Strange Evening

It was almost a relief she didn't leave with her gang of fools trailing behind. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the wet pavement, and I could already feel the tension in my shoulders easing. Honestly, I never liked that girl, but I had my reasons—reasons that still stung even after all this time.

A year ago, around this same time, when the leaves were turning and everyone was stressed about finals, the pressure of impending exams was suffocating. The whispers told me she had stolen the test paper, or so the rumors went, spreading through classrooms and hallways like wildfire. One day, as I dragged myself to class, my bag feeling heavier than usual, I overheard her conspiring with one of the older boys near one of the hallways that led to my locker.

I should have walked away, but curiosity held me captive. The conversation drifted clearly through the empty hallway. "That clueless principal ought to amp up security," she cackled, leaning against the wall with that smug look she always wore. "Did you do it?" one of the boys, a year ahead of us, asked his voice barely above a whisper. "Of course," she responded with a casual scoff that made my skin crawl. "No one needs to worry. I'll just sell the answers." She said it so casually as if discussing lunch plans rather than cheating.

I didn't grasp the full meaning of her words until much later. When the teachers finally caught wind of her scheme, she swiftly turned the blame on me—a girl who just wanted to blend into the background. The moment she pointed her finger, the teachers jumped at the chance to suspend me for a month, refusing to let me attend classes, claiming I might "steal" the answers. Their quick judgment hurt more than the accusation itself.

They forced me to take the tests a week early, alone in a classroom that felt endless and empty. For the rest of that year, I was branded "little Rober," the nickname sticking to me like gum on a shoe that never came off. It was tormenting for my poor mother too, watching her daughter become the subject of cruel gossip in our small town. Her so-called "friends" laughed at her for having a daughter like me, their whispers following us even at the grocery store and church.

I couldn't help but agree; I was hardly anything special. My father had made the wise decision to leave before I even had a chance to grow up, and sometimes I wondered if he'd somehow known what a disappointment I'd become. My self-image had always teetered on the edge of despair, but that year pushed me closer to the brink than ever before.

Perhaps that's why I felt drawn to Elias—maybe, just maybe, he would see something good in me, or maybe it was just his handsome face that captivated me too. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled made my heart skip beats, only to my mother when he first met him though. He hadn't smiled directly at me. Though I'd never admit out loud that his smile was majestic.

If only the jerks wouldn't be around, this walk home could've been pleasant. Each raindrop fell slowly, creating small circles on the pavement, and the acrid scent of cigarettes filled the air from somewhere nearby. I silently prayed to make it home in one piece, adjusting my damp raincoat around my shoulders. I had to muster some courage, at least for this moment.

As I approached a pack of girls who looked like they'd been waiting for this moment, Lies stepped forward, her usual mocking grin plastered on her face. Her dirty wet hair fell to her face, making her features look sharper and more predatory. "You've been standing there forever, haven't you? Scared?" Her smirk made my blood boil, and I could see her friends shifting restlessly behind her, like wolves preparing to attack.

"Maybe you should mind your own business," I shot back, my tone sharper than I intended, my voice carrying clearly despite the rain. That was the dumbest choice I could've made, but something in me had snapped after all these months of torment.

In an instant, she lunged at me, yanking my hair with such force that tears sprang to my eyes. I felt her knuckles collide with my face, each strike sending shockwaves of pain through my head. Their laughter rang in my ears, mixing with the sound of rain and my rapid breathing. I thought my prayers had gone unanswered, that this would be just another day of humiliation and pain.

With whatever strength I could muster, I yanked her hair back, my fingers tangling in her wet hair, and somehow found myself on top of her—though that triumph was fleeting as hands grabbed at my hair, dragging me back down to the cold, wet ground. Blood dripped from my nose, mixing with rainwater, and the pain became a dull throb throughout my body. My body felt weightless as if it were spinning in a void, the world becoming a blur of gray sky and jeering faces.

Just when I thought I was pinned for good, I heard a deep, distressed voice calling my name, cutting through the chaos like a beam of light. "Lorelie!" It was soothing, almost like a lifeline amidst the storm. A tall figure rushed towards us, but my vision, blurred by rain and tears, made it hard to see clearly.

"We need to get out of here," I heard one of the girls say, panic evident in her voice, and the weight of Lies lifted from me suddenly. The man drew closer, accompanied by a woman who looked older than me, both of them moving quickly through the rain. Could it be Elias? My heart leaped at the thought, even as my body ached.

As he approached, my vision began to clear, and yes—there he was, his familiar face lined with concern. Relief surged through me; I was safe from those girls, especially from Lies. But who was this woman he held hands with? The question nagged at me, even as I tried to push it away. All I wanted was to go home, to escape this nightmare.

"Lorelie, wake up," Elias urged, strong arms pulling me upward from the wet ground. What was his concern? Did he want to impress my mother? Where was she? Had she come home early from work? Was she waiting for me to arrive?

"Dear, are you okay?" came the gentle voice of the woman beside him, her concern seeming genuine despite her being a stranger. Who was she? Were they a couple? The questions swirled in my mind like the raindrops around us, but I couldn't afford to think about that now. My body ached, my clothes were soaked, and all I wanted was the safety of my room, where I could lick my wounds in private and pretend this day had never happened.