Chapter 20 THE HEARTLESS VILLAIN
It was Friday, the last day of the semester (hooray!), and the day before the Winter Jolly-Days Festival. Emotionally, I was ready. Physically, I was so ready I was sprinting out the school’s front doors.
“Well, Virginia, I hope you’re happy.”
Mary Heather’s voice stopped me cold. She hadn’t spoken to me since tampon day. She hadn’t texted, called, or even sent a note by carrier pigeon. But now, she was standing directly in front of me, her fists on her hips, her eyes laser focused on mine.
Kat was coming up behind her.
Great. Two versus one.
“Why do you think I’m happy?” I asked coolly.
“You know,” Mary Heather said, even though I thought it should be obvious I didn’t know. “You sent reports to Scrollr. Now my scrolls are gone. All my scrolls. My whole account was wiped.”
“And mine,” Kat added. “Since my account was linked, too.”
So we were doing this now, huh? Right here on the school steps? In front of anyone who wanted to watch?
In the nearby grass, Lee raised his phone. Recording us, probably. God, I was tired of being content.
I tried to block everyone out, but my hands were shaking. My voice shook, too. “Oh, so you faced a consequence and now you’re blaming me?” I shrugged dramatically. “I haven’t touched Scrollr since this whole thing started. Because people were harassing me.”
Mary Heather’s eyes narrowed. “If people were harassing you, it’s because you did something you shouldn’t have. It’s fair.”
“Is it?” I tilted my head, feigning thoughtfulness.
“Would you have thought it was fair if I’d made screenshots of everything you said and posted them?
” My eyes cut over to Kat, who still looked like she wanted to fight.
“Or what about you? Would it be fair if people saw all the things you texted and then said you should get expelled for it? Or texted you every single time a new screenshot went up to let you know that you’re a horrible person?
Did either of you even imagine that I might have evidence that nothing I said was said in isolation? ”
Kat went pale. Clearly, she hadn’t considered it. Or that anyone would dare fight back. Mostly because people didn’t. Not when it came to her.
Mary Heather lowered her voice, her gaze sharpening. “You wouldn’t do that.”
I hiked up my backpack. “I’m sorry that you’re banned from Scrollr because of choices you made, but that’s not my problem, and I have things to do today.”
I started to walk around them, but Kat stepped in front of me.
“You’re in my way,” I said quietly.
“You’re the one who started this,” Kat said. “You don’t get to play victim.”
“I know what I did wrong.” I glared at her. “Believe me, no one feels worse about the mean things I said than I do. It makes me sick. But I also know why I said those things. I felt pressured. Attacked. You made me feel that way.”
Kat’s hands balled into fists. “It’s not my fault you’re an insecure piece of trash.”
Around us, people gasped. A few more had their phones up.
I chose my words carefully. Because no matter what Kat said right now, I was the one who’d been put on blast. I was the one people were primed to hate.
She and Mary Heather had gotten the cold shoulder over the last couple of weeks—people didn’t like the way they’d handled everything—but I was the heartless villain.
The truth was a lot more complicated than “Deer Hill Dirt” had tried to make it out to be, sure, but people were inclined to believe the first version they’d heard.
“You’re right,” I said at last. “My insecurities aren’t your fault.
But you sure didn’t have a problem exploiting them.
Maybe you were trying to cover your own, or maybe you’re just that cruel.
I don’t know. As for who ‘started it’—what are we, five?
Anyway, you know that’s not true. You know you’ve been pushing me toward the edge for a very long time. It was fun for you.”
I looked between her and Mary Heather. “The thing is, whenever you see a weakness, you attack it. Instead of encouraging me to try photography, you made fun of me. Instead of understanding that I wanted to do more than just proofread our Scrollr posts, you made sure it was the only thing I was allowed to contribute. Instead of cheering me on when I liked someone, you made fun of him—and me. And being the insecure person I was back then”—just last month—“I tried to save myself instead of standing up to you. That was my mistake.”
“I’m not like that at all!” Mary Heather said, her eyes flashing with fury. “You know what your problem is, Virginia? You think you’re too good to be laughed at. You just can’t take a little teasing. Friends tease each other! It’s normal.”
