“I swear.”
“That was Brooke.”
“She told me yesterday.”
Zariah became still.
Brooke had admitted it separately.
Tessa continued.
“I knew she did it.”
“I didn’t stop her.”
That hurt almost as much.
Zariah looked away.
Tessa said, “I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
Tessa frowned.
“What?”
“Why me?”
The same question Zariah had asked in Room 214.
This time there was no audience.
Tessa looked at her hands.
“At first, because you didn’t care.”
“About what?”
“Me.”
Zariah stared.
Tessa continued.
“Everybody here knew me.”
“You didn’t.”
“You never acted impressed.”
“That bothered you?”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised both of them.
Then Tessa said something harder.
“You were good at school.”
“You had your job.”
“You had your own thing.”
“And whenever I tried to embarrass you, you mostly just looked at me like I was stupid.”
Zariah almost smiled.
“I did think you were being stupid.”
“I know.”
Tessa wiped one eye.
“That made me keep trying.”
There was no grand motive.
No boyfriend.
No secret competition.
No hidden betrayal.
A girl with social power had met someone she could not easily control and turned irritation into entertainment.
Then entertainment became habit.
Habit became cruelty.
Tessa looked up.
“The trip was supposed to make everybody laugh.”
“They did.”
“I know.”
Zariah remained quiet.
Tessa continued.
“Then you kicked me.”
“You shouldn’t have.”
“No.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
They sat with that.
Eventually Tessa said, “When I got up, I wanted to hurt you.”
“I know.”
“You kept backing up.”
“I know.”
“I watched the video.”
Zariah looked at her.
Tessa’s voice dropped.
“You stopped when I stayed down.”
“Yes.”
Another silence.
“I’m sorry.”
Zariah believed her.
That did not erase anything.
“I accept the apology.”
Tessa looked relieved.
Zariah continued.
“We’re not friends.”