𝙇 𝙄 𝘽 𝙀 𝙍 𝘼𝙏 𝙀 𝘿

34 L I B E R A T E D 34

34 V 34

I looked anywhere but at Liberty's face. I stared out at the sea of students in the cafeteria, some happy, some sad. The air was filled with the scent of greasy burgers, most probably suffering from freezer burn. The tables were smudged with handprints, the ground dirty with whatever debris the latest Nike's and the oldest Puma's tracked in. Matted weaves, fresh braids, oily hair and a sea of varying faces.

"You were...the abuser?"

"I'm not proud of who I was months ago, but I've changed. I didn't want you to think I'd be the same way with you. I'm not that way anymore," I told her.

"Vonna, that's some shit you tell a person, no matter how you think they'd feel afterwards. I deserve to know some shit like that," Liberty told me angrily.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't honest with you," I told her, trying to hold her hand.

"Move man. So everything Beatrix told me was true?" she asked. "How the hell am I supposed to know all that Beatrix said? I wasn't there," I snapped.

"See. I don't have time for this bullshit," she started to walk away. "I can't be angry too? My fucking ex is starting drama!" I threw up my hands, letting them hit my thighs.

"Drama that she rightfully can start, honestly. She's trying to protect me from old you or whoever the hell you were and are!"

"I'm not like that anymore," I told her again.

"She was telling me who you really were when you couldn't even do that yourself. You can't be mad at that. She was looking out for me. Even if you hate her for that, Von."

I successfully calmed myself down, letting my gaze drift out the window. Liberty isn't wrong. "You're right. So what did she tell you?"

"You were toxic. You used to gaslight her a lot, manipulate her. Cheat on her. Make her feel bad about herself. She admitted to the cheating that she did too, but apparently that's how you was rolling. She says that you're still this way. So are you?"

"Liberty, I-

"Are you?" she repeated again.

"I don't do none of that no more, okay. But, Liberty, I never cheated on that girl. She was just paranoid as shit. I couldn't talk to any of my friends at all without her thinking I wanted to fuck with one of them. That's why I lost all of the friends I made at the beginning of the year. That's why I'm friendless now."

"But why? Why would you do this to a person, Von?"

"I've been through some shit," I told her solemnly.

"That doesn't excuse shit, Vonna!"

"I know. That's why I decided to do better."

"But you hurt that girl for life. Shit, she even went to jail behind this situation," Liberty said.

"Nobody told her to get that clingy," I argued.

"She got that clingy because you were manipulating her mind. She doesn't strike me as the type who would have been clingy from the jump. No, you made her that way, Vonna."

I sighed.

"Okay. So everything else aside, were you ever gonna genuinely tell me you used to abuse somebody? I mean, what did you do to her? Was it emotional abuse? Physical abuse? Shit, sexual abuse?"

"I never thought I'd have to tell you, so no, I never thought about it. I guess I should have. That's on me. I hate that you'll probably forever see me in a bad light because of this too. I have a lot of regrets about what I did," I told her honestly. "And it was physical abuse," I added quietly.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Well...physical and emotional abuse."

Out of nowhere, Liberty slapped me.

It was a hard slap, that I felt in my cheekbones. It stung bad, and I knew that my cheek would be a blaring red and puffy real soon. "How did that feel, Vonna?"

"It hurt," I mumbled, holding my cheek.

"No matter how nice...how evil...someone is. No one deserves to have the rights of their body violated."

"Liberty, I-

"Their mind. Their physical body. No one deserves to have that taken from them," she took a step towards me, "We only have one mind, Vonna. Once you ruin that for somebody, you ruin them for life! That, is a crime more unspeakable than any other." Liberty turned away from me. "Don't talk to me, Vonna."

I watched as Liberty walked away from me.

I ignored the eyes of students as I left the cafeteria and headed outside to the parking lot.