Chapter 2
The loud crash of the overturned desk echoed through the classroom, hitting me like a slap in the face.
Jimmy quietly crouched down, picking up his books amidst the chaos.
His back hunched in a submissive arc, like a stray dog accustomed to being kicked around.
The pen that had been crushed underfoot was the only keepsake from his late grandmother.
In my previous life, I remembered how he survived on nothing but breads for an entire month, just to repair that pen.
My nails dug deep into my palms, and blood started to seep out.
I wanted to rush over and help him pick up his books, and I wanted to slap Gerald right across the face.
But I couldn't.
Right now, in everyone's eyes, I was still a shameless simp who'd do anything for Gerald.
If I started acting weird now, Gerald would think I was faking it, and he'd double down on tormenting Jimmy to break me.
Jimmy’s situation was all my fault.
"Wow, getting all soft for him already?"
Olivia sidled up next to me, arms crossed, looking like she was front row for the drama.
Leaning in, she spoke in a low, snarky voice meant just for me.
"Nina, this is such a weak move. Using someone like Jimmy to provoke Gerald will only make him think you have bad taste."
She quietly slid her foot over and pressed it down on the workbook Jimmy was reaching for.
Jimmy's hand stopped halfway, and he didn't look up or say anything.
"Olivia, move your foot," I said, my voice low and full of warning.
Olivia dramatically covered her mouth and gasped loudly.
"Oh my god, Nina, you're getting mad at me for this freak? We're supposed to be besties! How could you hurt our feelings for some outsider?"
She made sure to emphasize the word "our."
In Gerald's crew, Olivia always acted like one of the guys.
She slung her arms around the shoulders of those guys, drank and played drinking games with them, to show how chill and down-to-earth she was.
And me? I was always the jealous, petty outsider, the one everyone called the drama queen who couldn't fit in.
Sure enough, when Gerald heard Olivia's outburst, his expression grew even colder.
"Nina, what's your problem with Olivia? She's just trying to help, and you go off on her instead of appreciating it?"
Gerald shoved me hard, sending me stumbling back. My lower back slammed into the corner of a desk, and the pain shot through me like a knife.
Gerald bent down and picked up the workbook Olivia had stepped on.
"You want this?"
With a teasing gaze, he waved the book in his hand, looking at Jimmy who was still squatting on the ground.
Jimmy finally looked up.
His eyes showed no emotion, just a hollow emptiness that was frightening.
"Give it back."
His voice was so raspy as if he hadn’t spoken for a long time.
"Beg me."
Gerald let out a malicious laugh and held the workbook high, out of Jimmy’s reach.
"Kneel down and bark like a dog. Then I'll give it back to you."
The guys around us burst out laughing.
"Come on, Isn’t a mute just someone who can’t speak? You can still learn to bark like a dog, right?"
"Damn, Gerald, that's brutal!"
I looked at Jimmy’s deathly pale face, and it felt like someone was stabbing my heart.
I tried to rush over, but Olivia clamped onto my arm.
"Nina, don't go. Gerald's already pissed. If you go over there now, you'll make him angrier."
She acted like she was trying to help, but her nails dug into my skin, nailing me to the spot.
"Gerald, that's enough!" I couldn't take it anymore and yelled.
"It’s just a book, do you really have to go this far?”
Gerald's smile disappeared in a flash, his face twisting with rage.
"Seriously? Nina, are you trying to lecture me now?"
He suddenly tore the workbook in half.
The sharp sound cut through the silence of the classroom.
Gerald slammed the torn pages right into Jimmy's face.
The shredded paper rained down like a harsh, pale snowfall, settling in Jimmy's hair and on his shoulders.
Jimmy stayed perfectly still, letting the paper brush across his cheeks without a word.
"Since you're so eager to stand up for him, fine."
Gerald brushed the dust off his hands, turned around, and walked toward me step by step.
His eyes held that mix of arrogance and cruelty, like he was granting me some twisted favor from above.
"My birthday party's this Saturday. Got the whole place at Nightfall reserved.
"Since you're so 'compassionate,' you can pay for the whole thing. And..."
He pointed at Jimmy, still crouched on the floor, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Bring this mutt with you. It's my birthday. Don't you think we need a little something to spice things up?"
Olivia covered her mouth, laughing. "Gerald, you're so evil! But Nina will definitely do it, right? Nina, this is your perfect chance to apologize to Gerald."
I stared at Gerald's entitled face, and my stomach twisted with nausea.
In my previous life, I maxed out every credit card I had to pay for his birthday bash. I even stole antiques from home and sold them to cover the costs.
And what did I get in return?
At the party, he publicly announced Olivia was his "special girl," while I was just the sucker footing the bill.
As for Jimmy…
In my previous life, I didn’t bring him to the party.
But this time, Gerald actually went out of his way to humiliate him.
I stared at Jimmy on the floor.
He was picking up the torn pages piece by piece, as if patching together the scraps of his broken pride.
He seemed to feel my gaze and tilted his head a bit.
His eyes weren't wary anymore. Now they were full of deep despair and disgust.
He thought I was in on this whole act with Gerald.
He thought I was another executioner, crushing him underfoot right alongside Gerald.
"Fine."
I heard my own cold voice cut through the air.
"I'll cover the whole party. And I'll bring him along."
Gerald grinned, clearly pleased, and reached out to pat my cheek. I turned my head away, dodging his hand.
"That's more like it. Stay in line, don't get on my nerves, and maybe I'll cut you some slack."
He strutted out of the classroom with his group trailing behind him, making a grand exit.
Olivia lingered at the back, shooting me a look full of mockery and smug satisfaction.
Now it was just Jimmy and me in the classroom.
I crouched down, trying to help him pick up the last piece.
"Go."
That single word came out raw and venomous, all his hatred packed into it.
He knocked my hand away, hard.
My knuckles banged against the table leg, swelling up red almost instantly.
He gathered the pile of torn paper in his arms, stood up unsteadily, and walked out of the classroom without even looking at me.
His lonely figure was enough to break my heart.
I knelt on the ground, looking in the direction he left, and finally, tears streamed down my face.
'Jimmy, I'm sorry,' I said inwardly.
Hold on a little longer.
Just a little longer.
I would make every last one of them pay for this.