152 Ostracized
The long and vicious discussion in the guidance office lasted for over an hour. Both Jessa and Mrs. Miller wouldn’t back down. Therefore, the guidance counselor and the teacher decided to give both students one last warning.
Nina and Patricia were still under investigation for bullying. One more strike and they would be. expelled without any further notice or discussion.
After the verdict was given, Nina and Patricia were told to go back to their respective classrooms. When they arrived, their new homeroom teachers were told about the incident- including the prank this morning. However, even when the teacher questioned the students, not one talked.
The teachers could only warn the class.
And just like that, the day went by with Nina and Patricia getting more hate from their
classmates. They were ostracized on their first day. Patricia might’ve taken it well, but this filled Nina with anger and resentiment.
Taking a walk in the garden on lunch break, Nina caught Penny and her former classmates. She stopped and gazed up at the window where she could see her former classmates talking to Penny with all smiles. Lily and Ginnie were still there.
Whatever they were talking about made all of them laugh.
“Are they talking about me?” Nina wondered in dismay, scoffing. “I hate all of them”
She watched them bitterly before she chose to walk away. If not for Penny, she wouldn’t be in this situation! Nina seethed in anger, thinking of ways to make Penny pay for everything that had happened to her. 1
“It all started when she came home…” She lowered her eyes and kept her fists tight on her sides. “If not for her… I wouldn’t have to go out and hide.‘
If not for Penny, everyone would still try to be friends with her. If not for her, Nina wouldn’t have to go through all of this!
It was all Penny’s fault.
Her mind was slowly filled with malice and hatred towards Penny. After all, it indeed all started. when Penny entered their lives. The perfect picture of Nina’s life had instantly shattered.
because of Penny, 2
While Nina was feeding herself with more hatred and was shifting all the blame to Penny, she caught a familiar person ahead. Her steps halted, lifting her eyes, catching Hugo with his
teammates.
“Brother Hugo,” she whispered, jogging to approach them. “Brother Hu
“Ey, is it true that your sister is the one we signed up for the fan club?”
Nina’s steps stopped when she heard one of Hugo’s teammates speak aloud.
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152 Ostracized
“Yes.” Hugo nodded. “You cannot take back your signatures.”
+33
“Are you kidding me?” another one of his teammates remarked. “I’m not retrieving my signature. I just thought it was much better!”
“Hey, Hugh!” someone suddenly hooked his arm around Hugo’s shoulder, making the latter lower his head a bit. “Is it true that Ray was courting your sister?”
Hugo didn’t answer, but his expression instantly darkened.
“Haha! That dude is crazy, isn’t he?”
*I’ll kill him someday,” Hugo frowned. “My sister is still a kid. How dare he pursue such a precious person?”
His teammates chuckled, finding it hilarious how he described his sister. They teased him more, but Hugo didn’t mind. After all, it was true that he doted on his sister and that Penny was a precious family to him.
As the group continued to march to wherever they were headed, Nina just stood there motionlessly. Her eyes were fixated on the group, listening to their loud voices as they talked about the Bennet’s “only” daughter.
Thate him.’Her fist trembled as she ground her teeth. “How can he forget our bond for thirteen years, just like that?”
z
Nina turned away and ran without any direction in mind. She hated Penny; she hated Patricia and her former and new classmates; she hated her brothers, and she hated her parents for neglecting her. She hated them for siding with Penny and for abandoning her.
In the end, Nina skipped the rest of the class and drowned in self–pity in the girl’s restroom.
When Nina arrived at the Cortez household, she stopped in front of the gate. For a good minute, she just stood outside while staring at the small house.
Her lips were drawn into a thin line, coming in as quietly as possible. Stepping inside, the people in the kitchen turned in her direction. Her aunt and her cousins looked back at her, but said nothing.
“I’ll come down for dinner, said Nina quietly before dragging her feet to the stairs.
Upon reaching the second floor, she took out her wallet and checked her remaining allowance. It was only good for tomorrow, and then she had to walk home.
‘Should I skip school?‘ she wondered before her eyes fell on Yuri’s bedroom door. Nina bit her inner bottom lip, about to sneak inside Yuri’s room before she remembered the camera.
Looking back at the camera, Nina scoffed.
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