So Broke, I Could Eat a Person

1
I was so broke, I was eating on someone else's boyfriend's dime. Using his meal card, to be precise.
Then a post about me in the cafeteria went viral on the campus confessions page, and the original poster showed up in the comments to let me have it.
Ava from CompSci, right?
Are you that poor? Can't even afford your own food? Gotta use someone else's boyfriend's meal card?
How does it feel to be a homewrecker? Did you know my sister is in the HOSPITAL because of you?!
In less than a minute, the thread exploded.
Whoa, whats going on??!
Ava is a homewrecker??
Hospital? Seriously? What happened?
...
Guys, you have to see this persons profile!
On the poster's social media feed was a series of screenshots.
Why? The things I give you why do you just turn around and give them to her?
Does she have any idea I queued up all night to get that Pikachu keychain? How can she just take something so precious without a second thought?
You say its nothing, but its such a coincidence, isnt it? That you even ended up in the same elective class
You told me you were going to a conference. I waited for you all alone on Valentines Day, like a good girl. But my friend saw you two, alone in the conference room for a long, long time. The cake I bought tasted like ash in my mouth.
I felt bad that you were struggling with money, so I skipped meals to top up your card. But then I saw you hand her a bubble tea with a little heart sticker on it
Im just a normal girl. I cant compete with a campus queen like her. Sometimes, when I see you two together, I get confused. Was my happiness the stolen thing all along?
If you like each other, could you just tell me? I dont want to be the fool. I know when to walk away
A collection of short, fragmented entries, like diary pages, stretching from last February until today. A full year and a month.
They were soaked in a young womans sorrow, her tears painting a world of gray, draining the color and energy from everything.
The silence in our dorm was so thick you could hear a pin drop.
Mia cleared her throat. Everyones gaze followed hers, landing on the gray Pikachu keychain hanging from my crossbody bag. On my desk, a stack of pink bubble tea bags had accumulated.
Last Valentines Day another roommate started, her voice trailing off. Last Valentines Day, I had spent hours getting ready before I went out.
The worst part wasn't the flood of angry comments. It was the hesitant silence of my own friends.
I saw Mias lips part, as if she wanted to say something, but the details in those screenshots lined up with reality, one by one, with damning precision.
My phone, lying face down on my desk, buzzed.
I flipped it over. The screen lit up with the two most blinding words I could imagine right now: Leo.
The same Leo who gave me the keychain, who bought me bubble tea, who I was in that delicate, unspoken "something more than friends" phase with.
Sunlight streamed through the high window, but not a single ray seemed to touch me.
So, you were playing me? Flirting with me while you were with her, is that it? My tone was sharp, devoid of any warmth.
The face I knew so well was now clouded with a shadow I couldnt penetrate. His eyes darted away, the line of his jaw tight.
I cut through his hesitation. I had no idea you were seeing someone. This is on you. You need to clear this up, and then were done. We dont see each other again.
And Im truly sorry for the pain this has caused your girlfriend.
Throughout this whole mess, I never knew she existed. If I had, I would have never, ever let things get this close.
Leo and I were childhood friends. He moved away in middle school, and it was a shock to run into him again at university. I did have a crush on him, Ill admit it. But I wasnt desperate enough to knowingly chase after someone elses boyfriend.
This was his mess to clean up. He was the one who hid the truth, the one who blurred the lines.
I laid out my terms. Leo was silent for a long moment, then slowly shook his head.
I cant do that.
I stared at him, my focus sharpening. His expression was unyielding.
I only ever saw you as a little sister, Ava. I dont know if I did something to make you think we were flirting, or something.
Im just used to looking out for younger girls, thats all. I never had any other intentions. This whole thing has really upset my girlfriend, and I think you need to apologize to her, in person. And from now on, Ill definitely be keeping my distance.
His words hit me like a physical blow, my head buzzing.
What are you talking about? This is your fault. And now youre telling me you saw me as a sister?
He shrugged, spreading his hands. What else would it be? Youre the one whos been misreading things all along, arent you?
You were the one dropping hints about bubble tea. You begged me for a birthday gift, so I gave you the keychain because I felt bad. I never thought youd actually accept it.
Everyone knows I have a girlfriend. How could you not know? You told me you lost your meal card, so I lent you mine out of kindness. Then you just never gave it back. You even made sure my girlfriend saw you using it. What was that, if not a deliberate provocation?
I was just being polite, but you kept crossing the line. Now Abby is lying in a hospital bed, and you will apologize to her.
In that moment, I didnt recognize the person standing in front of me.
Lending me the meal card was his idea. He said he was working an off-campus job and wouldnt need it. The money on it? I put it there myself.
Im not the kind of girl who sees romance in every friendly gesture. I know the difference between friendship and something more. But the things Leo did, the way he acted it was textbook courting behavior. The intimate nicknames, the way his entire demeanor changed when he was with me compared to anyone else. I had always thought we were in that sweet spot, more than friends but not yet official. Call me old-fashioned, but I was waiting for him to make the first move.
I never imagined the reason he hadnt wasn't because he was shy. It was because he couldn't.
And now, all those little moments, the sweet gestures Id cherished during our "almost-relationship," were being twisted and thrown back in my face as proof of my shamelessness.
He claimed everyone knew about his girlfriend, but I was the one person who had been kept completely in the dark.
The conversation ended disastrously. I thought he was coming to me to admit his mistake, to figure out a plan. Instead, hed pinned everything on me. It was laughable.
The next day, my world imploded. My social media was a dumpster fire of notifications.
An audio recording of my conversation with Leo had been posted online, cleverly edited.
Theyd cut out the most critical parts of the conversation, making it sound like I was confessing to everything, confirming that I was the aggressor, the homewrecker.
