During my senior year, I was staying with my aunt’s family when my cousin Blake put me on blast online. All because I accidentally picked up a piece of meat from our dinner.
He cried hysterically, claiming that not only was I freeloading at his house, but I also cherry-picked all the meat from the dishes, leaving him malnourished!
The internet did the rest. I was trending within hours. Everyone called me a leech, a parasite, a shameless mooch. The comments screamed: Get out of their house!
So, I decided to humor them. That very day, I packed my bags and moved out.
But then my aunt and her family came begging me to return.
After all, without me there, they’d no longer receive the?0-05,000 monthly allowance?my mother sent for my living expenses!
I never imagined that with a monthly allowance of fifteen thousand dollars, I’d get cyberbullied over a single piece of meat.
Watching Blake’s tearful video on the trending topics list, my body trembled with fury.
“His parents are always away working out of town, so I felt bad for him and agreed when Mom suggested he come live with us.”
“But why does he have to treat me so badly?”
“It’s bad enough he’s living here for free, but he always takes the best food!”
“I was so tired from studying today, and Mom specially made my favorite stir-fry. But he ate all the meat from the entire dish! I didn’t even get one piece!”
“It’s not that I care about a plate of meat, it’s just… I feel so wronged. I’ve been so good to him, why can’t he show some empathy? I always share everything with him, but he just hogs all the good stuff and now I’m practically malnourished!”
“Why am I so unlucky to have such a cousin…”
In the video, Blake’s eyes were bloodshot and brimming with tears, as if I had truly tormented him.
My parents both worked for a highly classified agency, which meant they rarely had time for me.
As I entered my senior year, my aunt, Sarah, specifically sought us out, saying her house was right across from the school, and suggested I move in. It would be perfect for me and Blake to focus on our college applications and final exams together.
Mom thought it would be better for me to stay with relatives and have someone look after me, rather than living alone at school, so she agreed.
To ensure I was comfortable, Mom sent Aunt Sarah fifteen thousand dollars every month for my room, board, and daily expenses.
But on my very first day at Aunt Sarah’s house, Blake shoved a “House Rules” list at me.
1. Do not touch any personal belongings without permission.
2. Lights out by 10 PM.
3. Showers no longer than five minutes.
4. Air conditioning usage limited to two hours per day.
5. Avoid bothering anyone; if someone is in a bad mood, you must stay out of sight.
…
After all, I was living under their roof, so I always made sure to prioritize their family’s comfort and needs.
For the past six months, I had strictly followed every rule. I even proactively did chores every day and diligently tutored Blake, who was failing his classes.
At the dinner table, I rarely ever reached for the meat dishes, always feeling like they were reserved for the hosts.
Until this one time. I was eating dinner and reviewing English vocabulary, distracted, and accidentally picked up a piece of meat.
Blake immediately slammed his fork down.
At the time, I thought he was just in a bad mood and didn’t think much of it.
Not until I saw that trending video.
In the video, Blake tearfully accused me, painting me as a lazy, selfish “vampire freeloading relative” who constantly bullied their family.
The comment section exploded. Tens of thousands of comments were cursing me out.
“Kids these days are so disrespectful! How can he be so arrogant when he’s living under someone else’s roof?”
“Freeloaders are worse than beggars. Their skin is thicker than a fortress wall! And they feel entitled to suck others dry, as if people owe them something.”
“Why keep such an oblivious leech around? Kick him out already!”
Blake replied. “I wish I could be tough, but he’s my cousin, after all. I can’t really kick him out, can I? I guess I’ll just have to tolerate it!”
My hands trembled with a simmering rage.
Fifteen thousand dollars a month for living expenses! That was enough for me to stay in a five-star hotel every day and eat gourmet meals for every single sitting!
I wasn’t going to stick around to be hated. I immediately packed my bags and moved out of their house.
After calling my teacher and arranging to stay at the school dorms, I sent a message to my mom.
“Mom, I’ve moved out of Aunt Sarah’s and into the school dorms. You can just transfer my allowance directly to my bank account from now on.”
The moment she received my message, my mom called right away.
