“No,” I said. “I’m just telling you, stay away from him. You’ll regret it.”
As I left the classroom, Mark’s gaze followed
me, more unsettling than ever.
34
—
Later that afternoon, after everyone had gone
home – I’d gotten permission to leave early —
was just outside the school gates when I heard
a hesitant voice behind me. “Thanks for… for
what you said earlier.”
I spun around. Mark. I hadn’t even realized he
was following me. I took a step back, my disgust evident. “What do you want?” I snapped. “Why are you following me?”
He waved his hands frantically, the burned side
of his face contorting into what was meant to be a reassuring smile, but came out looking grotesque. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I… I just wanted to thank you. I’m a day student. I know you’re not like the others.
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<
9:57
You’re a good person. You always have been.” He stammered, looking at me expectantly.
Right. He was a day student. He got free lunch
because his family was poor, but he went home for dinner. The thought made my stomach
churn.
“Thank me?” I scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I wasn’t helping you. Frankly, you disgust me. Not because of your face, but because of what’s inside. You reek of something… rotten. Stay away from me, Mark. Or I might just start treating you like the others do.”
I didn’t want to become a bully. But if being
cruel would keep him away, keep my family
safe, I’d do it. My morals began and ended with
protecting myself and the people I loved.
Mark stood there, brow furrowed, clearly
confused. As I walked away, I heard him
muttering to himself. “This isn’t right… she
<
should be… I’m so pathetic… she should pity
me…”
A chill ran down my spine, like a snake
slithering up my leg.
I returned home to find my parents alive and
well. Tears of relief streamed down my face.
There was still time. Time to protect my family.
But the memory of Mark made me wary. I
wasn’t afraid of anything, except the possibility
that he, too, remembered the past life. That
everything I was doing was futile.
So, I preemptively warned my parents. I told them I was dealing with something difficult at school, something that could tarnish my reputation. I laid out the whole story, even the parts that hadn’t happened yet, emphasizing that confronting Mark’s family would be pointless, given his father’s mental illness. I
didn’t want this to affect my college
く
9:57
didn’t want this to affect my college
applications. Finally, I tentatively suggested
transferring schools.
34
My parents were initially hesitant, but after I
explained the potential consequences, they
relented. “We can’t fight people like that,” my
dad sighed. “There’s a reason they say ‘pity the
sinner, but hate the sin‘. You’re right, Sarah. We
need to get away from this. We’ll transfer you.
We won’t let this ruin your future.”
Transferring wasn’t a quick process. Dad
needed time to pull some strings, find a new
school. In the meantime, I avoided Mark
completely. I’d steer clear of him in the
hallways, refuse to acknowledge his existence.
It became common knowledge that I loathed
him, couldn’t even stand to breathe the same
air.
At first, Mark was miserable. Unattractive,
failing classes, completely ostracized. But after
く
9:57
doubled down on her kindness towards him. She brought him lunch, helped him with his homework. Everything I’d done for him in my past life, Ashley was doing now. But it wasn’t genuine. She just wanted to look good, to highlight my supposed cruelty by comparison.
Gradually, I noticed Mark’s gaze lingering on Ashley more and more, and less on me. Then, something unexpected happened. Mark started hanging out with Kevin, the bully. They were suddenly inseparable.
I heard through the grapevine that Mark was paying Kevin. Buying him meals, cigarettes, effectively becoming his lackey. He grew his hair long, covering half of his scarred face, looking like some kind of emo wannabe. They’d loiter in the hallways, leering at girls‘ skirts,
picking on smaller boys, mocking anyone they
deemed unattractive.
If Mark had been a victim before, he was now
34
<
9:57
334
firmly a perpetrator. And because of his
disfigurement, the principal seemed reluctant to
intervene.
I had a bad feeling about this. But then my dad
delivered good news. He’d found a spot for me
at a prestigious high school across town. It had
taken a lot of favors, but I could transfer next
week. I breathed a sigh of relief. The knot in my
stomach finally loosened.
It was time to put my plan into action. Running
away was a last resort. Before I left, I needed to
teach Mark a lesson. I was going to give him a
gift. If he behaved himself, stayed out of
trouble, it would be harmless. But if he tried
anything like last time… this time, he would be
the one leaving school.
My opportunity came sooner than expected.
The school’s spring field day was on Friday.
We’d get a long weekend afterwards. And in my
past life, field day was the day Mark had
9:58
<
publicly confessed his feelings for me.
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34
Based on my observations, Mark seemed to have shifted his focus to Ashley. While I wasn’t exactly Ashley’s biggest fan, I wasn’t about to sabotage her either. I’d been through enough.
