Circle 14

Chapter 14 

Chapter 14 

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It was in the first semester of Grade 12 that Claire’s luck changed for the third time. 

Throughout high school, she barely spoke to Humbert. 

It wasn’t until that semester that they ended up sitting together. Even then, they barely spoke -just the occasional word now and then. 

One day, Claire accidentally grabbed the wrong textbook and filled it with her notes. After class, she suddenly realized it was Humbert’s book. 

His name was written on the title page in slanted, unique handwriting. She found herself staring at his writing for what felt like ages. 

Her handwriting was in his textbook, too. It felt like, for the first time, two things that had always been separate were finally starting to come together. But just three months later, their seats were switched again. 

Claire’s high school life looked calm from the outside, but underneath, it was full of 

turbulence. She pushed herself hard to keep up with Humbert, always trying to be just a bit better. 

She dreamed of leaving Jack and Felicia’s house and taking control of her life. 

She wanted to get into Sonisburg University–not just to be near Humbert, but for herself and the future she dreamed of. 

But this time, luck wasn’t on her side. 

To help everyone relax before the SAT, their homeroom teacher, Brielle Coleman, took advantage of a rare free weekend and organized a class trip, just a month before the big test. 

Everyone chipped in 70 dollars. If there were any extra costs, Brielle would cover them, and any leftover money would go toward drinks for a little graduation get–together. 

Back then, they had a class president rotating system. That day, it was Claire’s turn. She collected the money, sorted it, and kept it in her desk. 

But after gym that afternoon, Claire came back to find the money was gone, 

That night during self–study, the classroom, usually quiet, buzzed with whispers. Every pair of eyes seemed locked on Claire, as if she were under a microscope. It felt like they could see straight through her. 

Her palms were sweaty, and her breath was shaky. She was frozen in fear, tense and stiff, not 

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Chapter 14 

knowing what to do. 

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3 thousand dollars was a huge amount for any high–schooler. For Claire, who was staying with Jack and Felicia, it was even more impossible. Aside from the little pocket money Mary gave her, she’d only ever managed to save a few hundred at most. 

Later, two people were called to the teachers‘ office–Claire and Cheryl. 

Cheryl hadn’t gone to the gym that day. She had been feeling sick from her period and had stayed behind in the classroom. 

But nobody believed Cheryl could’ve taken the money. All eyes were on Claire. 

“Please, Cheryl’s bracelet is Bulgari. That thing costs tens of thousands!” 

“She would even spend 2 or 3 thousand dollars on a T–shirt without blinking. I’ve been to her place. Her closet is like a designer boutique.” 

“She’s the heiress of the Pierce family, and Humbert’s her uncle. 3 thousand dollars is like 3 cents to her.” 

“It’s obvious Claire did it. Poor Cheryl, I can’t believe she has a friend like that.” 

“I heard she even stole her aunt’s pearl necklace once. Some people never change. What’s the point of being smart if you’re a thief?” 

Claire shot a glare at the girl who said she was a thief. She’d never done any of that, but the more she stared, the louder the girl got. 

“What are you staring at me for? You did it, and now you’re trying to pin it on Cheryl? How low can you get?” the girl snapped. 

No one believed Claire. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of hatred. 

***** 

The theft incident had no follow–up for now. The classroom cameras, like the air conditioning, might as well have been for show. 

Brielle covered the 3 thousand dollars herself so it wouldn’t ruin everyone’s mood. The next day, the class went to the farm as planned. Brielle took the chance to pull Claire aside for a private talk. 

“Ms. Coleman, do you believe me? I really didn’t take the money,” Claire said quietly. 

“I believe you, Claire. You’re a good person. Don’t let this weigh on you. Just focus on your exams and keep looking forward,” Brielle said gently. 

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At the time, Claire felt completely crushed. But looking back now, Winifred realized that Brielle never really doubted her. 

When caught in a storm of distrust, without solid proof, Claire was at a major disadvantage. The more she tried to explain, the deeper she would get stuck. 

Besides, no one would ever believe Cheryl, the rich girl from the Pierce family, would steal 3 thousand dollars. 

It wasn’t about sucking up to the rich. It was just instinct. People assumed someone from the Pierce family wouldn’t care about money. 3 thousand dollars was nothing to them, like the cost of one of Cheryl’s T–shirts. 

But for Claire, coming from a humble background, 3 thousand dollars was a big deal. In everyone’s mind, she needed it more, so she must have been the thief. 

Back then, Claire thought the whole thing would just blow over. She gritted her teeth and threw herself into her studies, driven by a stubborn, lonely determination that refused to 

accept 

failure. 

With the SAT just a month away, she was set on making it, no matter what. 

But she never saw it coming. The rumors only got worse. Everywhere she went, people shot her strange looks. She was completely isolated, and behind her back, everyone was calling her a thief. 

Then, one day, she got a text. [I’ve got a video of Cheryl rifling through your desk. It can clear your name. Want it? Meet me in Room 202 at Wenie Hotel.] 

***** 

Claire showed up at the motel, only to find Ryan Yates from the class next door waiting for 

her. 

He was the kind of troublemaker who always made the school announcements on Monday for getting into trouble. With his wealthy family backing him, he acted like the rules didn’t apply to him. 

Ryan gave her a sleazy grin, his eyes shamelessly fixed on her chest. “Claire, I’ve been watching you since Grade 10. Your skin is so smooth. How about we get a little closer? Be friends? And I’ll send you the video right now.” 

Claire knew he wasn’t up to any good, but she was desperate for that video. It was her only chance to clear her name. 

Ryan didn’t touch her, and he did send the video to her phone. The footage was crystal clear. 

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Chapter 14 

Cheryl was going through Claire’s desk. 

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That same day, Claire went straight to confront Cheryl. She’d always thought of Cheryl as just a spoiled princess, never imagining she could do something like this. Cheryl was not short of money. Claire just couldn’t understand why she stole. 

When Claire entered the classroom, Cheryl was casually painting her nails with a few of her friends. 

“Yeah, I took it,” Cheryl admitted, completely unfazed, flashing Claire a smug smile. “But seriously, who’s gonna believe you? Go ahead. Tell the teacher and the whole class. No one will ever think I took the money.” 

It turned out that after failing her last mock exam, Cheryl’s allowance had been cut off by Vivian. And lately, she’d gotten hooked on a new game, so she used 3 thousand dollars to top up her account. 

Claire handed the video to Brielle, and things finally started to change. Still, most of the class wasn’t convinced that Cheryl was the one who’d stolen the money. 

Claire thought it was finally over. She buried herself in practice questions, trying to move on and focus on the SAT. 

Humbert had already been especially admitted to Sonisburg University. Claire had no idea if he even knew about all this drama. She wondered if he would trust her or believe Cheryl instead. 

A few days later, Cheryl’s mom, Vivian, showed up at school. It was the first time Claire had ever seen her, who was also Humbert’s sister–in–law. 

AD