“Say whatever you want! I didn’t plagiarize, and you can hold a knife to my throat, but I still won’t admit to dr
With that, I hung up.
But five minutes later, I saw that Kaysen had posted a public apology.
[I’m truly sorry that my ex–girlfriend Maureen plagiarized Frieda’s design. It’s a disgrace that I ever dated someone like her. As soon as I saw her true nature, I broke things off. I hope this hasn’t caused too much pain for Frieda, Plagiarism is shameful. I stand by original work and wish Frieda all the best in the competition]
Almost immediately, Frieda reshared it and commented: [Thank you, Kaysen, I won’t let you down
I suddenly felt defeated, I hadn’t done anything wrong, yet Kaysen and Frieda wore branding me as a thief, and I couldn’t even defend myself Even though I was sure I hadn’t copied her, I still couldn’t understand how Freda’s design matched mine so precisely.
I wondered, “If she’s the one copying, how on earth is she doing it?”
My head was spinning.
But whatever the truth was, I couldn’t face the same nightmare all over again.
So I posted a statement on my account, once again insisting I hadn’t plagiarized
I knew, of course, that no one would believe me.
At the end of my statement, I announced my withdrawal from the competition,
If the outcome of being accused of plagiarism couldn’t be avoided, then I’d just have to accept it.
But I couldn’t help feeling curious. Now that I’d pulled out, what would Frieda’s final entry look like?
After all, I hadn’t colored my design yet.
And adding color was the hardest part of the entire piece.
Right after I posted my statement, the comments poured in like a tidal w
Wine.
I couldn’t be bothered to read them. Instead, I pulled out my SIM card and burned all the sketches and designs in my studio.
I even sold my computer and other equipment at a low price.
Once I’d done all this, I decided to take a leave of absence from my professor and head to the Eastern Hemisphere I’d always dreamed of seeing
I’d wanted to go for so long.
When I’d once excitedly told Kaysen about this dream, though, he’d sneered,
He’d said no girl would ever want to see something like that and that I should learn from Frieda.
But now, I could finally leave everything behind and do what I wanted.
While I was on a hilltop, admiring the sunset over the plains, I noticed dozens of missed calls on my phone.
Frieda had been trying to contact me non–stop.
I couldn’t believe they were so desperate to reach me.
to witness the
e animal migration
“How odd,” I thought, “Without me around as the supposed plagiarist, shouldn’t she be happy? Why would she be so frantic?”
Ignoring her, I went back to enjoying the breathtaking scenery
But it wasn’t long before Jaelyn called, sounding frantic “Maureen, you need to check Frieda’s social media!”
Perplexed, I opened her profile, and fury immediately surged through me.
I’d underestimated Frieda’s audacity.
The dozens of calls were from Kaysen.
When I hadn’t answered, and after blocking him on every p
platform, he’d made Frieda contact me.
But I hadn’t responded to her either.
So, in an attempt to lure me out, Frieda had posted a “clarifying” video.
In the video, with red–rimmed eyes, she cried to the camera, “I had no idea how deeply this affected Maureen. She even burned down her studio. Our professor and classmates think she’s lost it, but I know she’s just trying to stone. Maureen, I forgive you. Please come back and join the competition. To keep your spot, I’ve even asked the organizers to postpone the competition for a month Come back, and let’s compete together. Don’t do anything drastic, okay?”
In the end she shed a few feketears nest
The commenters, oblivious to the truth, were all expressing their sympathy for her.
[You’re such a kind soul, advocating for a plagianist. Truly a wonderful person]
[Right? The difference between you and that plagianist is night and day‘]
(it’s all that plagiarist’s fault. She did something wrong, then disappeared to make Frieda feel guilty. That’s clearly her plan After getting away for this trip, I felt more at peace. Seeing those nasty comments didn’t hurt the same way it had.
After all, I knew I hadnt copied her. No matter how harshly they spoke, it wouldn’t change the facts
I could tell that Frieda was using public pressure to try to force me back into the competition.
But I was beyond that now, and I wasn’t about to give her what she wanted.
I went back to taking in the beautiful landscape.
But before long. I spotted a familiar figure.
I couldnt believe I would meet someone I knew in the middle of a foreign grassland.
Quietly, I shouldered my backpack, hoping to slip away, but he grabbed me.
Awkwardly, I smiled, “Everett, what a surprise! What brings you here?”
It was my father’s younger brother, my uncle Everett Watson. He looked a bit annoyed. “Maureen? Why on earth are you out here alone? If your Jarents find out, they’ll be furious!”
Seeing he was about to start lecturing me, I quickly admitted my mistake.
Everett sighed and smiled, bringing me back to where he was staying
Everett was the reason for my love of nature.
A botanist, he was always off in rainforests, deserts, and grasslands.
Every time he came back, he’d bring me weird and wonderful plant seeds.
When I was a kid, those strange, exotic seeds left a deep impression on me.
Because of him, I’d felt a mysterious bond with the wild and untouched landscapes.
I’d even originally wanted to major in botany to follow in his footsteps.
But my mom had opposed it vehemently so I ended up choosing design.
I knew Mom was afraid I’d end up like Everett, hardly ever coming home.
She thought it was risky for a girl to travel all over the world.
And I was her only child.
Growing up, Everett had always spoiled me. I hadn’t expected to run into him here, of all places.
Seeing that I couldn’t avoid him, I told him everything that had happened recently
Everett frowned, thinking about it for a while, then began studying me carefully.
I had no idea what he was up to and felt a bit confused.
Finally, he pointed to my glasses, signaling for me to take them off.
I didn’t understand, but I handed them over.
Everett inspected them closely, his frown deepening.
After tinkering with them for a moment, his expression suddenly lightened. “So this is the culprit!”
