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"I assume Kennedy’s told you about our court case?" I ask

"The case where she’s wiping the floor with you? Yeah--heard all about it" She so

"She also told ht How you proclaimed your innocence" There’s a bite to her words at the end

"I didn’t have anything to do hat happened to her at the dance"

"You had everything to do with it Your girlfriend and her friends "

"I didn’t knoas that bad"

"You knew enough"

And I’ve got no coht It’s easy to look back, with the knowledge and confidence of an adult, and see everything that we should have done differently

My words are strong and de "That’s why I’m here I need you to tell me what else I don’t know"

She tosses back, "Why?"

My hand runs through my hair "Because I don’t think she will--not all of it Because I want to make it up to her Because, I feel like a black-out drunk who just sobered up, and I need to hear about the chunks of ti Becauseshe was always the one"

Vicki rolls her eyes "The one? Seriously? I’"

I shaketo be clearer "Didn’t you ever have soainst? This one’s nice, but not as nicethat one’s shts, even when I didn’t realize it The one every other wootten compared to, and fallen short And II’ve ain"

She staresthe inside of her cheek And then she nods

"Okay"

• • •

For the next hour, Vicki Russo recounts two years of psychological and emotional torture Some of it was schoolyard stuff--dirty looks and shoulder bumps Some of it washer to kill herself, calling her ugly, freak shoorthless It was calculated, organized, and relentless

"Why the hell didn’t she complain? Report Cashmere to the heads "Lots of reasons Call it the Pretty in Pink Syndrome--Kennedy didn’t want Cashmere to think she’d won, that she’d broken her Plus the bitch had her pack of ainst mine and Kennedy’s, who do you think the headmaster would’ve believed? And if she had reported it and the school sided with Cashs like that always do"

Jesus fucking Christ

Soround Scorch the earth and never rebuild