Mary sat quietly in her usual spot at the back of the classroom, her head bowed as the murmurs of her classmates filled the air. though she couldn't quite pinpoint why Mona and her friends had suddenly backed off. left her feeling trapped in a whirlwind of confusion.
"Mary," Mona's voice broke through the hum of chatter, startling her. Mary looked up to see Mona standing at her desk, her expression unusually soft and contrite.
"I need to talk to you," Mona said, her voice quieter this time. The class fell silent, all eyes turning toward them.
Mary hesitated. Mona never approached her unless it was to mock or humiliate her. "What is it?" she asked cautiously.
Mona glanced around, feigning vulnerability. "Not here. Let's talk outside, please."
Reluctantly, Mary stood and followed Mona into the hallway. Once there, Mona turned to her, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I know I've hurt you," Mona began, her voice trembling. "I've done terrible things to you, and I don't deserve your forgiveness, but... I'm sorry. I really am."
Mary stared at her, stunned. Mona's apologies were the last thing she expected.
"I've been so jealous of you," Mona continued, her head lowering. "You're smart, kind, and everyone likes you. I hated you for it, but it wasn't your fault. It was mine. I let my insecurities get the best of me."
Mary frowned, unsure how to respond. This didn't feel right. Mona had never shown any signs of remorse before. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because I've changed," Mona said firmly, looking her in the eye. "I want to make things right. If you want to yell at me, hit me, or tell the whole school what I've done, I won't stop you. I deserve it." She paused, wiping away a tear. "But I also want you to know I don't hate you anymore. I admire you, Mary."
Before Mary could reply, Mona turned and walked back into the classroom. Moments later, she stood at the front of the room, addressing their classmates.
"I need everyone's attention," Mona announced, her voice strong yet somber. "I've been horrible to Mary, and I want to publicly apologize. She's a good person who doesn't deserve what I've done to her. I'm asking all of you to forgive her, to treat her with the respect she deserves."
The class erupted into murmurs of surprise. Mary stood frozen in the hallway, her chest tightening with a mix of relief and suspicion.
Throughout the day, Mona continued her acts of kindness. She smiled at Mary in the hallways, defended her when others made snide remarks, and even helped her with assignments during study hour. Despite the change, Mary couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't right.
Mona's words sounded genuine, but her actions felt too perfect—too rehearsed.
Mary wanted to believe in the possibility of peace, of finally moving past the torment she'd endured. Yet deep down, she wondered: could Mona truly change, or was this just another cruel game?