Despising you

Chapter 13

L i s a

How could I tell her that? It's been a few days and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I told Jennie about why my brother was sentenced to prison. My friends don't even know about it, mostly because Jungkook had told me years ago not to say anything, as I would have been sued for defamation if the news was ever spread around.

So why did I feel so comfortable telling Jennie?

Things have been changing recently between us. I tutored her two days ago and it was actually amicable, unusually silent too. It's almost as if we've reached a truce or something. Although we still bicker, she's being less venomous lately.

I'm tutoring her again tomorrow and I'm dreading it. My mind has become so hazy around her lately and I don't know why. All I know is that I've spent the last five years trying my best to avoid and repress whatever I think or feel about her and it's getting harder to keep it in.

"I just got a text," Jungkook says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

His hand is on the steering wheel as he parks up outside my school. Anytime he doesn't have work he always drops me off, mostly because ever since he came out of jail, he always spends his free time with me. I assume he wants to make up for lost time, as do I.

He's also being weirdly protective because I came home a few days ago with Jennie's handiwork displayed on me and a call from the principal that Jungkook relayed. Can't wait till I turn eighteen and don't have to answer to any school authority again.

I didn't tell him it was Jennie, telling him instead that it was just some random girl and I had to physically restrain him from going to the school.

"Do you want a medal or ..."

"Smartass," He retorts, slapping my shoulder playfully. "It's from my probation officer. She just heard that Ben has been arrested."

Wait, what? Shock is scribbled all over his face as he looks at his phone reading the message. The humour is sucked out of the atmosphere.

"For what?" I ask baffled, undoing my seatbelt so I can turn toward Jungkook.

He scrolls through his phone. "Apparently he was caught in a drug trafficking scheme. He was just taken in and isn't being granted bail—he's facing like ten years."

I've got so many thoughts running through my head at the moment. Firstly, I'm baffled at how horrible our justice system is considering he's facing ten years for something as menial as drugs, but didn't get an ounce of punishment for being a psychopathic rapist.

Secondly, I have no doubt in my mind that Jennie is responsible for this. She is the only person I've ever told and she holds an insane amount of power, so this had to have been her doing—it wouldn't be hard for her. Why is my heart fluttering at the thought of it?

"Wow," I utter breathlessly, leaning back into the seat with a sigh.

Relief floods my veins at the news. While my brother did paralyze him, I don't think that was enough punishment, considering he's been out this whole time and God knows how many other women he's attacked. I tried my best to keep tabs on him after Jungkook went to prison, but him and his family fell off the grid.

But now, he is probably going to be behind bars and I can't be thankful enough right now.

"I'm just glad that rapist is finally gonna be locked up." Jungkook says, his eyes downcast and his fists clenching the steering wheel.

Not only did that monster ruin many women's lives, but he also ruined my brother's; he stole years away from him. His troubled expression reminds me of what Jennie asked me a few days ago, if I ever resented him for what he did. I realize it never occurred to me to tell him that I didn't resent him. I just assumed he knew.