IrememberthefirsttimeImetRoy.Hewasstandinginthecentreofagroupofboys,andhewastellingajoke.Whenhereachedthefinalline,everyoneburstoutlaughing.Roylaughtedtoo.Aloudhappylaugh."Popularboy,"Ithoughttomyself.MynameisDaniel.IwasfromthenorthofEngland,butmyfatherhadbeenofferedabetterjobinLondon,andourwholefamilyhadmovedthere.Iwas12and,havinglostallmyoldfriends,Ifeltshyandlonelyatmynewschool.

　　Therewere33studentsinmynewclass,andmostpeopleweren’tveryinterestedinashynewboy.Roywasoneofthefewpeoplewhowerekindtome.Heofteninvitedmetojoinhisparticulargoup,andasaresult,Istartedgettingtoknowpeople.RoyandIbecomegoodfriends.Wetrustedeachotherandwecouldtalkaboutpersonalmatters,thingsthatwereimportanttous.

　　Fiveyearslater,RoyandIarestillinthesameclass.Butjustunderayearago.Roy’sfatherwasknockedoverbyacar.Hediedafewdayslater.Thefamilyhadtomovetoamuchsmallerhouseinordertomanagefinancially.Roy,whohadalwaysbeenveryclosetohisfather,changedcompletely,becomingsilentandmoody.Hehadalwaysbeenaclever,hard-workingstudentbutnowheseemedtoloseallinterestinhiswork.Hestartedlosingfriends.Thesedays,RoyandIseeeachotherfromtimetotime,butwenolongerclose.

　　Aboutthreemonthsago,agroupofuswereplayingfootballtogetherafterschool.Havingleftsomethinginthecloakroom,Iwentinsidetogetit,andfoundRoygoingthroughthepocketsofpeople’scoats.Inhishandhehadawallet---andIknewitwasn’this!MymouthfellopenandIjustlookedathim.Roywentbrightred.“I’llputitbackrightnow,”hesaid,andhedidso.Iturnedroundandwalkedoutwithoutsayingaword.

　　IreallyhopedthatRoywouldexplainwhyhehadbeenstealing,butinsteadhestartedavoidingme.Atthesametime,smallamountsofmoneystarteddisappearingfromstudents’lockers.IwonderifthethiefwasRoybutdecidednottosayanythingtoanyone.Ihopeitwasn’thim.

　　Lastweekourschoolhadabigfairinordertoraisemoneyforacharity.Itwasverysuccessfulandbytheendoftheday,wehadmadeabout$500.Ourclassteacher,MrWhite,cameandchattedtoagroupofusthatincludedRoy,andheldupaboxforustosee.“There’s$500inhere,”hesaidwithasmile.Buttooursurprise,thenextmorning,weweretoldthatthemoneyhadbeenstolen.MrWhitehadlefttheboxinaclassroomforafewminutes,andwhenhecamebackithaddisappeared.Theheadteacheraskedanyonewhothoughttheymightknowsomethingaboutthethefttocometohim.

　　Thisweekend,havingthoughtaboutthesituationforawhile,IdecidedtoaskRoyaboutthetheft,andthismorningIwenttoseehim.Roywasout,andIwentupstairstohisbedroomtowaitforhim.Itwasacolddayandhisjacketwaslyingonthebackofachair.Iputitonandputmyhandsinthepockets.IcouldfeelalotofpapernotesandIpulledthemout.

　　Itlookedasiftherewasabout$500there.IwassosurprisedthatIjuststoodthere,holdingthenotesinmyhands.Atthatmoment,thedoorswungopen,andRoywalkedin.

　　我要悬赏要悬赏给你打了那么久!