6
I continued to keep to myself, avoiding everyone. Not only did my roommates start to isolate me, but even ir
class, the moment I walked in, any lively conversation would come to a halt.
I got used to it. The best way to deal with a toxic environment is to distance yourself, not to internalize it, and to build a strong inner core.
But in my friend group chat, Susan would casually mention my situation at school.
“Leah, everyone says you’re so arrogant. I think you’re just too introverted.”
“You’re always so cold. Everyone thinks you’re hard to get along with. It’s a good thing I’m in your dorm, so can explain for you.”
She was the most active person in the group, and because she was always posting about my life, she had become close with my friends.
I remained silent, at most sending an emoji in response. My relationship with Susan was terrible, but she
was constantly chattering away in the group. I wanted to leave, but for the sake of my friendships, I just tried
to ignore it.
Until the results of the English competition were announced.
Unsurprisingly, I won first place, and Susan won second.
Soon, a post appeared on the school’s online forum.
[Heard the first–place winner of the English competition plagiarized the second–place winner’s speech.]
[Someone did a side–by–side comparison. Several parts are identical.]
[I heard the first–place winner is really arrogant in her dorm and class, barely talks to anyone. The second- place winner is the class social butterfly and is friends with everyone.]
I saw the posts but ignored them.
That evening, screenshots of the posts were sent to my friend group.
Susan, with a feigned look of grievance, confronted me in the chat.
“Leah, I know I was wrong about the birthday gift, but you can’t just steal my speech!”
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She sent several crying emojis.
After reading the posts, my friends started to speak up for Susan.
[Leah, is this a misunderstanding? We’re all friends here. Explain what happened.]
[Susan already apologized for the last time. We’re all friends. Why are you still holding a grudge?]
[It’s just one spot in the exchange program. You don’t need it. Just let Susan have it.]
They went on and on, but not a single one of them said, “Leah, I believe you.”
I replied coldly, “Couldn’t she have plagiarized me?”
Brianna responded, “She’s always buying us bubble tea. She even took care of me when I was sick.”
“Yeah, yeah, she even washed my clothes for me when I was on my period.”
“She’s always saying nice things about you to us. Doesn’t she help you out at school all the time?”
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A wave of sadness washed over me. We had been friends since middle school, yet they didn’t trust me. They
trusted the social butterfly roommate instead. Was it because I was an introvert and she was an extrovert,
better at socializing?
I left a final message-“The truth will speak for itself“-and said no more.
When I got back to the dorm; my roommates were all looking at me with strange expressions. They were gathered around Susan, comforting her as she cried. Seeing me, Yolie sneered, “I knew you were arrogant, but I didn’t think you were a thief.”
“We’re going to expose you. We’re going to tell everyone how you act in the dorm. Selfish, cold, arrogant.”
Before Yolie could finish, our academic advisor came to the dorm.
She called me out into the hallway and reprimanded me in a low voice. “Leah, I can’t believe you would do something like this. Have you no shame? This has a terrible impact on the school’s reputation. You’re not just affecting yourself, but our entire department. The administration has already decided. Your first–place prize is revoked, and the spot in the exchange program will go to Susan. You need to make a public apology
to her.”
I clenched my fists, biting my lip.
Just as the advisor was about to leave, I spoke up. “But, Professor, isn’t it possible that she plagiarized my
speech?”
The advisor’s lips curled into a smirk. “So many people are vouching for Susan. How many people can vouch for you?”
I looked back at Susan, who was now theatrically pretending to throw herself out the window, being held
back by our roommates.
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The squeaky wheel gets the grease, I guess. Good thing I was prepared.
