“You just focus on getting better. Anything
you want, you got it.”
My voice trembled.
“I just want to dance, Jake.”
He glanced away, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.
“You will, I’ve donated millions to medical
research. You’ll be back on your feet in no
time.”
“Tiffany just won, she’s doing interviews and
all that, she can’t come see you right now,
but don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll stop by
tomorrow.”
“I’ll have Tiffany help you get back on stage. I
won’t let you be down.”
<
I closed my eyes.
My loving family had suddenly become
strangers.
- 2.
When I woke up again, I had a little more
strength.
I ignored the pain and texted a number back
home.
“Dad, get me out of here.”
After that, I started the process to change my
name and social security number.
Someone slammed the door open.
My hand twitched, and my phone hit the floor.
“Confirmed” was the only word Mom needed
to see.
Mom eyed me suspiciously.
“Cassie, what were you deleting?”
I kept my voice steady.
“I can’t dance right now. I was just
く
withdrawing from some competitions.”
Mom seemed relieved. She motioned for the
nurse to change my bandages.
The nurse carefully cut away my gown,
exposing my torn–up skin.
Even though she was gentle, it still hurt so
much I bit through my lip.
Mom couldn’t stop crying.
I felt numb, but my voice was steady.
“Mom, they broke my legs with metal pipes.
They poured boiling water on me. Then they
burned my skin with cigarettes and hot oil…”
“Stop it, stop it!”
Mom ran out of the room.
She cried outside my door until I finally fell
asleep.
A few minutes later, she called Jake.
“Jake, Cassie’s already been through so
much. Are we really going to accuse her of
bullying?”
Jake’s voice was firm.
“I have to bury her so Tiffany can shine.
Tiffany will never feel inferior to Cassie.”
“When this is all over, I’ll find Cassie some
rich lawyer. With me as her brother, she can.
be a cripple with a bad reputation and still
find a good match.”
His words were like knives slicing through me.
My phone started blowing up with
notifications.
Every message was a hateful insult, so vile it
made my stomach turn.
Online, the rumor that I was a bully who got
what I deserved was spreading like wildfire.
The media was posting photoshopped
pictures, claiming to have proof.
People were cheering for my death.
I had become the bad guy.
Was this what Mom and Jake wanted?
To bury my life for Tiffany?
My heart rate accelerated.
A group of strangers stormed into my room,
yelling.
“You’re the one who hurt my daughter! You’re
scum! You should be dead!”
“My daughter killed herself because of you.
This is all your fault. You deserve to die!”
They dragged me out of bed, kicking and
punching me.
My bandages soaked with blood, dripping
onto the floor.
My classmates saw what was happening and
dropped their flowers.
They whispered to each other.
“I guess it’s true. Cassie bullied people.”
“I can’t believe it. I don’t want anything to do
with her.”
“She deserves it. Let’s get out of here.”
Their hateful voices were like daggers
stabbing me.
<
I stared at the figure standing at the door, her
back to me.
- 3.
