Javier had to go to the comfort room. Alexandrea saw her chance and quickly reached for Javier's bag. She rummaged through it and tool her bracelet from her bag. She slipped it into Javier’s bag and waited for Javier to return.
When Javier came back, Alexandrea started to scream and shout.
"Where's my bracelet?" she demanded, her voice echoing through the classroom. "Someone took it!"
Everyone turned to look at her. The professor, who was in the middle of his lecture, frowned and stopped talking.
"What's going on, Alexandrea?" he asked.
"My bracelet is gone!" Alexandrea cried. "Someone stole it!"
The professor sighed. "This is the second time this week that something has been stolen from this classroom," he said. "I'm very disappointed. I expect all of you to be honest and respectful of each other's belongings."
He turned to the class. "If anyone knows anything about this bracelet, please come forward," he said. "The person who took it will be suspended."
Everyone looked at each other, but no one said anything. Alexandrea was starting to get worried. She didn't want to get caught with the bracelet, but she didn't want to get suspended either.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Professor," she said. "I think I know who took the bracelet."
The professor raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he said. "Who is it?"
Alexandrea pointed to Javier. "It's him," she said. "I saw him put it in his bag."
Javier's eyes widened in shock. "That's not true!" he exclaimed. "I didn't take her bracelet!"
The professor looked at Javier, then back at Alexandrea. "Javier," he said. "Can you please let me see your bag?"
Javier hesitated for a moment, but then he slowly handed his bag to the professor.
The professor opened the bag and rummaged through it. He pulled out everything that was inside, but he didn't find the bracelet.
"See?" Javier said. "I told you I didn't take it."
The professor nodded. "I apologize for doubting you, Javier," he said. "But I'm afraid that I'm going to have to suspend Alexandrea for making a false accusation."
Alexandrea’s heart sank. She couldn't believe that she was going to get suspended. She had been so careful, but Javier had outsmarted her.
She tried to explain to the professor that she was telling the truth, but he wouldn't listen.
"I'm sorry, Alexandrea," he said. "But I have to maintain order in my classroom."
Alexandrea was escorted out of the classroom. She felt humiliated and defeated. She couldn't believe that her plan had backfired so badly.
Alexandrea got suspended for three days, but she was strangely content. She had achieved her goal of causing chaos between Javier and his brother, Ian.
When Ian found out about Alexandrea’s suspension, he was furious. He stormed into Javier's room and confronted him.
"What did you do to her?" Ian demanded, his voice trembling with anger.
Javier looked up from his laptop, innocence etched on his face. "I didn't do anything."
"Don't lie to me!" Ian thundered. "Alexandrea said that you took her bracelet."
Javier shook his head. "She's lying. I never took her bracelet."
Ian's eyes narrowed. "Then why did the professor suspend her?"
Javier sighed. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe she planted it on me."
Ian scoffed. "As if. You're the one who's always been jealous of our relationship."
Javier's face hardened. "That's not true."
"Yes, it is!" Ian shouted. "You've always been jealous because Alexandrea chose me over you."
Javier stood up abruptly. "I've had enough of this," he said. "I'm not listening to this anymore."
He turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ian seething with rage.
*****
Javier spotted Alexandrea across the campus quad. His heart skipped a beat, as it always did when he saw her. But as he got closer, he could see that she was avoiding him.
He knew that he needed to talk to her, to ask her why she had accused him of taking her bracelet. But his feet felt like they were glued to the ground. He couldn't bring himself to approach her.
He watched as she walked away, her long, dark hair flowing behind her. She looked so carefree, so innocent. But Javier knew that there was more to her than met the eye.
He had seen the darkness in her eyes that day in the classroom. He had seen the way she had smiled when the professor was checking his things.
He knew that she was dangerous. But he couldn't help but be drawn to her.
The next day, Javier saw Alexandrea again. She was sitting in the library, reading a book. He took a deep breath and walked over to her.
"Alexandrea," he said. "Can I talk to you?"
She looked up from her book and frowned. "What do you want?" she asked.
"I want to know why you accused me of taking your bracelet," he said.
Alexandrea shrugged. "Because you did it," she said.
"I didn't," Javier said. "I would never do anything to hurt you."
Alexandrea laughed bitterly. "Oh, please," she said. "Don't play innocent with me. I know what you're like."
Javier shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
Alexandrea stood up and faced him. "You're a liar and a cheat," she said. "And I'm not going to let you get away with it."
She turned and walked away, leaving Javier standing alone in the library.
Javier was devastated. He couldn't believe that Alexandrea thought he was a liar and a cheat. He had always been honest with her, even when it was difficult.
But he knew that he had to fight for the truth. He had to prove to her that he was innocent.
He decided to start by talking to his friends and classmates. He asked them if they had seen anything on the day that Alexandrea’s bracelet was lost.
But no one had seen anything.
Javier was starting to lose hope. He didn't know what else to do.
Why did Alexandrea accused him? What was her real intention?