“Friends should notice when it’s not teasing.
So, either you didn’t notice, which says something about you, or you did notice and you pushed harder.
” I shook my head. “We both know which it was. Look, I’m not interested in arguing with you.
Neither of you is willing to confront your mistakes.
But I am, and I’m going to be a better person from now on.
Maybe you’ll decide to do the same thing one day. Maybe you won’t. But I’m done.”
This time, when I stepped around Kat, she didn’t move to stop me. Too many witnesses, probably.
My heart was pounding. And maybe I was a little dizzy? The world seemed to be tilting slightly. Or maybe that was just me. Wow, adrenaline was weird.
“Go, Virginia!” someone shouted. “That was awesome!”
I jumped as Jess fell into step beside me.
“Holy crap, when did you get here?!” I pressed my hands to my racing heart.
“Around the time I thought Kat might actually punch you.” Her eyes were wide. “Anyway, I’m glad that didn’t happen. And I’m glad you stood up for yourself. I have to catch the bus, but I wanted you to know I’m with you.”
I stopped walking and so did she. “Thanks,” I said under the rumble of cars going by. “Are—Are we still huggers?”
Jess laughed and threw her arms around me. “Of course we are.”
I hugged her back, blinking tears from my eyes. It was so good to have her in my life again.
She pulled away. “Okay, I really have to go. But I’ll text you later.” Then she was off, backpack bouncing as she ran for the line of buses.
Alone, except for the few people still watching—and maybe still recording, yeesh—I headed down to the sidewalk. I wanted to get home before Victoria got bored and started our traditional last-minute-holiday-shopping trip without me. I texted her.
Me:
Don’t leave me behind! Delay at school. But I’m on my way!
Victoria:
Ugh I’ll just come get you
Meet you by the wall
Me:
Bring my cute purse. The one with flowers on it. Don’t forget scarves because it will be cold. And umbrellas because I see a cloud
Heck, it was cold right now. And that cloud—a very large one, mind you, heavy and gray—was starting to drip.
I shivered and pulled my scarf up over my nose. (Yes, I’d asked her to bring more. I had a lot and they all deserved to be worn.) Then, feeling that prickly sensation of someone watching me, I looked over my shoulder to find Grayson standing several yards back.
Oh. Okay. Time to vanish.
Quickly, I ducked my head and hurried down the retaining wall, where Victoria was supposed to get me. (Technically, no one was supposed to pick up or drop off here, but people did sometimes.) I only had to wait a minute before she arrived. “Ready to go?” she asked as I opened the passenger door.
Like there was a world where I’d say no, let me stay at school a little longer.
I hurled my backpack into the back seat and slid in.
“Oh hey, Grayson!” Victoria leaned halfway over me as I tried to arrange my seat belt without clocking her in the face. “Do you want a ride? There’s rain coming.”
He tensed, looking from Victoria to me—not a very far trip for his eyes, since she was still half on top of me—and then shook his head. “No, I’m okay. Thanks.”
“Okay, well, here”—Victoria dug around the back seat until she pulled out a scarf—“take this. It’s cold and Virginia here has too many.
No one needs all these.” Again, leaning over me like I wasn’t even there, she shoved the scarf out the door, forcing Grayson to catch it or watch it fall onto the damp ground.
“And”—she dug and shoved again, this time with an umbrella—“in case it rains.”
By now, Grayson’s arms were full of my things. He looked a little panicked. “I can’t …”
Victoria was relentless. “You can or you can ride. Remember, I’m going to a school in Boston next year, so I know what I’m talking about.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Oh.” Grayson glanced at me, then squared his shoulders. “I’ll give them back soon.”
“Great!” Victoria heaved herself back into her own seat. “Okay, walk safe.”
I barely had time to close the door before she took off. In the side mirror, I watched as Grayson inspected the scarf for a moment (checking for poison or itching powder, maybe?) and finally put it on, wrapping it several times. Then Victoria turned a corner and he was out of sight.
“So,” she said with a sidelong smile, “am I a good sister or what?”