|| On the Basketball Court ||
"Just one last shot," Jim muttered, eyeing the basket with focus.
He leapt, releasing the ball into the air. It bounced off the rim and fell to the ground.
"It's okay," he whispered to himself, walking toward the bench. He grabbed his water bottle and sank down, sweat trailing down his temple.
"I hope that was the last video," he sighed, taking a sip.
"Jim!" a voice snapped across the court.
He looked up—Martha was marching toward him, eyes blazing with fury.
Jim stood and turned away, trying to ignore her.
"Are you deaf, Mr. Jim?" she shouted, grabbing his wrist and yanking him back.
"Let go of my hand," Jim said, glaring at her.
"You think I'm scared of you?" she challenged, locking eyes with him.
"What's your problem?" Jim growled, trying to shake off her grip. "Let go!"
"No, you tell me—what's your problem with Cherry?" Martha demanded. "Why do you all keep bullying her?"
Jim frowned, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Stop pretending to be innocent!" Martha snapped. "Your friends dumped garbage and eggs on Cherry this morning—and the whole college saw it!"
Jim blinked. "What…?"
"She was just trying to help you," Martha continued, voice trembling. "And this is what she got in return? Humiliation?"
Jim's chest tightened. "Where is she?" he asked urgently, scanning the court as if Cherry might appear any moment.
Martha pulled her hand back, glaring. "Why do you care? So you can hurt her again?"
"I didn't do anything!" Jim shouted, slamming his water bottle down on the bench.
"Oh really?" Martha shot back. She grabbed his phone, forced his thumb against the fingerprint scanner, and unlocked it. Within seconds, she had pulled up the college website and thrown the phone down in front of him.
"Read the comments," she spat. "See what people are saying about her because of you."
She turned to leave, then paused at the gate.
"Oh, and one more thing," she said coldly, pulling a folded letter from her pocket. She threw it at his chest. "This is the letter Cherry wrote—the one that made you humiliate her. Read it, if you even have the decency."
She stared at him for one last moment.
"Next time, try learning the truth before you destroy someone," she said, then stormed away.
Jim stood there, stunned. Slowly, he picked up the letter, his hands shaking.
---
|| Meanwhile – On the Other Side of Campus ||
Martha ran through the halls, checking every corridor, every classroom.
"Have you seen Cherry?" she asked one student. They looked away. "Please—have you seen her?" she pleaded with another.
No one helped. No one cared.
Finally, she reached the rooftop.
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|| On the Rooftop ||
Cherry sat curled up against the wall, her face buried in her arms. Her body shook with every sob.
Martha rushed to her and dropped beside her.
"Cherry! Are you alright?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her.
"Please leave me alone," Cherry cried, shoving her away. "I don't want to talk to anyone!"
"Cherry, just listen to me once—please," Martha said, gently taking her hand.
"I'm a terrible person," Cherry sobbed. "I shouldn't have helped anyone! I'll never do it again."
"No, you're not," Martha said, wiping her tears. "You're not bad, Cherry. You're brave. And you didn't deserve any of this."
Cherry's breath hitched. Her uniform still reeked of garbage and humiliation.
"I have some spare P.E. clothes in my locker. Just wait here, okay?" Martha said softly, brushing Cherry's hair from her face.
"I'll be right back. Don't worry."
As Martha left, Cherry broke down again, her cries echoing across the rooftop.
"I hate you, Jim! I hate you!" she sobbed, rocking herself in the corner.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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