand and asked, “My money's missing, and I'm not allowed to ask about it?”

His expression changed, too.

“You can ask.”

“Just watch how you say it.”

He glanced at Sienna.

“She's been doing this for us for free.”

“How do you think she feels with you going on about missing money?”

Mason scrolled through the screenshots I'd posted, his voice still calm.

“A few of these don't match.”

I looked up, but he added, “Still, there's no need to make a scene.”

“We've known each other since we were kids, and it hurts when you assume the worst.”

I stared at him and said, “It's my money that's gone.”

Mason paused.

“Chloe, you've been pretty short-tempered lately.”

Heat rushed to my head, and I almost growled.

I pointed at Sienna and said, “Fine.”

“Let her keep your money if you feel that bad for her.”

“But give me mine.”

Sienna finally started crying as she tapped at her phone.

A transfer came through, but it was only forty-five dollars.

“Here's this week's money early, Chloe.”

“You can't accuse me of something just because I wouldn't give you an advance.”

“I'll do it this time, but you need to budget better.”

Adrian seemed to relax when he saw the transfer.

He patted Sienna's shoulder and said, “Okay, don't cry.”

Then he turned to me and said, “You've got your money early, so let it go.”

I almost laughed at the idea that forty-five dollars meant I should shut up.

A few students had gathered around us.

Sienna wiped her eyes with her head down.

Adrian stood protectively in front of her, while Logan looked more annoyed by the second.

Somehow, I was the one bullying her.

I wanted to keep arguing, but the crowd was growing, so I walked away.

That evening, the group chat lit up again.

Sienna had won an award, and the others had taken her out to celebrate.

Adrian posted a picture of their food.

Mason said the cake was melting.

Logan sent a photo of Sienna wearing a paper crown.

Eventually, Adrian asked: [Where's Chloe?]

Logan replied right away: [I thought you invited her.]

Mason added: [She's been in a mood, so she probably didn't want to come.]

After a while, Sienna wrote: [I thought seeing me would upset her, so I didn't dare ask.]

Adrian immediately replied: [Stop blaming yourself for everything.]

I stared at their messages, then deleted the words I'd typed: Did any of you ask me?

Instead, I opened the spending breakdown Sienna had just posted.

I scrolled down and stopped.

[Dinner for five: $18 each.]

I opened their group photo again.

Four people, four place settings, and just four chairs.

But she'd still charged me for a share.

I was about to ask her why when Mom called.

After a few questions about school, she asked, “That extra money I sent you a while back should still be enough, right?”

My pen stopped against the paper.

Mom went on, “I sent it straight to Sienna.”

“She said you've been overspending, so I shouldn't give you too much at once.”

I slowly sat up.

Two months of records were still open on my laptop.

I went through them from beginning to end.

Sienna had never sent me that money.