Chapter 11: Cut from the same cloth
I walked fast across the campus courtyard, hoping the pace would burn off some of the emotion still clinging to me.
My eyes were still a little swollen from last night, proof I’d cried myself to sleep again. I looked like hell, but whatever. It matched the way I felt inside anyway.
Laughter and voices floated around me, distant and hollow. The world hadn’t stopped, even though mine had cracked open. I tucked my chin down and wrapped my arms tighter around myself, trying to block everything out. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.
Then I heard it, quick and intentional footsteps.
"Merlina, wait up!"
I turned halfway, not surprised to see Megan. Phoebe trailed close behind her. They both wore that familiar look, guilt written all over their faces.
"I’m sorry. We... we didn’t mean to hurt you," Phoebe said, her voice thinner than usual. "It was stupid. Really stupid."
"Yeah," Megan added, softer than I’d expected. "We were out of line. And... we didn’t know. We didn’t know who your mom was."
I stared at them, arms folded tightly over my chest. Pity wasn’t what I needed. This sudden concern felt fake, and every part of me wanted to scream, but I held it in. My voice came out brittle instead.
"It’s fine," I said, the lie hanging between us. "You didn’t know. But it’s hard... hearing things like that when no one ever tells me the truth."
I saw the hit. It wasn’t anger in my voice, it was something else, something raw. The silence stretched between us. Megan took a small step forward.