When Julie heard about Crisha's story, she couldn't help but relate.
Crisha had worked hard to build her own name—because Julie knew exactly what it felt like to be mistaken for someone else.
"Julie," Kenneth said suddenly, "you know what? She really admires you."
Julie blinked in surprise.
Jason chuckled softly. "It's true. When she finally bought her first smartphone and created her social media account, she'd scroll endlessly whenever you had mini-events. You were always the name she mentioned. She admired you a lot."
Julie felt her cheeks warm.
"We both started from nothing," she said quietly. "I never imagined she went through so much because of me. But I'm glad she's creating her own name now."
"She was the one who kept nagging me to invite you to our guestings," Kenneth laughed.
Julie smiled but didn't reply.
"And when she joined the band," Kenneth continued, "Airah and Dawn stopped bothering her. Plus, Cielo grew fond of her—especially since I kept bringing her to the mansion."
"That started when she found out I loved books," Cielo added casually. "Oh—and Kelly, she always mentioned you too."
Kelly, who had been listening silently, looked up—but said nothing.
"Just because of books?" Julie asked, incredulous.
"Yes. And because of my cousin," Cielo said, shaking his head fondly.
"I remember Kenneth and Joel clashing a lot back then," Raymond added.
"That was because Joel's ex kept targeting one of my bandmates," Kenneth explained. "You know me—I protect my members."
Joel sighed. "I admit it. I was wrong. Not just about Crisha—but about how my ex treated others she didn't like."
"At least you realized it," Kenneth teased.
"Julie," Cielo said gently, "Crisha isn't as strong as you. She's soft-hearted—too trusting, too quick to feel pity. That innocence often puts her in danger."
"So what? You're saying I'm not soft-hearted?" Julie shot back.
Cielo laughed. "That's not what I meant. She's just not as feisty as you."
"Wow. Harsh," Julie muttered.
"She's not as straightforward as you either," her brother added.
"Ouch. Both of you are cruel today."
"But we still love you," her brother said with a grin. "Honestly, if you and Crisha had met earlier, she would've picked up your crazy habits."
"Nicole," Julie said, narrowing her eyes, "are you saying I'm a bad influence?"
Nicole thought for a moment. "Sometimes. You do like putting people on the spot."
Julie sighed. "I'd rather not talk."
Cielo slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry. I'll match your tantrums."
"You're such a tease," she muttered.
Julie turned back to Kenneth. "Did Crisha ever ask Dawn or Airah why they treated her that way? I really don't understand. There's nothing wrong with helping others."
"She tried confronting Airah once," Kenneth said. "But they really hated scholars—their mindset, their background. Even now."
"Isn't Dawn Claire's cousin?" Julie asked, glancing at her brother. "Did Claire treat scholars the same way?"
Her brother sighed. "Yeah. Claire and Vanissa were the same."
"So why was Kelly dragged into it?" Julie pressed. "Is she a scholar?"
"No," Kenjie explained. "Kelly transferred here in grade seven. Our father arranged it."
"They didn't only bully scholars," her brother added. "Transferees from public schools became targets too."
Julie went quiet.
She remembered the looks people gave her before—especially Paulene and Camille.
If the teacher hadn't clarified I wasn't his sister… I'd probably have been in fights nonstop, she thought.
"We were shocked when we learned Chris had a sister," Raymond recalled. "We'd never seen her before."
"And Nicole first knew Kelly as Jonathan's sister," Jason added. "But Melissa ruined that because of what happened to Kelly earlier."
"It all started when Melissa transferred," Raymond said. "And it was tied to Kelly."
"Then why didn't Kelly fight back in grade seven?" Julie asked softly.
Jonathan hesitated, then glanced at Kelly. She flinched.
"When Kelly first transferred, she was awkward," Julie's brother said gently. "She didn't make friends easily in elementary. She only had one best friend—Kevin."
"They met at the mall," Kenjie explained. "That's how they became childhood friends."
"When Kevin lost his memories after the accident," Kenjie continued, "Kelly blamed herself. Jonathan stayed with her the whole time—even though Kevin's parents never blamed her."
"When she transferred here," Jonathan added, "we agreed to introduce her as my childhood friend. Not family."
"You even fought about that," Kenjie reminded him.
Jonathan nodded. "When I found out it was because of Kevin… I understood. She didn't even want to come here. Her brother had to drag her to class."
"Literally," Dave laughed. "I saw it myself."
"Please don't remind me," Kelly muttered, cheeks red.
"Kelly," Julie asked softly, "how did you meet them back then?"
"She loved books," Kenjie explained. "That's why they noticed her. She was too shy, too desperate for friends. They used that to control her."
"They forced her to act like a bully," Kevin said quietly, fists clenched. "If she refused, she'd lose the only friends she had."
"If I remembered her sooner," he added, "she wouldn't have suffered so much."
"What… happened?" Julie asked gently.
Kelly stayed silent.
"Kelly," Steph said softly, "it's okay. This is your chance to tell your truth."
Kelly nodded faintly.
"Tell us when you're ready," Julie said, her voice gentle.