The story begins with the narrator, Megan, sharing her difficult childhood, growing up in a poor family with an abusive father who abandoned them. Her mother worked as a maid to raise her, but when Megan fell ill, her mother stole money from her wealthy employers to afford medicine. The mother was caught and arrested, leaving Megan in an orphanage.
At the orphanage, Megan befriended a girl named Tina, and together they endured the harsh conditions and cruel treatment by the caregiver. One day, they escaped and were taken in by a wealthy man who adopted Megan. Tina, however, was adopted by a less well-off family.
As they grew older, Megan and Tina remained close, but a new student named Rihanna began to bully Tina. Megan stood up for her friend, and the conflict escalated. Rihanna framed Megan for cheating on a math exam, and Megan was suspended.
The situation worsened when a fire broke out in the math teacher's office, and Tina was accused of starting it. However, it was later revealed that Tina had been manipulated by Rihanna, who had been seeking revenge against Megan.
In a shocking twist, Tina confessed to starting the fire and framing Megan. She revealed that she had been resentful of Megan's privileged life and felt like a "sidekick" or "charity case" in their friendship. The truth was exposed, and Tina was sent to juvenile prison. Megan's name was cleared, but she was left to pick up the pieces of their damaged friendship.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Megan was born to a very poor family in California.
2. Her father abandoned the family when Megan was two years old.
3. Her mother worked as a maid in rich households to raise Megan.
4. When Megan was four, she fell ill and her mother had no money for medicine.
5. Her mother stole money from her employers to get medicine for Megan.
6. Megan's mother was taken away by the police, and Megan was left alone.
7. Megan ended up in an orphanage where she met a girl named Tina.
8. The caregiver at the orphanage was mean and strict.
9. Megan and Tina became best friends and supported each other.
10. When Megan was 12, Tina's hand got stung by a bee and swelled up.
11. The caregiver refused to take Tina to the hospital, so Megan took action.
12. Megan sneaked out of the orphanage and locked the caregiver in her room.
13. Tina threw a beehive into the caregiver's room through the window.
14. The girls escaped from the orphanage and ran away.
15. They got hungry and went to a restaurant, where they ordered food without paying.
16. Megan was caught by a rich man who offered to adopt her.
17. The rich man, who became Megan's father, gave her a better life.
18. Megan searched for Tina and found her working as a waitress.
19. Tina was adopted by a new family, but they were not well-off.
20. Megan's father helped Tina's family by giving her father a job.
21. A girl named Rihanna joined Megan's school and started bullying Tina.
22. Rihanna accused Megan of cheating on a math test.
23. Megan was suspended from school for two weeks.
24. Tina was locked up in the janitor's closet by Rihanna and her friends.
25. Megan rescued Tina and they left the school.
26. A fire broke out in the math teacher's office, and Megan and Tina were accused of starting it.
27. The principal showed them camera footage that appeared to show Tina starting the fire.
28. Tina confessed to starting the fire and framing Megan.
29. Tina revealed that she had been jealous of Megan's better life.
30. Tina's parents and Megan's father were called to the school and were shocked by Tina's behavior.
31. Tina was sent to juvenile prison for her actions.
32. Megan's name was cleared, and she returned to her normal life.