The autumn rain was bone-chillingly cold as it fell on my skin.

I sat on the bleachers, holding the lunch container, eating in silence.

There wasn't much left, really. Most of it had spilled.

Chloe found me, holding an umbrella, her voice tight with anger.

“What are you doing running off like that? Don’t eat that, isn’t it filthy?”

“Leo, are you listening to me?”

“It’s just some pulled pork, is it really that big of a deal? I’ll go buy you something else…”

Chloe rarely got angry with me.

Normally, I would have walked over and teased her until she begged for mercy.

But right now, all I wanted was to finish this food in peace.

I clutched the container, refusing to let go, and I didn't want to share her umbrella.

When Chloe moved closer, I took the container and shuffled a step away.

“Are you avoiding me?” Her beautiful face went blank for a rare moment.

I didn’t say anything.

Chloe stared at me, her expression turning ugly.

By the time I ate the last bite, the rain was coming down hard.

Chloe finally spoke.

“About the watch, I’ll…”

“Don’t bother,” I cut her off. “I’ll handle it myself.”

“I said I’d help you,” Chloe’s voice was laced with confusion. “How are you going to handle it? With your allowance?”

Hearing that, I wanted to laugh, but I just couldn't.

“Think whatever you want.” I carefully packed up the container and stood up to walk back.

Chloe’s voice dissolved into the rain. I think I heard her call my name.

But I didn’t turn around.

After that day, Chloe stopped coming to school.

That was the last time we ever spoke.

Ethan dropped the issue, but the rumors didn’t stop.

My homeroom teacher pushed her glasses up her nose and told me with a serious face that she would get to the bottom of this.

When I went back to the classroom, I saw someone glance at me and instinctively shove their wallet deeper into their desk.

I stood there, frozen.

My nose stung.

I had studied my ass off to get into this high school and stay at the top of my class, only to be treated like a common thief.

On the day of the parent-teacher conference, I saw people from a distance pointing and laughing at my dad’s back as he approached the school gate.

Their voices drifted over, broken by the wind.

“Hey, isn’t that Leo’s dad from Class 7? I heard that limp is because he got caught stealing…”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Leo took Ethan’s watch, didn’t he?”

In the cold wind, I saw my dad’s shoulders tense up and freeze.

For the first time in my life, I couldn’t look my dad in the eye.

Gossip is a terrifying thing.

Those silent, judging stares felt like being sliced by a thousand tiny cuts.

That was the hardest day of my life.