jonn

I knew her. Better than anyone.

I knew her low, almost shy laugh. How she bit her lip when she was nervous. How she hated horror movies but watched them anyway just to prove she could handle them. She was my best friend… until she wasn't.

I don't know when I changed. Maybe it was when the guys on the team started accepting me, when parties became more important than afternoons playing video games with her. Maybe it was later, when I discovered it was easier to laugh with others than to stand alone in the hallway with someone they called "the weird one."

Coward. That's what he was.

And now there she was, walking between the lockers with her head down, just like always. There was something about the way she moved, the way she clutched her books to her chest, that made me want to… I don't know. Protect her. Talk to her. Tell her I was sorry. But then one of my friends spoke up.

—Hey, what's that on your skirt?

I looked. And I saw it. The red stain.

No.

Her face went white as she realized. The laughter began. Loud, cruel, cutting through me like razor blades.

—Really?! He didn't even realize he was… —they laughed.

I felt a rage I didn't know was there. Not just against them. Against me too. I was part of this. I allowed it.

"Shut up!" I roared. My friends looked at me in surprise. I pushed the one who was laughing the loudest. "I told you to shut up!"

She was frozen. Her eyes wide open, like a trapped animal. Without thinking, I crossed the space between us and took her arm.

—Come. Now. —My voice sounded harsher than I intended.

"Let me go!" He tried to wriggle away, but he couldn't leave her there. He couldn't let them keep watching.

I led her to an empty corner of the building. Only when I was sure no one could see her did I let her go.

"Put it on." I offered him my sweatshirt, quickly taking it off.

"What... what are you doing?" he asked, his voice shaking.

—Cover you. I don't want you to… —I stopped. Because I couldn't say it. I couldn't admit that I hated seeing them make fun of her,