“Alex, why did you suddenly move out of Aunt Sarah’s house? Is something wrong?”
Hearing the tension in her voice, my nose stung, and I felt incredibly wronged.
My aunt, Sarah, was my mom’s only sister.
Mom had always been incredibly generous to her.
When Aunt Sarah mentioned Uncle Michael had lost his job, Mom immediately pulled some strings and arranged a well-paid, low-stress position for him.
Knowing Aunt Sarah struggled commuting on her scooter, Mom, without a second thought, bought her a brand-new Mercedes-Benz.
Even the house Aunt Sarah’s family lived in now was paid for by my mom.
I didn’t want to worry my mom, nor did I want to ruin the relationship between the sisters, so I just vaguely said that living at school would give me more time to study.
After hanging up, I returned to school.
The moment I reached the dorm room the teacher had assigned me, I heard my roommate, Jake, speak up with a snide, mocking tone.
“Well, well, well, isn’t it the freeloading vampire who always pigs out on meat? Did someone finally kick you out?”
Jake was Blake’s little minion.
He’d always subtly targeted me before, but I hadn’t thought much of it.
Now, it seemed it was all connected to Blake.
Jake’s shrill voice instantly drew students from other dorm rooms.
In a flash, everyone started pointing fingers and whispering about me.
“No wonder he didn’t live at school, he was mooching off his aunt’s family!”
“How disgusting, the freeloading vampire on the trending list is in our class. How embarrassing!”
“Some people are just poor and pretentious. If you’re living under someone else’s roof, why can’t you just act like a grateful guest? Why fight with your hosts over food?”
Amidst the chorus of mockery, Blake rushed over from his aunt’s house, looking displeased.
“Cousin, why are you so sensitive? People just said a few truthful things online, is that really enough to make you throw a fit and run away?”
“You’ve been mooching off us for so long, and now you pull this stunt. Are you deliberately trying to make everyone think our family bullied you?”
I looked at his condescending face and suddenly found it all a bit laughable.
“You think I’m taking advantage of you by staying at your house?”
Blake snorted, raising an eyebrow.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Do you know how expensive things are these days?”
“Do you know how much money your free room and board for the past few months has cost my family?”
As he finished, Jake immediately chimed in.
“That’s just shameless! Everyone in our class knows how well-off Blake’s family is. He kindly took you in, and not only are you ungrateful, but you’re also audacious enough to act like you’re royalty?”
“I think you’re just taking advantage of Blake’s good nature, riding roughshod over him and bullying him!”
It was truly absurd.
Before I moved into Aunt Sarah’s house, Blake was just an unremarkable background character at school.
His monthly allowance of barely a hundred bucks meant he couldn’t even afford to join class outings.
But ever since his family started getting my mom’s fifteen thousand dollars a month, the boy who once couldn’t afford a decent shirt now flaunted designer clothes and flashy jewelry every day.
With money in his pocket, he immediately became active in class, frequently treating his classmates to lavish spending sprees with his massive allowance.
Seeing him spend money without batting an eye, everyone naturally assumed Blake was a generous scion of a wealthy family.
And I, always low-key, slowly became the “cheapskate,” “freeloading relative” everyone gossiped about.
I looked at Blake, and firmly reminded him.
“I advise you to go home and ask your mom, clearly, whether or not I’m truly living there for free!”
Blake didn’t hesitate.
“Don’t you dare try to use my mom to pressure me!”
“Your parents are always working out of town, so poor they can’t even come home for years at a time. Do you honestly think they could afford to send you an allowance?”
“I thought you’d be grateful like a dog for freeloading at my house, but I never expected you to be so ungrateful!”
My parents’ work was highly specialized, and hardly anyone knew what they did.
But that didn’t mean my family was poor!
In fact, ever since I could remember, Aunt Sarah’s family had been benefiting from my family’s generosity.
What right did he have to think I was taking advantage of his family?
Blake’s words made everyone dislike me even more.
“Some people are just poor and dramatic! They can’t even manage to be a good leech!”