The victim was in the hospital. Leo, crying, had apparently received her forgiveness. Hed just "made a mistake with boundaries," he said. The only one at fault now was me.
It was me who did the seducing, me who was shameless, me who used my looks to bully other students.
Once the seed of doubt was planted, everything I did was put under a microscope. The way I drank my coffee, my step count on WhatsApp, even the clothes I wore were dissected on the operating table of public morality. A group photo from a club event where I happened to be standing next to the president was now "proof" that I was a "habitual homewrecker."
Leo and Abbys silence left me standing alone in the eye of the storm.
My attempts to post clarifications were drowned out, disappearing without a ripple.
The campus was buzzing with the thrill of gossip. Everywhere I went, I heard the whispers, the rumors. My social media, even my parents TikTok accounts, were flooded with hateful comments.
Some called me a fake, a phony. Some pitied the girl whose relationship I had supposedly destroyed. Others said I looked innocent, but was probably a slut behind closed doors. They called me a bitch, a near-murderer. The insults were a barrage of daggers, and every single one seemed to have my name on it, magically swerving around Leo.
I even overheard guys in the hallway muttering about how lucky he was, how he had some serious game to have two beautiful girls fighting over him.
All the knives, they all found me.
If things were bad outside, they werent much better in my dorm. Besides Mia, who still spoke to me in quiet tones, my other two roommates treated me like I was invisible.
Dont be too hard on them, Mia said, trying to comfort me. Its just a shock They have really strong morals, you know
I pressed my lips together. Leo never told me he had a girlfriend.
My words felt weak, pathetic without proof. All those unspoken feelings, those shy, secret emotions, had left no trace, no evidence that could prove my innocence.
I tried to contact Abby, to explain what really happened. All I got back was a message saying she was still recovering and couldnt face me right now.
Every attempt to clear my name only brought more criticism. The rumors didnt die down; they grew, fed by a steady stream of new "evidence"a selectively cropped chat screenshot, a misinterpreted photoall painting me as a promiscuous villain.
The whole affair reached its peak at the annual campus gala.
I was the host. I was always the host.
But this time, it was different. People Id worked with for years, people I thought were my friends, avoided my eyes, their smiles strained and awkward. An invisible, suffocating pressure filled the backstage area. No one said a word, but I knew. This was my last time hosting. They hadnt replaced me only because there wasnt enough time to find someone else.
I took a deep breath and walked onto the stage.
Just as I expected, I was met with a sea of appraising stares and hushed whispers. Scrutiny, mockery. The hand holding the microphone trembled slightly. I wasnt strong enough to stand here and pretend their words didnt cut me.
Thankfully, as the performances began, the attention on me started to fade.
At nine oclock, the gala ended. I stepped forward to deliver the closing remarks. The energy in the auditorium had mellowed, the crowds earlier animosity replaced by a restless impatience to leave.
I forced a smile. That concludes a wonderful evening. Well see you all next
My words were cut short by an icy shock that hit me full in the face.
Filthy water, mixed with leaves and cigarette butts, drenched me from head to toe. My hair was plastered to my face in dripping strands, my white formal dress stained and ruined. I didnt have to look to know what a pathetic sight I must be.
For the first time, I saw the guy who made the original post. His eyes were filled with raw, naked malice.
My sister is in the hospital, and you get to stand here, all glamorous and perfect?! he screamed. You vicious bitch, you dont deserve this!
The audience, who had been shuffling towards the exits, stopped dead. Phones came out, a hundred little black lenses turning towards the stage, a hundred unblinking eyes watching this trial by public opinion.
No one looked at me with pity. There were only cheers, a wave of excitement at this unexpected finale.
YES! Finally!
She deserves it! Why should Abby be in the hospital while shes up there under the spotlights?
This is so satisfying!
My shock and humiliation were the spark that lit their fireworks. The hall erupted.
Abbys brother and I were both hauled into the Deans office.
This guy, all six feet of him, was the one whose eyes turned red first. Talking about his sister, he choked up. I just couldnt stand it he sobbed. Why should my sister suffer so much while she gets away with everything I wanted to I know I was a bit impulsive
The Dean spent a long time talking to him, consoling him. His voice softened, and it seemed like theyd reached some kind of understanding. But when he left, the look he shot me was anything but forgiving. In his eyes, I deserved everything I got, and even this wasn't enough to settle the score.
Silence descended on the office again, the same heavy silence that followed me into my dorm room, into my classes. The Dean took a sip of tea. It felt like an eternity before she finally spoke.
Ultimately, you were in the wrong here, Ava. While the young mans actions were extreme, theyre understandable.
Lets just leave it at that. She tapped her fingers on the desk, a gesture of finality.
I looked up at her. I didnt do anything.
She waved a dismissive hand. It is what it is. Dont dwell on it. You young people and your messy lives.
Because of the impact of this incident, you probably wont be getting that scholarship. Theres nothing to be done about it.
Give it time. The rumors will die down eventually. Just let time handle it.
She said it so calmly, but I could feel my whole body trembling.
Why did everyone think this was something I just had to endure? Why was every attempt I made to tell the truth drowned by this tidal wave of gossip? The truth wasnt what they said it was, so why was I the only one being punished?
I looked at the clues Id gathered on my phone and opened up the campus confessions submission form.
A few minutes later, a new post set the campus on fire all over again.
HUGE NEWSThis Wednesday, 3 PM, Ava will be live-streaming her confession. She will admit to being a homewrecker, kneel to apologize to Abby, and offer financial compensation.
Watching the comment count skyrocket, my eyes narrowed.
Maybe I was wrong to try and explain myself from the start.
When someone throws mud at you, crouching down to wipe your skirt is the most useless thing you can do.

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