The Lie of My Childhood Friend
My eyes swept over their smiling faces, and I no longer felt the slightest flutter I once did.
My friend sounded annoyed. “We were reluctant to see you leave back then, but honestly, it’s good you did. Michael acted like a tyrant in class every day because he knew he had Lena to back him up. After you left, he spread rumors about you nonstop, and we couldn’t debunk them fast enough. And that useless Lena acted blind and defended him at every turn—seriously, strangers not knowing is one thing, but after 10 years of friendship with you, she still helped him bully you?”