Two Years Ago   As time progressed, I learned yet another flaw of humanity. It was quite amazing, really, how many flaws you discover once you distance yourself from the thins you already knew. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, you can count on humans to outdo their own stupidity.   We had a long summer break before advancing to a new school year. Somehow, rumors about me selling my body began to resurface again. But this time, they added another upgrade to it. I got pregnant and aborted the baby. The absurdity of it seemed laughable to me, but the fact the entire school believed this rumor was truly a joke meant for me.   You’d think some sensible adults would be on my side and be wise enough to defend me. Those were my first thoughts when the homeroom teacher called me into the teacher’s office the next day. However, the behavior he displayed wasn’t that of an exemplary mentor.   “Is it true?” He asked with such curiosity in his widening eyes. I detected zero concern. His only desire was to fit in with the crowd—a crowd whose opinion were formed through a biased perspective. They loved drama. They loved blaming the antagonist. And that was the image they had labeled me with.   An antagonist.   I smirked at my teacher, knowing he wasn’t interested in the truth. “If I gave you evidence to counter the false statement, what good would it do when you have already made up your mind to believe in a lie?”   The teacher’s face darkened, and I couldn’t identify whether he was scared or upset with me for sounding more mature than my age. Perhaps, his defense mechanism realized I was not someone to be angered. Regardless of age, I could easily get rid of this butchered dickhead.   He laughed nervously, an awkward shrill that resembled a choking horse’s neighing. “I am not sure I follow, Krystal.”   I smiled sweetly at him—the dangerous kind of smile that showed I should not be messed with. “It’s not true. Now you know the truth. Will you help me stop the rumor?”   “Uhm… Well… Of course.”   He lacked so much conviction, he shouldn’t have embarrassed himself by trying. Who was he kidding? The disappointment was clear on his face. He wanted a breaking news, and my truth was a let down.   So here’s a fun game for him. That same day, I told the principal that my homeroom teacher tried to me. Said he believed those rumors were true, thought I was a e, and asked me for my hourly rate.   My homeroom teacher got arrested immediately. Because, really, who needed facts to back up a statement in nowadays society? All you needed was one false statement that was enough to evoke the audience’s interest, and it would spread like wildfire afterwards.   We lost our ability to discern a lie from the truth. It took one person’s opinion to influence an entire crowd.   I learned to use it to my advantage.   ***   Present   Everywhere I went, all I heard was the talk about the swimming pool incident. Made up stories of Suzy letting me go inside the pool despite knowing I couldn’t swim, or her pushing me into the water circled around. Despite the creative variations people came up with, the only thing in common was, as always, Suzy’s jealousy being the driving factor if her crime. Myungsoo kissed me—which was actually CPR, but the softness of his wet lips could pass off as an actual kiss—and Suzy despised it.   It did not take long before the entire school knew of the rumor, either version of it, and decided Suzy was the antagonist. I had been in her position once, and I fought back. But with Suzy, the only thing she found worth fighting for was my forgiveness.   I’d come to my desk and find a heart shaped post it note. It was pink, her favorite color. I hated myself for knowing that fact about her. On it she had written with colorful markers:   I would never let go of you. We’re friends.   Suzy   Pathetic. Was she referring to my accusation in the pool, about not giving up her endeavor to become my best friend, or was is more of a psychotic claim? I did not want to try and figure out the philosophy behind her words, cause she wasn’t worth my time.   I’d scramble the paper in my hand and got ready to throw it when Myungsoo suddenly appeared next to me. Oh great, as if I needed to hear more of his “I’m sure it was an accident” bullcrap.   “Soojung,” he began, using that tone that I loved and hated at the same time. He sounded adorable when he pleaded, but I knew he wasn’t appealing for my case.   “If you’re gonna talk about Suzy again, then you should leave now. You’re wasting your time,” I told him sternly.   His parted lips froze in place. Too predictable. Of course he would try to ask forgiveness in her stead. I strolled past him when he said something that stopped me in my tracks.   “Wanna get some ice cream?”   I was still a girl, and I loved sweets. Myungsoo knew my weakness and dissipated my anger. So here we were on the way home as he bought me a mango flavored popsicle, my guilty pleasure.   “So,” I began, my fruity popsicle to indulge its savory taste—turns out they didn’t have mango flavored ice cream so I settled on this. “What do you really wanna talk about?”   “I feel I should apologize,” he suddenly said.   Now this got my attention as I stopped walking. He sensed my idleness and turned around to face me. What was he pulling on me?   “I really wished the two most important girls in my life, aside from my mother of course, could get along with each other. I know it may have been selfish of me, and I don’t wanna push you into a friendship you’re not comfortable with,” he said.   I couldn’t believe it. This was the most sense he ever made since dating that idiot. Of course I was uncomfortable. I had to befriend the woman I lost Myungsoo to. It’s a miracle I hadn’t gone mad, yet.   Then again, I know what he was offering me. Myungsoo’s mind was as simple as it was complex, and after knowing him for nearly four years, it became easy to decipher him. He would choose Suzy over me, always. And if I gave up my attempts to befriend Suzy, I would also give up my rights to stay close to Myungsoo. A rejection of friendship meant he was ready to walk out of my life, together with Suzy.   “Maybe I just need more time,” I lied. Time will not heal these wounds.   “I don’t want to force you, but I’d really be happy if you two could be on good terms,” he said giddily like a little boy.   Wow. He used reverse psychology and was guilt tripping me in one statement. I did not know he could be this sneaky. For now, I decided to play along. Because the closer he was to me, the further he’d be from Suzy.   ***   I found another heart shaped not