Chapter 4 Forgiveness

"Harrison, you knew all along! You just pretended you didn't so you could get back at me and Leon, didn't you?"

Brianna was breathing hard, her eyes bloodshot. "It was you! You ruined Leon! If anything happens to him, I'll never let you get away with it!"

I pressed my lips together and met her accusation head-on. "It wasn't me."

"Harrison, why have you become like this?"

Leon grabbed my shoulder, just as he had countless times when we were kids, rushing to my side and helping me fight off the people who bullied me.

But this time, his hand was ice-cold.

"I know Brianna and I have wronged you, but I couldn't control how I felt. I know I shouldn't have kept it from you and secretly gotten together with her. That was my fault. I admit it."

With every word, the guilt in his eyes deepened. "Harrison, if you'll forgive me, I'll get on my knees and beg you."

Then, with a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees in front of me.

Brianna hurriedly bent down to pull him up, but he wouldn't budge. "Leon, you're still so weak. Get up…"

Her eyes were rimmed with red as she looked at me.

"Harrison, make Leon get up. Isn't he your best friend? I was wrong. I didn't understand my own feelings. It was only after I got together with you that I realized Leon was the one I truly loved. If you're angry, take it out on me!"

As she spoke, she suddenly dropped to her knees beside him. "If you won't let him get up, then I'll kneel with him!"

I looked at her without stopping her.

My parents tried to mediate from the side.

"Harrison, let it go. Leon and Brianna have already done more than enough for you. They've given you everything they were supposed to all these years!"

"That's right. You need to let it go. They've already more than made up for what they did."

Every word pierced my ears and sank deep into my heart.

I said nothing. I simply pried their fingers loose from mine, one by one.

Leon grew even more frantic and wrapped both arms around my legs, his whole body trembling. "Harrison, I don't blame you. If I really die from this illness someday, perhaps that's just karma. We promised we'd be best friends for life. Please, I'm begging you. Forgive me…"

I took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that had been building for days.

I couldn't hold back and shouted, "Let go of me!"

"Harrison, why are you yelling at Leon?" Brianna snapped furiously, her fingernails digging into the back of my hand and leaving a bloody scratch.

"I told you, take it out on me!" she cried out as she got to her feet, then helped Leon up.

"Leon has been living in fear every day because he was afraid you'd find out! He's suffered enough! Even if we were wrong, you caused Leon's illness to flare up. You still owe him an apology!"

Her face was flushed from shouting. Leon turned his head away, his face full of hurt.

I stared at Brianna in disbelief. "I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize? Brianna, I told you. I didn't do this."

She didn't answer, but the sharpness in her eyes said everything.

I couldn't help laughing again.

I was just about to say something when Leon caught sight of the overseas application on my screen and gasped. "Harrison, you're going abroad? Is it because of me?"

He lunged toward me, starting to drop to his knees again. "Harrison, I was wrong…"

When I didn't react, he suddenly got up and rushed toward the computer, trying to cancel the application.

I instinctively stepped forward to stop him.

Brianna hurried after him and shoved me aside. My body slammed into the corner of the desk, sending a sharp pain through me.

Brianna grabbed Leon, but as he struggled against her, he snatched up the small kitchen knife from the desk.

He held it against his throat. "Harrison, this is what I owe you. If you're leaving because of me, I'll kill myself!"

She panicked and hurried to snatch the knife from his hand.

When she looked at me with her bloodshot eyes, there was nothing but hatred in them. "Harrison! Won't you be satisfied until you drive Leon to his death?"

I gave a bitter smile, but before I could react, someone slammed into me. A dull impact sounded, followed by a sharp pain ripping through my abdomen.

Brianna's face went deathly pale.