“Exactly! They kindly provide him food and shelter, but he freeloads, picks out the best food, and even makes Blake so malnourished, it’s disgusting!”
“I hate poor relatives like him the most. No ability but thick-skinned, like a disgusting bloodsucking tick you can’t shake off!”
“Blake, you’re just too kind. You should keep your distance from shameless vampires like Alex, don’t let him tarnish your reputation as a rich heir!”
Their words, one after another, praised Blake to the skies while demeaning me completely.
Blake’s lips curved into an undeniable smirk as he basked in the compliments.
“If only certain shameless poor people were half as sensible as you all!”
Then, he looked at me, and condescendingly offered.
“Alright, alright, I’ll forgive you this time, seeing as you’re poor and have never had anything good to eat!”
“Now, stop making a scene with your luggage and come home with me!”
I chuckled lightly, my voice cold.
“No thanks. From now on, I’m staying at school!”
With that, I ignored Blake, calmly made my bed, and settled into the dorm room.
I thought my refusal would bring me some peace.
But the next day after school, Aunt Sarah suddenly showed up.
She waited downstairs by the academic building, walked straight towards me through the bustling crowd, and spoke with a worried expression.
“Alex, I saw the video online. Blake was being foolish, and I’ve already talked to him.”
“It’s your senior year, a crucial time. Who will take care of you if you live at school?”
“Come on, come home with me. Don’t let this affect your studies and health.”
Looking at the genuine concern in Aunt Sarah’s eyes, for a moment, I couldn’t tell if she was truly worried about me or just about that fifteen thousand dollar allowance.
If she genuinely cared, why had she never told Blake that my mom paid fifteen thousand dollars a month, allowing Blake to humiliate me endlessly?
I looked at Aunt Sarah, my voice calm.
“No need, Aunt Sarah. I’m doing just fine at school.”
My refusal instantly annoyed Blake.
“Alex, don’t be so ungrateful! My mom came personally to ask you back, what more do you want?”
“Do you expect our whole family to get on our knees and beg you to stay at our house?”
His voice was sharp and loud.
It immediately drew everyone’s attention.
In an instant, everyone started shouting at me.
“Alex, you’re so ungrateful! Your aunt is being the bigger person, personally inviting you back, and you’re still putting on airs?”
“Exactly! You were the one who was rude first, and now that they’re overlooking your mistakes, why are you still playing the victim?”
“The poorer you are, the more you cling to your pride! Do you really think you’re some rich heir?”
Knowing the situation was gaining traction, Jake even pulled out his phone and started a live stream, pointing it at me.
“Everyone, look! The freeloading cousin who’s been all over the trending topics these past two days is causing trouble again!”
“His aunt is worried about him living alone at school affecting his health and studies, so she specially came to school to invite him home. But not only is he ungrateful for her kindness, he’s putting on a show and refusing to go back!”
“He’s probably trying to act like a victim to gain sympathy and get people to beg him to live for free!”
With Jake’s exaggerated commentary, the live stream’s chat was flooded with insults.
“Poor people just love to play the victim while still trying to grab benefits, acting all high and mighty as if that hides their greedy, disgusting nature!”
“Why even bother with such a freeloading relative? Let him die out in the streets!”
“I hate these poor relatives the most. My dad went bankrupt because of his freeloading relatives. These bloodsucking relatives should just drop dead!”
Facing the public’s curses, I solemnly explained.
“I wasn’t living for free at my aunt’s house. My mom paid for my living expenses.”
Hearing this, the students present scoffed.
“How ridiculous! With your family’s situation, can they even afford living expenses?”
“Exactly! Look how shabbily he’s dressed. His mom probably just collects garbage, and pays for his living expenses with a pile of junk every month!”
“That meager amount wouldn’t even buy a pair of socks for Blake, the rich heir! How can you even say that with a straight face?”
The surrounding students burst into laughter.
The live stream chat was also plastered with messages calling me a clown.
Blake scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension.
“Still talking about living expenses? How much could your parents, who are too poor to even afford a train ticket home, possibly give you? A hundred? Two hundred?”
I looked at him, enunciating each word. “Fifteen thousand.”
