Chapter 33

Chapter 33
Judy’s POV

I first knew that Carol was no longer my friend back in middle school. It happened a few days after the spelling bee contest. Carol had done really well; she only missed one letter in the word.

It was necessary, but it cost her the competition. It was just a small event for middle schoolers, but she took it very seriously. She never forgave me for winning the prize instead of her.

Even though she acted like we were still friends, I could tell things had changed between us.

She congratulated me and even gave me a hug. The school was planning a mock ceremony for the award a few days later. My adoptive mother wanted me to wear a beautiful dress and helped me write a speech.

Not many people get to experience something like this.

Many people don’t know this about me, but I have dyslexia. This means that reading and writing can be very hard for me. I often mix up my letters, which makes reading aloud in school a real struggle. It felt like a complete nightmare for me.

Most people knew I had trouble reading out loud, but they never understood why. I kept this condition hidden from them.

I spent months preparing for the spelling bee. I didn’t expect to win, but I was determined to do my best.

Thanks to years of training and therapy, I learned how to manage my reading difficulties.

My dyslexia is much better now. It just made me work harder, and I learned to hide my condition from almost everyone. The only people who knew about my dyslexia were Nan, who has been my best friend since elementary school, and my family.

Ethan was my close friend, and I had something important to tell him. After he noticed a mark on me, I decided to confess. I wanted to be honest and not keep any secrets from him.

Carol, like everyone else at school, only knew that I struggled with reading and writing. However, she didn’t know the whole story.

She didn’t understand why it happened. But she knew how hard I had prepared for the spelling bee because we often practiced together. After I won, she spent time with me as I practiced the speech my mother and I had written. I went over it again and again, and she was there to support me the whole way.

I had a little trouble reading my speech out loud at the award ceremony, but I eventually managed to get it right. I felt confident in my ability to read in front of others.

When they announced me as the spelling bee winner during the mock ceremony, I was thrilled.

At the award ceremony, I was just about to give my speech when I noticed something strange. Every word on my paper was different. Someone had switched it out and made most of the words unreadable.

I stood in front of the school, feeling nervous. I stuttered over each word and struggled to get my thoughts together.

I stared at the paper, trying to understand what it said. I felt so embarrassed.

The kids around me were merciless and started laughing. My eyes caught Carol’s, and she was smirking at me. In that moment, I realized this was all her doing. Then,

Some of the new friends she made came up to me and poured a bucket of glue on my head. Just as the principal was about to step in, Carol jumped in front of me.

“You stole my prize,” she said, looking angry.

“You don’t deserve to win!” she sneered. “I saw your notebook. You had every word written down and memorized. You cheated!”

With that, she threw handfuls of glitter at me, marking me as a cheater.

I didn’t cheat…

I only studied. She could have done the same thing. I needed extra help, so I used the materials that were given to me.

Then, the whole school burst into laughter and started chanting that I was a cheater. They also made fun of me for my efforts.

I couldn’t read, and it was frustrating. The principal led Carol and her friends away, leaving me behind. That’s when Nan stepped in to help me. She stood by my side, ready to defend me. Nan was already my friend, but that day, she became my closest friend.

It was a significant day for me. That was the day I opened up to my friend about my dyslexia.

Carol, on the other hand, received only a light punishment for her actions. Her famous mother and wealthy father ensured she faced minimal consequences for her mistakes.

I promised myself that I would never feel that vulnerable again. My parents had always supported me, but I wanted to stand strong on my own.

I started going to therapy sessions that helped me with my condition. I worked hard and studied twice as much every day.

I hadn’t thought about that day in a long time. But as I stood in the middle of the stage, I couldn’t help but remember it.

My classmates were all quietly watching me, curious about what I would do next. Would I stand up for myself? Would I tell Carol that I deserved this scholarship?

I was speechless, just like I had been during the spelling bee ceremony.

“Carol,” I finally said.

“This is a serious accusation,” the dean said, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is hardly the time and place for a scene.”

“I have proof that Judy doesn’t deserve this reward,” Carol replied.

“She is a fake… a fraud,” someone said, stopping right next to me. I was stunned and speechless.

I could feel everyone waiting for me to respond and defend myself, but I just couldn’t find the words. I felt numb and confused.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. The dean looked just as confused as I felt.

He cleared his throat and sat up straight.

“How about we talk in my office?” he suggested. “It would be better if…”

Carol narrowed her eyes and glared at me. “Fine by me. I would be happy to show you the proof,” she said.

The dean nodded and led us out of the room. We continued our conversation in a more private setting.

The ceremony room was filled with quiet anticipation. The dean paused near his assistant, who was watching us with wide eyes. He leaned in and whispered something to her, and she nodded in understanding.

I followed the dean, keeping my head down as murmurs surrounded me.

**Chapter 0034**

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