He Is No Longer in My Future

I'd barely stepped out of the classroom when a group of guys surrounded me. Damon stood at the front—the boy I'd grown up with since we were kids.

"Evelyn, just play along for a sec."

Before I could even react, he swung a baton straight at the back of my head.

Everything went black. But right before I lost consciousness, I caught a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

When I woke up, my entire body was wrapped in white bandages, from head to toe. Only my eyes and nostrils were left exposed. I tried to struggle, but my limbs were tied so tight the bindings cut into my skin and squeezed the air right out of my lungs.

The hallway was packed with students. Phone flashes stung my eyes like needles as they laughed.

"Whoa, an actual mummy. This is hilarious."

"Isn't that Evelyn? The top of our grade?"

"Heard Damon did this to impress his new girl. Used her as entertainment."

I tried to scream, but my mouth was taped shut.

Then they started spitting on me. Thick, sticky droplets slid down my body, and the nausea hit me like a wave—but I couldn't do a thing about it.

More students kept pouring in, flashes popping nonstop. Two full hours. I hung there like some display piece, gawked at, mocked, humiliated. And not one person lifted a finger to help.

I squeezed my eyes shut, but the tears came anyway.

The bandages had already rubbed my skin raw by the time Damon finally strolled over, Sophia trailing behind him.

The second she saw me, she gasped, covering her mouth with exaggerated shock, her voice dripping with barely concealed excitement.

"Oh my god, you guys actually did it! That's amazing!"

Then, quieter: "But… won't Evelyn be mad?"

Damon puffed up, shooting Sophia a smug look.

"Of course we did. Sophia wants something, we make it happen. Evelyn won't care. I've known her for twelve years—she knows it's a joke."

"Seriously, Sophia, you're way too sweet. Stop feeling guilty."

I let out a muffled, angry noise from behind the tape.

Damon caught my strained expression, frowned slightly, and pulled out a handkerchief. He casually wiped the spit off me like it was nothing.

"Alright, joke's over. Let her down."

Joke. He called this a joke.

A couple of guys fumbled with the ropes. When they saw me looking wrecked, they covered their mouths snickering. Even Sophia couldn't hide the contempt in her eyes.

Damon ripped the bandages off my face, his nail scratching across my cheek. It stung like fire.

He didn't even notice. Just looked at me, amused.

"Evelyn, stop crying. It was just a joke. We've pranked each other before, right?"

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. I stared at his face—and for the first time, he looked like a stranger.

We'd been in the same school since kindergarten. Yeah, we'd messed with each other before, but never like this—never to hurt, never to strip away someone's dignity.

This time, he'd made me a public spectacle in front of hundreds of people just to please Sophia.

Twelve years of history, and to him? Worthless.

I threw my head forward and slammed it right into his face. Sophia let out a shriek.

"Evelyn! Damon was just joking! How can you do that to him in front of everyone?"

I let out a cold laugh. Funny—when they locked me in that hallway like a sideshow freak, did any of them care about my dignity?

Damon wiped the blood from his lip, then reached over and ruffled my hair. But his eyes darted away—guilty.

"Sophia's coming to Oakwood with us. She said she'd never seen a mummy before, and I figured since you two are gonna be friends anyway, what's the harm in you giving her a laugh?"

"Look—you cried, you threw a fit, and you even headbutted me. I took that one fair and square. So let's call it even."

"At the end of the day, you're fine. We're all gonna be classmates. No big deal."

The guys around him chimed in.

"Yeah, Evelyn. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill."

"She's practically part of our circle anyway. What's the big deal?"

"We were just trying to help her fit in faster."

I pulled away from his hand. Cold. Silent. I just stared at them.

If it weren't for Damon pulling me out of that water when I was four, none of them would even have the right to breathe the same air as me. Even Oakwood only agreed to let him in because I insisted.

I gave him one last look. Then I turned and walked away.

His voice chased after me: "Evelyn, don't be mad. Fine, I'll take you out to dinner tomorrow, alright?"

"Evelyn! You hear me? Stop right there!"

In the past, I'd have taken the out he gave me. Smiled. Said yes.

This time, I didn't even look back.