Introduction

My college life started with a simple rule from my roommate, Mark: "We split everything fifty-fifty, Alex. It' s the only fair way."

I soon learned his definition of "fair" was a twisted, one-way street designed for his benefit, starting with my Dr. Pepper and escalating to demanding half the cost of my brand new MacBook.

He' d use my things, then insist I pay him for the privilege, always with the same infuriating phrase: "It's only fair, Alex. We AA it."

I was trapped, spending every day swatting away his increasingly absurd demands, from "sleep taxes" to "sunlight fees," all while the university' s housing office dismissed my pleas, saying they couldn' t help without a "documented, serious incident."

Then he decided to create one himself, turning his petty schemes into a public spectacle that would ruin my reputation.

I rushed to the Student Life building to find Mark slumped in a chair, crying theatrical tears, while a mountain of expensive groceries sat before him.

He pointed a trembling finger at me, wailing, "He made me buy all this food and then refused to pay! I don' t have any money left!"

The school counselor, Mr. Harrison, listened, his face etched with concern, while the crowd whispered, judging me.

They saw an unfeeling rich kid, a jerk who' d exploited his poor roommate, all based on Mark' s carefully orchestrated performance.

I felt a hot surge of anger, a hundred rebuttals caught in my throat; I was on trial and already convicted.

But this time, I wasn' t going to just take it: "I' m not paying one cent, Mr. Harrison, because he didn' t use his money. He used mine."