“Fifteen thousand dollars a month for living expenses.”
The moment the words left my mouth, the place erupted in massive laughter.
“Fifteen thousand dollars a month? Are you insane?”
“Poor people are just pathetic, they’ll say any lie for the sake of appearances!”
“LOL, he must be so poor he’s hallucinating. Fifteen thousand a month? Why not a hundred million?”
The live stream chat scrolled wildly, everyone calling me a liar, saying I was delusionally rich.
Blake, looking smug, sneered.
“Alex, you really do love making a fool of yourself, don’t you? With your pathetic appearance, have you ever even seen fifteen thousand dollars?”
Facing the endless laughter and mockery, I suppressed my anger, looked at Aunt Sarah, and spoke firmly.
“Aunt Sarah, please clarify for everyone. Does my mom send you fifteen thousand dollars every month for my living expenses?”
Seeing my serious question, the entire area instantly fell silent.
Everyone turned to look at Aunt Sarah.
Aunt Sarah looked at me with a complicated expression for a moment, then slowly said.
“Alex, I know you want to save face and regain your dignity, but… but your family truly hasn’t given us any living expenses.”
“I don’t want to embarrass you, but I can’t lie for you either!”
I stared at Aunt Sarah in disbelief, as if struck by lightning.
I had personally seen her receive my mom’s transfers! Why was she lying?!
Hearing Aunt Sarah’s answer, the mockery grew even louder.
“See! I told you he was lying!”
“How disgusting, taking advantage of his aunt’s kindness, then trying to force her to lie for him?”
“No wonder he refused to go back with his aunt. He was waiting for this moment! If his aunt had actually, for his sake, admitted to receiving the fifteen grand, he’d probably extort her relentlessly later!”
“He’s utterly shameless! Not only does he freeload off others, but he also tries to exploit their kindness for his own gain!”
Laughter and insults surged like a tidal wave.
The live stream chat was even more ruthless, full of curses and condemnations.
Blake glared at me with pure disgust, his voice full of hatred.
“Alex, aren’t you ashamed? You’ve been freeloading at our house for so long, and now you want to extort money from us?”
Then, he turned to Aunt Sarah.
“Mom, let’s settle this with him today, so he can’t spread rumors later that we mistreated him!”
Aunt Sarah’s face flashed with panic. She tried to stop him. “Blake, just let it go…”
“No, we can’t!”
Blake insisted. “Isn’t he so stubborn? Didn’t he brag about giving our family fifteen thousand dollars for living expenses? Today, I’m going to expose him!”
He pulled out his phone and began calculating earnestly.
“Listen, our house is across from a top high school, a prime school district! Renting out one room would be at least three hundred dollars a month!”
“Your three meals a day, at least ten dollars a day, that’s three hundred dollars a month!”
“Utilities – water, electricity, gas, property fees – split among us, that’s a hundred dollars a month for you!”
“Plus Mom doing your laundry and cooking every day, let’s say a nanny fee of eight hundred dollars a month!”
“300 + 300 + 100 + 800 = 1500 dollars a month. You stayed at our house for three months, so 1,500 dollars a month multiplied by three months is 4,500 dollars.”
After calculating, Blake looked down at me, extended his hand, and said coldly.
“Business is business, even among family. Hand over that 4,500 dollars right now!”
“After that, you can live wherever you want. We won’t care if you die out there!”
At this, everyone gloated.
“That’s what you get for bragging! Now you’re speechless, huh?”
“LOL, didn’t your family give you fifteen thousand a month for living expenses? What are you waiting for? Pay up!”
“Exactly! Could it be your parents didn’t collect enough garbage today and can’t afford it?”
The live stream chat was also flooded with insults, mocking me for bragging and telling me to pay up.
Aunt Sarah stood to the side, her lips moving, but ultimately she remained silent.
I looked at the mother and son, and the last shred of warmth in my heart was completely extinguished.
Under everyone’s gaze, I calmly took out my phone, my voice icy.
“Alright, since you want to settle accounts with me, let’s do it, item by item, and make it crystal clear.”
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