Page 15 of I Despise You

She doesn’t believe me either.

“I didn’t break into a storage room on a dare or to make friends,” I say. “Someone set me up, or it was all an accident.”

If I insist on it being a setup, my mom is going to ask for the details, and she’ll want me to tell her who is bothering me.

But until I know more about Chase and what he really wants, I have to be careful, and that means I can’t have my mom calling the principal to complain about him. I’m sure Chase would come out of all of it looking like an unjustly accused victim, and I would end up in even more trouble.

Chase is my problem, and I’m the one who has to find a solution.

“All right, honey,” my mom says with a sigh. “I believe you. But please be careful. Kids can be mean, and you’re new. Just remember, if they don’t like you, it’s not about you. It’s about them. Don’t forget your goals. And if something’s wrong, you have to tell me. I can help.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, Mom. But I’m fine. If something happens, I’ll call you right away, okay?”

“Yes, you do that. I have to go. My boss wants me to go through some paperwork and call some of his associates, and—”

“It’s fine. I’m sorry the principal bothered you at work. We can talk tonight.”

“Agreed. Talk to you soon. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

I curl my fingers around my phone.

Chase has to pay for what he’s done. I don’t even know why he wants the scholarship, except for prestige and so he can claim the title of the best student.

I’m sure no one here really needs that scholarship as badly as I do, and yet, many of them still want it, even if they can choose any college in the world.

One second of distraction was almost enough for Chase to kick me out of the race.

I’m not going to give him another one.