Chapter 175

Hearing the question, Leila quickly retorted, “No, that’s not true! Stop spreading rumors.”

The girl just smirked. “I’m not making stuff up. It’s all over the school, and I heard it straight from acop!”

The truth is something the police keep close to their chest, but a slice of it, just enough to ensurejustice, is often shared with the public. So, the word on the street was that Leila had set up Merry Now, the whole school was buzzing.

Merry had become the hero who exposed the shady dealings at Elite Future Academy, and Leilawas cast as the villain who tried to bring her down, Suddenly, all of Leila’s past misdeeds–like stealing money and framing Merry–were dug up,tarnishing her reputation overnight.

Someone shouted, “You’re still denying it? Then why were you called out by the principalyesterday? And why do you have to stand up during the assembly this morning and apologize infront of everyone?”

Leila’s brow furrowed. She didn’t say anything, just lowered her head.

When the first class started, the homeroom teacher walked in, saw Leila, and told her to stand atthe back of the room to write an apology before the lesson began.

Leila had been a front–row student, one of the teacher’s favorite student.

As she made her way to the back, someone deliberately tripped her. She stumbled and fell, grazingher palm in the process. Even so, the eyes of her classmates and teacher were filled with disdain.

Standing at the back, she leaned her notebook against the wall and began to write her apology.

During the big break, she was called on to the stage for the first time to make her public confession.She had been on that stage before, but always for awards or performances–now, it was for shame.

Facing a sea of students, she bowed her head.

At lunchtime, Paulina brought over a meal and called Merry to pick it up. Merry refused, so Paulinafound someone else to deliver it. The fact that the Jordans had prepared lunch for Merry andCordelia, but not for Leila, spread like wildfire through the school.

Leila became the pariah, the one everyone loved to hate.

Walking to the cafeteria, she could hear the whispers:

“That girl plays the innocent, but she’s rotten to the core! Even her own mom won’t bring her lunch,only to Merry!”

“How frightening. Merry might seem loud and brash, but when you think about it, she’s never reallydone anything wrong.”

Leila kept her head down as she passed the whispering students. She got her food and looked for aseat, but as soon as she spotted an open spot, someone else took it.

The cafeteria was crowded, and every seat was taken. Usually, friends would gather to eattogether, but there wasn’t a single empty table.

Leila, holding her food, was told, “Sorry, this seat’s taken,” wherever she went.

Frustrated and on the verge of tears, she wandered the cafeteria without finding a place to sit Angry, she dumped her food in the trash and stormed out.

to sit Just as she left-

“Splash!”

Someone spilled a drink all over her, feigning shock, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! It was an accident–please don’t post this online and ruin my life like you did to Merry!”

The others burst into laughter.

Seething. Leila kept her head down and walked away, towards the sports field. Then, a basketballflew straight at her head!

Dazed and seeing stars, she fell to the ground. When she got up, she saw Daniel, the classpresident and math representative, with no hint of remorse. “Whoops, my bad! Didn’t see you there.You okay? Want me to take you to the nurse?”

The surrounding students, all from his class, chimed in, “It’s just a bump. Merry got hit before andshe was fine. What’s her problem?”

Daniel then turned and walked back to the game with his friends.

Leila, barely on her feet, and those people were already gone.

Biting her lip and feeling the throbbing pain in her head, she ran to the teacher’s office.

Knocking on the door, she was greeted with a “Come in.” She entered, finding only Latham inside.

Latham’s face fell when he saw her, but his professionalism prevented him from being outright rude.He asked, “What’s up? Your teacher isn’t here.”

Leila burst out, “Mr. Latham, I was looking for you. Daniel from your class intentionally hit me in thehead with a basketball…”

Tears started streaming down her face.

Latham, seeing her distress, handed her a tissue. After hearing the whole story, he stood upabruptly, saying sternly, “You were hit? Let’s get you to the nurse! And I’ll talk to Daniel!”

Leila felt a brief moment of relief. They went to the nurse, and after being checked out and given anointment–paid for by Latham himself–he escorted her back to class and returned to his own.

Curious to hear Daniel’s reprimand, Leila left the classroom and hid near the office door,overhearing Daniel’s defiant voice, “She had it coming for messing with Merry, I was just teachingher a lesson. Since when can’t someone take a hit from a ball? Others have been hit before. Why’sshe so special? And you, taking her to the nurse–please, I can’t stand her act!”

Latham shot back, “You can’t go around hitting people with basketballs. Besides, it’s not for you tojudge right from wrong!”

Daniel, indignant, replied, “I can’t stand by and watch this happen!”

Latham retorted, “Then become a judge, and you can deal with these things properly!”

Daniel chuckled, a wry smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Alright then, Latham. You just waitand see.”

As fate would have it, Daniel did indeed go on to become a judge, but that’s a story for another day.At that moment, Latham was giving him a piece of his mind. “Listen here, you rascal, there’s a thingcalled respect, and ‘Mr. Latham‘ is what you should be calling me–not just ‘Latham‘ like we’rebuddies at a ball game. And another thing, do you have any idea how inappropriate your actionswere? Suppose Leila claims she’s got a concussion–that could be serious business. You’ve justgone and made a whole heap of trouble.