7.
Mom and Dad showed up at the hospital,
looking grim.
It was hard to enjoy a rare date and get a call
to rush to the hospital.
But they softened up when they saw me.
“Ashley, what happened at school? Why is
Brittany in the hospital?”
I dug my fingernails into my palm, and tears
started to form in my eyes.
“Mom, Dad, it’s all my fault. I embarrassed
you. Brittany’s classmates were calling me a
hick and wanted to beat me up. I was scared,
so I asked Brittany to fix it.
AORTU DITiany t IIA IL.
“But when I touched her, she got mad and
pushed me away, and then she fell on Cole.
The principal told me they were dating.
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have asked Brittany
for help. I shouldn’t have messed with their
relationship. It’s all my fault.”
I was only telling a part of the truth.
I had to gloss over some things to make it all
work out in my favor.
And it did work, Mom and Dad’s faces turned
shocked.
“Brittany has a boyfriend?”
“She wanted him to beat yoLLUD2”
“She wanted him to beat you up?”
I didn’t say anything, but Ethan showed up
with a copy of the security footage. “Ashley’s
right. I asked her classmates. The teacher
wasn’t there yet, and that guy Cole was really
mean to Ashley and almost hit her.”
Mom only watched half the video before she
threw her phone. “What gives him the right to
lay a hand on my daughter? I guess the Jones
family wants to die.”
Her voice was cold and angry.
Dad rubbed her shoulder. “The Jones‘ aren’t
worth getting upset about. We’ll bankrupt
them today and make them grovel at her feet
tomorrow, okay?”
<
I didn’t want some old geezer kneeling for
me.
“Mom, Dad, don’t do that. Cole didn’t hurt
me. The rest of the Jones family is innocent.
don’t involve them.”
“Besides…”
I batted my eyelashes. “Brittany and Cole’s
relationship is special, and I get it.”
Mom and Dad looked even worse.
“Brittany’s dating a violent guy. I will not
approve of this match.”
Then, they walked into Brittany’s room.
Ethan and I followed
く
Ethan and I followed.
Brittany was propped up against the pillows,
trying to look pitiful.
But with that burned face, it wasn’t working.
It made me happy.
Last time, I’d been a hundred times worse.