When the verdict came, all the school had known about my early admission.
Mom posted both verdict in the group chat.
"My husband and I work abroad,guilty for not raising our daughter closely.But Emily's kind,independent.Some used her kindness to bully her.Trusting your kids is fine,but blindly blaming mine?When you point guns at a girl,you're worse than beasts!"

"Hannah's mom,Emily rides in luxury cars because we earned it fair and aquare.Your daughter doesn’t have those,so she spreads rumors.Aren't you ashamed?"
Mom was merciless with her words.It felt exhilarating.
She left the group chat,saying,"I needed to say allthat.They won't feel guilyt—think I'm bragging.Fine.When their kids' SAT scores come,their resentment will eat them."
The instigating parents'kids had poor grades,blaming teachers,environment,desk mates—they never ran out of excuses.
Sophie scored under 500 on the SATs,even below community college lines.
Seeing me,her eyes burned with hate.

"You ruined—"
I cut her off."What,my breathing messed up your test?"
She lunged to hit me.I dodged."Stay back.If you miscarry,I’m afraid you'll blame me too!"
I walked away,ignoring her curses.

We would part ways from now on.Her reckoning had come;my time was for my future.
I visited Linda,showing her Sophie's score and my early admission.
She stared blankly."Impossible.You're lying.Sophie said she'd get into..."
I smirked."Stanford,right?She couldn’t even get into the worst community college!"
Her eyes reddened,gripping the bars.
"I told you,I had nothing to do with what Sophie did.She lied.You refused to accept the fact that your parenting has failed,so you pinned it on me!Lies never become the truth."
"Impossible,Sophie's not like that.She's always been good..."
I watched her despair,standin upg to leave.
"Yeah,Sophie's so good that she'll rot with her malice."
The verdicts made it to the news too.Netizens apologized.
Spreading rumors is easy,but that doesn’t make it right.They post anonymously,became heroes if a story’s true,and disappear if a story’s fake.
Some argued good grades don't mean good character,questioning why I was targeted—there’s no smoke without fire.
If I cared about such talk,I'd live in misery forever.
Now,I fear nothing about the fure,chasing my dreams.
My parents are my shield forever.