SPONSORED BY LOVE

CHAPTER EIGHT

SPONSORED BY LOVE

CHAPTER 8: THE PHOTO THAT SPOILED EVERYTHING

The next morning, I arrived at school early to sell before the morning assembly. My mother was still weak from her chest pain, but she insisted on frying a small batch of bean cakes because she always said, if we do not sell today, we will not eat tomorrow. That is the reality of our life.

I reached the school gate at exactly seven o'clock. I left my tray with the security officer, Sir Jeff, who was kind enough to watch it for me, and hurried toward the SS2 Gold classroom to drop my bag.

As I entered the main corridor, I noticed a large crowd gathered around our notice board. Students from SS1, SS2, and SS3 were all standing there, pointing, whispering, and taking photos with their phones.

I assumed it was the new examination timetable, so I moved closer to see.

Then I saw it.

It was a printed photograph of me and Rooney at the old abandoned basketball court. Someone had taken it secretly. In the picture, I was holding the basketball awkwardly with both hands, and Rooney was standing behind me, holding my hands to guide my shot. My face was laughing. His face was close to mine. To anyone looking at it without context, it would appear intimate.

Above the photograph, written in bold red capital letters, was a caption:

"SCHOLARSHIP GIRL DATING THE OWNER'S SON FOR MONEY! FROM STREET HAWKER TO SCHOOL OWNER! SEE HER TRUE HUSTLE!"

My school bag slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. My legs became weak. I could not breathe.

The students around me began to whisper even louder when they recognized me.

"That is her. That is Sammie."

"So that is why Rooney defended her that day in class."

"She has finally trapped him. She used charms."

"She is not even that beautiful. How did she manage to get Rooney?"

I wanted the ground to open and take me in. My mother sent me to school to learn, not to become a topic of gossip.

I pushed through the crowd and tore the paper from the board. As soon as I removed it, I saw another copy pasted on the corridor wall. There was another on the door of the girls' restroom. When I entered SS2 Gold, there was a smaller copy pasted directly on my desk.

Someone had printed multiple copies and distributed them throughout the entire school.

Sophia walked past with her friends, Jessica and Cynthia. She pretended to be surprised.

"Oh, Sammie!" she said loudly so that everyone could hear. "Who pasted your lovely photo? You and Rooney look so adorable together. Is he now your regular customer? Does he buy all your snacks so you can afford your fees?"

Jessica added, "Perhaps she will become the school owner soon. From hawker to madam. Sophia, you should start calling her Madam Owner."

The group burst into laughter. It was the kind of cruel laughter that makes you feel small.

I tore the paper from my desk and sat down, burying my face in my arms. I did not want anyone to see my tears.

Mr. Jay entered for first period five minutes later. He noticed the noise and the torn papers scattered on the floor and in the waste bin. He picked one up and read it. His expression changed completely.

"Who pasted this nonsense?" he shouted, his cane trembling in his hand. "Who is responsible for this rubbish in my classroom?"

No one answered. The class fell silent. Sophia quickly sat down and began arranging her textbooks, pretending to be innocent.

"This is bullying and defamation! Who took this photograph? This is an invasion of privacy!" Mr. Jay continued. He gathered all the papers he could find and tore them into pieces.

"This is unacceptable! Go to your seats immediately! Sammie, are you alright?"

I shook my head without raising it. My uniform was soaked with perspiration even though the classroom fan was on.

The assembly bell rang, but I remained in the classroom. I could not face the entire school.

Rooney arrived five minutes after assembly, late as usual. He saw my face. He saw the torn papers in the waste bin with my photograph on them. He saw the entire class staring at me and whispering.

He understood immediately.

He walked directly to my desk, not caring that everyone was watching.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head again. "I want to go home," I whispered.

He turned and looked at Sophia. Sophia quickly looked away and began fixing her nails, pretending to read her mathematics textbook upside down.

Rooney wanted to say more, but Mr. Jay called him, "Rooney, go and sit down. Leave her for now."

He returned to his seat at the back, but he continued to watch me throughout the lesson.

During break, the school messenger came to our classroom.

"Who is Sammie Dickson? The Principal wants to see you in his office immediately," he announced.

My heart leapt into my throat. I was certain I was in trouble. I thought Principal Damian had seen the photographs and would expel me for dating his son and tarnishing the reputation of his school. My legs trembled as I walked to the administrative block.

Principal Damian's office was large and cold from the air conditioner. He was seated behind his large desk. When I entered, he asked me to sit.

"Sammie, I have seen the photographs," he said directly.

I began to cry. "Sir, I am sorry, sir. It is not what it looks like, sir. He was only teaching me basketball, sir..."

"Stop crying," he said, but gently. "I know. My son told me yesterday that he was teaching you at the old court. He explained everything. Is that true?"

"Yes, sir," I said, staring at the floor.

"Then do not worry. I know you have done nothing wrong. Some students are simply cruel and jealous because you excel despite your background. But I want to ask you one question, and I want you to tell me the truth."

I wiped my tears.

"Do you have feelings for my son?"

My heart stopped beating. The air conditioner suddenly felt too cold.

"Sir?"

"I am not angry," he said, offering a small smile. "Rooney is a good boy. Since his mother passed away two years ago, he has not been close to anyone. He keeps to himself. He does not bring girls home. If he has feelings for you, and you have feelings for him, I would like to know. I am his father."

"No, sir!" I said quickly, too quickly, almost shouting. "I do not have feelings for him... I mean, I appreciate him as someone who helps me. But not... not in that way, sir. Not as boyfriend and girlfriend."

Principal Damian looked at me for a long time, as if trying to determine whether I was telling the truth.

"Alright," he finally said. "You may return to class. I will handle the photographs. Anyone responsible for pasting them will be punished severely. Do not let this affect your studies. You are a scholarship student. You must maintain your grades."

"Thank you, sir," I whispered and stood up.

As I opened the door to leave, Rooney was standing outside, leaning against the wall. He had been waiting.

"What did my father say?" he asked immediately, his face filled with concern.

"Nothing important," I said. "He only asked if I have feelings for you."

Rooney's eyes widened. "And what did you say?"

I looked at him. His handsome face. His concerned eyes.

"I said no," I said.

For a second, his expression showed disappointment. A small flash of hurt appeared in his eyes. But then he smiled again, that small, familiar Rooney smile.

"Good. That is good. Let us go back to class."

We walked back to SS2 Gold together. Everyone in the corridor stared at us. The whispering began again, even louder than before.

But this time, I did not lower my head.

Because he was walking beside me, and for a brief moment, his hand brushed against mine, as if he wanted to hold it but was afraid to do so.