Chapter 5
Ralph wiped at his eyes, though there weren't really any tears. "I felt guilty as hell about yesterday. I really did. I just didn't expect you to have such a bad temper. I treat Simone like one of the guys.
"Don't be mad, okay? It's all my fault.
"If I'd watched my boundaries, you wouldn't have left. Mrs. Gale, I was so overwhelmed with guilt that I nearly jumped off the roof, but please, don't blame—"
"Are you done?" My mom cut him off, her voice dripping with mockery. "Guys these days don't seem to know how to behave. Always acting like an innocent victim.
"My son didn't stoop to your level because we raised him to know his boundaries and not run his mouth. But what about your parents?
"You spend all day hanging out with groups of ladies. Do you even understand that there are boundaries between men and women? If your parents didn't teach you, then I will.
"Behaving like that? People online would call you… a total fake."
I laughed, then shoved him lightly and shot back, "You reek. And we're not close. Don't pretend we are."
Ralph froze on the spot. After taking in my mom's words, his eyes welled up instantly.
Yvonne Larkson immediately jumped in to defend him. "Mrs. Gale, do you have any manners? Ralph almost jumped off a building because of your son!"
I shot her a glance and remembered it clearly now. Yesterday, she was the one who said it didn't matter if I overheard. After all, no one would want a cripple, and Simone was generous enough to put up with me.
The thought made my stomach turn.
"Justin, I…"
Simone instinctively stepped toward me, reaching out as if to take my hand like she always did.
"Sim…"
At Ralph's soft call, and after seeing his teary eyes, Simone stopped. She pulled out a tissue to wipe his tears and couldn't help but say, "Mrs. Gale, what you said was too harsh. Ralph didn't do it on purpose.
"This whole thing was Justin throwing a tantrum, and it almost drove Ralph to harm himself. Ralph's still young. He just graduated from high school, only 19…"
"Only 19?" My mom raised an eyebrow, then smiled lightly. "If you call that young, then what about Justin who's only 18?
"They're both in the prime of their lives. Justin didn't do anything wrong, so how did he end up being framed as some villain who nearly drove someone to death?
"Simone, I still remember how you used to play with Justin when you were little, how you swore you'd protect him. But you've changed far too much. I'm truly disappointed in you."
Simone was left speechless. Even as she wiped Ralph's tears, her mind clearly wasn't in it anymore.
The others behind them probably couldn't think of any rebuttal either. No one spoke.
I found the whole thing pointless and reached for my mom to leave.
That was when Simone suddenly grabbed my wrist. She glanced down at the winter clothes in my shopping bags and said instinctively, "You don't need clothes this thick in Movaia…"
Then something seemed to click.
Her eyes lit up, and her grip tightened. "So that's it. You blocked me and threw this little fit, but you didn't mean it.
"You're getting winter clothes because you want to come skiing with us in Hayville, right?" She had convinced herself, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Alright, no more messing around. I'll book the tickets later. The flight is at 10:00 am tomorrow. We'll go together—"
"You're mistaken."
I yanked my hand free, interrupting her fantasy.
"I'm not going to Hayville with you. I'm going to Boraska. By the way, my hearing's been fine for a long time now."
The smug look on Simone's face vanished.
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