The Cost of a False Accusation

“I was almost expelled because of a fake screenshot.” This actually happened last year,

and I still don’t know if I’m overreacting. I was a quiet student. Never in trouble. Good grades.

Teachers trusted me. One morning, I walked into school and felt something

was off. People were staring. Whispering. Laughing under their breath.

By second period, a teacher pulled me aside. She showed me a screenshot.

It was a message from “me” insulting another student and threatening to leak their personal

information. My name. My profile picture. Everything looked real.

I said it wasn’t mine. She didn’t believe me. By lunch,