Chapter 31: An Unsettling Calm
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The Absence of Cruelty
The day starts strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
No taunts. No shoves. No laughter at my expense.
No Jason Carter waiting at my locker, smirking like he owns the school.
I move through the halls expecting it.
The usual sneers, the low chuckles, the cruel remarks.
But—
Nothing.
I pass Jason's usual group.
They don't even glance at me.
For the first time in months, I walk to class without flinching.
But instead of relief, all I feel is unease.
And then—
Jason Carter himself walks up to me.
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An Apology That Feels Like a Lie
Jason's expression is different.
The arrogance is still there—
But it's buried under something else.
Something that looks like discomfort.
His jaw clenches, and then he sighs.
"…Hey."
I stare at him.
I must've misheard.
Jason Carter doesn't greet me.
He doesn't approach me unless it's to make my life hell.
But he's here.
And I don't know why.
"What?" My voice is flat.
Jason shifts on his feet, looking frustrated—like he's being forced into something.
"I… We—" He glances at his friends. They avoid his gaze. "—were dicks. So… yeah. Sorry."
A pause.
A long, awkward, unnatural pause.
Then his cronies chime in, one by one.
Luke clears his throat. "Yeah, sorry, man."
Brandon scratches the back of his head. "Didn't mean to, uh… go that far."
Ryan mutters something under his breath, barely audible.
It's a strange sight.
These guys, who've spent months beating me down, now standing here, awkward, avoiding eye contact, waiting for my response.
And the worst part?
It doesn't feel real.
---
Lunch Break – A Truth Worse Than the Lies
I walk without direction.
My mind still caught on the forced apology.
I should be happy.
The bullying is over.
So why does it feel like something is missing?
Then—
A quiet laugh catches my attention.
A familiar voice.
Serena.
And then—
Jason.
I freeze.
They're alone.
A secluded corner near the back of the school, away from prying eyes.
I should walk away.
But something—instinct, suspicion—keeps me rooted in place.
Then—
Jason sighs, voice lower, annoyed. "That's it, right? I did what you wanted."
Serena's response is smooth, amused. "That was so painful to watch."
My fingers curl.
Jason groans. "Yeah, yeah. Just be glad I went through with it."
"You dragged it out too much," she teases, laughing lightly.
My breath catches.
What… what is this?
Serena hums. "Though, I have to admit, it was fun while it lasted."
Jason snorts. "Fun for you, maybe. I still don't get why you wanted us to mess with him in the first place."
I stop breathing.
"Oh, Jason." She sighs dramatically. "It was entertaining. Watching someone like him struggle, squirm, break piece by piece. It made everything so much more interesting."
A pause.
Then—
"Besides." Her voice lowers, silkier. Crueler. "He was stupid enough to believe I actually cared about him."
My chest tightens.
No.
No, this—this isn't real.
Jason scoffs. "Guess I should've figured. You always get bored of things fast."
Serena laughs. "And you always do whatever I ask. We make such a good team, don't we?" And she said with a light smile on her face, "you have work today for him, ok."
Jason mutters something, but I don't hear it.
Because the weight of what I just learned is too much.
Serena.
Serena planned it.
The bullying. The torment.
Every shove. Every taunt.
Every wound.
It was her.
All of it.
A sick, twisted game for her amusement.
The warmth I once associated with her—gone.
All that's left is a deep, sharp, unbearable ache.
Then—
She kisses him.
I don't know why I stay.
I don't know why I watch.
But I do.
Her arms drape over his shoulders, fingers threading through his hair, as if this is where she's belonged all along.
Like I never mattered.
The kiss isn't hesitant.
It's deep.
It's real.
And it destroys me.
---
To Accept or Reject?
I don't remember how I made it back to class.
But when I do, Jason is there.
The apology happens as if nothing changed.
His voice is hollow.
His words—meaningless.
And I?
I just stare.
Because what's the point?
What does it matter?
What does anything matter anymore?
"…Okay." The word leaves my mouth before I even process it.
Jason blinks, as if he expected me to fight him on it.
"Okay?" he repeats.
I nod. "Okay."
His shoulders relax, like he's finally done with this uncomfortable task.
"…Cool. So, uh… guess I'll see you around."
Jason turns, and the others follow, their relief palpable.
Like they've crossed something off a checklist.
Like this was never really about me.
Like they were apologizing because they had to.
Not because they wanted to.
---
A Lingering Unease
I stand there for a long time, staring at the space they left behind.
This should feel good, right?
The bullying is over.
The nightmare is done.
So why does everything still feel wrong?
The school feels… off.
Conversations around me are quieter.
People glance my way, then quickly look away.
Even the air feels heavier.
I exhale slowly.
Something is coming.
I just don't know what.
But I do know one thing.
Serena Vance—
Is a monster.
And I will never forgive her.