Chapter 5
“Sorry, Corinna, I’m sorry. If I’ve done anything to upset you, I apologize right now. I’ll change, okay?“}
“Just the fact that you’re alive makes me unhappy.”
I raised an eyebrow in amusement. “So, how do you plan to fix that? Kill yourself right now?”
She was completely at a loss for words, just gaping at me in shock.
All she could do was start crying again.”
That was the first time I realized how satisfying it could be to play the villain.
Of course she told the teacher.
The teacher called me to the office.
With tears in my eyes, I recounted everything that happened at the birthday dinner, then handed over a hospital diagnosis report.%
“Because of the rumors she spread that night, my brother humiliated me in front of everyone. I cry every time I think about it. Even when I sleep, I wake up from nightmares.”
“I’m still seeing a therapist, taking medication. The doctor says I’m clinically depressed.“}
In the end, the teacher had to comfort me instead.
It was obvious to everyone that I didn’t like Julie.
Lynda was baffled. “Why are you so hard on her, anyway? Did she ever actually do anything to you?”
Nooked up and smiled at her.
“Can’t it just be that I’m a bad person, spoiled by my family’s money? Maybe I just look down on the new girl because she’s poor.“>
“Oh, please.”
She rolled her eyes at me.
“If you were really that type, why didn’t you ever bully me? My family’s way worse off than hers.”
“On our very first day as friends, you gave me enough school supplies to last all three years. If you told me you were a bully, I’d sooner believe I was the Queen of England.”
“I’m not that clueless, you know.”
Yeah.
No one is.
Except my brother and the guy I liked.
I curled my lips into a smile, but there wasn’t a trace of warmth in my eyes.
A month later, it was the school’s centennial celebration.
in my last life, Julie got to perform a piano solo at the celebration–thanks to Daniel and Trevor’s arrangement. One of the university talent scouts in the audience noticed her, and she snagged the only special admission spot.
And me?
I’d started dancing at age four, practiced for over a decade, and originally planned to perform a classical piece.
Then Trevor found me.
He met me on campus at sunset, pulled me jealous.”
into
his
arms, and
whispered, “Do you have to dance? Corinna, I don’t want anyone else seeing you that beautiful. I’d get
“Just dance for me, okay?”
Back then, I was an idiot.
I actually felt flattered, thinking it meant he cared about
So on the night of the show, I didn’t go.
- me.
Instead, I danced for him, over and over, in an empty studio.
When the music ended, I could hear thunderous applause echoing from the auditorium.
Trevor heard it too, and suddenly he smiled.
He was always gentle and reserved around me, his smiles faint and distant, like you were seeing them through a haze.”
This was the first time I saw such a strong emotion on his face.
I stopped dancing, clueless, and asked, “Are you happy?”
He hesitated. “Yeah. I’m happy.”
Back then, I thought it was because I’d danced just for him.
It took me a long time to realize the truth.
He was happy because Julie’s performance was a smash hit.
The only light in his life had finally found her place in the sun.
This time, I signed up for the dance performance I’d planned long ago.
Chapter 5
But I wasn’t going to dance alone.
I pulled in every girl in class who was interested and choreographed a group piece. I paid for the best teacher, the most gorgeous costumes, custom props–everything. Compared to that, Julie’s simple piano solo in a white dress seemed almost dull.
I have no idea what she told Daniel.
That night, when I got home from school, he was waiting for me in the garden. “Corinna.”
My brother’s face was stone cold.
“For the centennial performance, withdraw your act.”
