Chapter 2

The next day I went to school to ask for leave.

Bryan Stephens caught my arm in the hallway.

"Where have you been these past few days? Why do you look so awful?"

Bryan was my childhood sweetheart, my boyfriend, good-looking, top of the class, gentle with everyone.

He'd transferred to this school just to be with me.

We'd promised each other we'd start a business together after graduation, work hard together, save up, and get married.

I opened my mouth, about to tell him what Eugene had done.

Just then Bonnie stepped in front of me, holding a document envelope.

Her head was bowed, her eyes swollen up like walnuts, obviously from crying hard.

"Gertie, I'm so sorry!"

"But I swear I had nothing to do with you being beaten so badly you might leak urine at any moment!"

It was between classes, and the hallway was full of people.

The words sounded like an apology, but really they turned every eye toward me.

People started glancing my way.

Even Bryan was staring at me in disbelief.

"Gertie, you got beaten up?"

Bonnie asked,

"Gertie, you still haven't told Bryan?"

Then she clapped a hand over her mouth in fake surprise.

"Oh no, this is all my fault. Something like this basically counts as a lifelong disability. Of course you'd want to hide it from Bryan. What do I do, I've gone and let it slip!"

She held out the envelope again.

"This is the defense material Dad put together for me. It's enough to prove I had nothing to do with this. So can you please stop taking it out on me?"

Whispers rose up around us.

"God, she got beaten so badly she might leak urine anytime?"

"Probably her own fault, right? Even her own dad won't stand by her!"

"Tsk, tsk, is her boyfriend still going to stick with her?"

"Didn't you hear she wanted to hide it from her boyfriend? Poor guy, he almost got tricked into marrying her!"

"…"

Every spiteful guess pricked into my ears like needles.

I looked at the smug face in front of me and couldn't help demanding,

"Why do you hate me this much?"

"That day, if you hadn't called me crying for help, I never would have gone to Eugene's rental apartment!"

"You were standing right there watching the whole time, and you did nothing to stop it!"

Bonnie put on an innocent face.

"Eugene's a drunk. He was wasted that day, I… I was terrified too!"

"Gertie, I know I wronged you, but that doesn't make me guilty, does it? Fine, I deserve it, I deserve it, hit me then!"

With that she grabbed my hand and pretended to swing it at her own face.

"Smack!"

I put the strength into my wrist.

A crisp slap landed square on her cheek.

She wasn't willing to really do it, so I did.

Her head snapped to the side, and five clear finger marks bloomed across her pale cheek.

Her face went blank. She hadn't expected me to actually hit hard in front of all these people.

But she recovered fast, tears pouring down like they cost nothing, still clutching my hand.

"Yes, that's it, hit me!"

"If hitting me makes you feel better, then go ahead, hit me hard!"

"Enough!"

In the middle of the chaos, Bryan stepped forward.

He pulled Bonnie behind him and cupped my face, aching with concern.

"Gertie, don't worry. Even if your parents won't stand by you, I'm on your side!"

"But don't blame Bonnie either. She's a victim too!"