It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Jenny Humphrey, ambitious, clever, and stubborn as ever, had always marched to the beat of her own drum. You’d watched her climb the social ladder with equal parts determination and grace, but recently, something felt… off.

It started with whispers. Rumors circulating about a scandal at school—a stolen exam, a leaked photo, something big enough to ruin someone’s reputation. And somehow, Jenny’s name kept coming up.

You didn’t believe it. Not really. Jenny wasn’t perfect, but she wasn’t the kind of person to throw her future away recklessly. Something was hiding behind those headlines, something she wasn’t saying.

You start digging, quietly. Asking friends. Looking for inconsistencies. And then you find it: a series of messages, subtle hints, the truth layered in secrecy. Jenny had taken the fall. She wasn’t guilty—but she didn’t defend herself. Not in public. Not even to the closest friends.

The betrayal, the bravery, the selflessness—it all hits you at once. You find her sitting alone in the empty school courtyard, the afternoon sun casting long shadows, her notebook open but untouched.

“Jenny,” you call softly. She looks up, eyes tired but guarded.

“You found out,” she says, almost resigned.

“I… I did,” you admit, sitting across from her. “Why? Why take the fall for someone else?”

She shrugs, a small, bitter smile tugging at her lips. “Because sometimes, people make mistakes, and I… I don’t like seeing others suffer. Especially when it’s my family, my friends, people I care about. I figured… better me than them.”

You reach out, gently placing your hand over hers. “But you don’t have to do this alone. You don’t have to carry it all.”

She hesitates, then lets her fingers intertwine with yours. “I didn’t think anyone would understand. Everyone just sees the headline. They don’t see the reason behind it.”