#EXPOSED

CHAPTER - 26

'Sorry, but no sorry.'

Sambhavna

2020

My grip tightened around the strap of my bag as I stepped into the cafeteria silently. The fact that nobody paid attention to my existence delighted me. I wanted to be invisible if that was humanely possible. Sighing heavily, I ordered a quick bite and settled on one of the bean bags. Shake the tree by Simon field blasted through my headphones as I browsed through the list of movies I planned on watching the following night. The weekend was around the corner and to say that my week was hard would've been an understatement. I had grown immune to the mockery and jeering laughter of my peers but I wasn't retreating even if that option always seemed tempting. I was willful and I wasn't ready to give up all that I had worked for-satisfying their egos wasn't my cup of tea.

When my burger arrived, I relished the juicy bite and the next thing I knew, my hair and my shirt were soaking in ice-cold soda. Chill set on my spine as my jaw dropped and I felt the cold liquid glide from my temple to my jaw.

"Oops." Ella made a tsking noise and Maira cackled. My visions blurred as I stared at the blotches of soda on the home screen of my smartphone. The gasps and howl of laughter reverbed through my head, deafening me and I looked at both of them. "Sorry, but no sorry," she said and I reached for the tissues on the table.

Maira drew the box away from me before I could grab a hold on them and I whimper nearly broke out from my constricting throat. I was cold and my eyes burned with soda and tears. "Why are you doing this?" My voice was acidic and low. I was furious and embarrassed but more than anything, I was disgusted with their audacity.

"Because a daughter of a con artist isn't exactly someone who deserves to be here," Ella shot and the silence that followed the room was steady yet disturbing. She was humiliating my father and there was nothing I could have done. "Who knows this chick will embezzle CSU's trust board?"

"After all, your daddy hasn't been the model citizen of the year," Maira said and Ella cracked a laugh. "You're the daughter of a criminal and you deserve what's coming at you." Maira caught me by my chin so I could meet her eyes directly. "Hey Ella, you should speak with your father and banish this piece of shit from this town, wouldn't you agree?"

The humiliation was for real and I could barely breathe. I didn't care to attend the rest of the lectures. They had hit me right where I was the most vulnerable; they ripped me apart. I had the balls to deal with anything but they had gone too far when they opened their bloody mouths against my family. It was unacceptable and I knew I had to speak with my parents about this.

I swiped the sticky liquid off my skin and glared at them when Ella said, "Oh that's a brilliant idea M. It'd be an immense public service if her criminal father is out of this little town."

I couldn't stand to bear another of their snarky remarks. I wanted to yell at the top of my voice-seek help but I knew better-every single person in that room enjoyed the show and they couldn't care any less. I shoved Maira and bolted out of the room without breathing another word. It wasn't smart to call them out-I didn't wish to escalate things further and my patience was wearing thin. I wanted to be alone and the hell away from them.

*

I tried-I did but I couldn't bring myself to talk to my father about all that I was going through. My mother didn't care-she had made up her mind about me. There was nothing that could've convinced her that my life at college was insufferable. One genuine smile on my father's face and my heart gave out. He was so proud of me-so happy about his decision of enrolling me into CSU; how was I supposed to tell him that his decision was starting to devastate me? How was I supposed to bring myself to break his heart like that?