Chloe Took Maya’s Lunch and Used Her Meal Card — Then the Cafeteria Computer Showed Who the Account Really Belonged To
Chapter 7 — Chloe’s System
Once Chloe started explaining, the entire scheme became clear.
It began with one card.
Her own meal account had run out of money.
Instead of telling her parents, she used Linda’s unlocked computer to create a duplicate card linked to another student.
It worked.
Nobody noticed.
Then one friend asked where Chloe kept getting free cafeteria food.
Chloe told her.
Soon, other students wanted cards too.
At first, Chloe made them for friends.
Then she started charging.
Five dollars for a card.
Sometimes ten if the account had a high balance.
She learned to target students who rarely bought extras.
Students unlikely to notice small deductions.
And younger students who might assume their parents simply hadn’t added enough money.
Maya stared at her.
“You looked at how much money I had?”
Chloe wiped her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Then you took my food too.”
Chloe looked down.
“I didn’t think you’d say anything.”
That sentence bothered Mr. Morris more than almost anything else.
“Why?”
Chloe didn’t answer.
Maya did.
“Because I usually don’t.”
The office became quiet.
Chloe had not only chosen Maya because of the balance.
She had chosen her because she believed Maya wouldn’t fight back.
Mrs. Helen looked toward the register.
“We need to notify every affected family.”
Linda nodded.
“And lock every staff computer automatically.”
Mr. Morris agreed.
But when they began reviewing all nine duplicate cards, they discovered one account that changed the situation again.
One of the cards did not belong to a student.
It belonged to someone who had left the school more than a year earlier.
