“I—did something yesterday that I probably shouldn’t have, but… I don’t have any other choice… Dr.
Hallmark didn’t do anything about the video I gave him!” “What video?” “See!
Everyone covers up for Kari…” Sora took a deep breath.
“So… So, before Summer Break, when Kari shaved off all my hair… You’ve seen how fast it grows in the pictures, right?” “I… haven’t, no… There is a mention of you claiming she cut off your hair, but Dr.
Hallmark stated you eventually admitted it was your own doing.” “Damn him!” Sora cried.
“No—it’s not… I know it looks fine now, but this is how fast it grows!
Three months, and it’s already halfway down my back…” she trailed off, sniffling a bit after hearing Dr.
Hallmark’s lie.
“You do have pretty hair,” Mary commented, ” thick, shiny copper; it’s your most striking feature, given your unique Japanese and Irish genes… but what does that have to do with someone that will listen to you?” Sora’s nose twisted as she pulled around a few of her silky locks.
“I hate it, but I can’t get rid of it!
All the girls bully me about it—call it a weed that won’t die…” Mary cleared her throat.
“That’s… horrible.
Many girls would be jealous—especially if it grows as fast as you say,” she agreed, eyebrows coming together with concern as she continued.
“I-I didn’t want the bullying to continue, but I was scared.
The last three years were just… Last year I set up a camera in the locker room where some of the girls normally bullied me, and—and I recorded her and her group shaving me… while saying all the nasty things she usually says, like how I stink all the time,” she mumbled.
Mary rubbed her hands, uncomfortable vision shifting to the wall as her features turned more serious.
“That’s… What did you do with it if Dr.
Hallmark didn’t help you?” Biting her lip, Sora shifted on her seat.
She hadn’t had a psychiatrist take this tone with her before, and it made her even more nervous.
“I-I, umm… I sent it to the police station yesterday.” Mary’s left hand closed around her mouth as she looked down at the floor; she seemed to need a moment to contemplate a response, making Sora’s feet knot together.
A small lump moved down the woman’s throat before her fingers locked together, and she took a deep breath before saying, “Sora… You know this isn’t—” She cut off as the bell rang throughout the school, causing Mary to go silent, deep in thought.
“Hmm… Since I’ve gotten your file, I’ve been trying to piece together the inconsistencies and faults in your files, and…” Mary closed her eyes and leaned back, hands tightening against her abdomen.
“I’ve learned that Kari is connected to some very… very dangerous people, Sora.
I don’t know who they are, but you know Kari better than most.
I don’t know their intentions yet, but you’ve told me about the teachers and students who suddenly change their opinions of her overnight.
Right?” “Yeah!
So, I’m right?
You don’t think I’m making this up?” Sora asked, hope sparking in her heart.
“She has some kind of power over people!” “Hmm… I don’t know about powers, Sora,” Mary muttered, rubbing her left arm and looking to the door, “but she certainly is connected to people in powerful positions that don’t like people snooping around.
“You’ve also expressed your suspicions that your previous psychiatrist, Dr.
Hallmark’s, hospitalization was, umm, due to Kari’s involvement, and… I wouldn’t say it is her, but possibly someone connected to her.
It’s… a courageous thing you did, but… No.
Hmm, let’s be hopeful,” she smiled.
“Have you received any calls from the department?” Sora held her breath as she nervously shook her head.
Anger, frustration, and anxiety boiled to the surface, and she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“The students know Kari’s a bully… teachers know… you know… everyone seems to know.
Yet—yet everyone made my dad think I’m crazy!
Makes me stay for some exposure therapy crap!
“They told him I’m seeking attention because he’s always gone on business.
For three years—three years, she’s bullied me!
Bullied everyone!
Yet no one stops her.
No one will help me, so I had to go to the police!” Mary nodded and set her clipboard to the side the moment she took a breath.
“I’m not saying it didn’t happen, Sora.
I’ve been…” She trailed off as her phone vibrated on the desk beside her.
It caught Sora’s attention because typically she had it on silent—the conversation had come up in the past.
Glancing at it, Mary’s lips tightened.
“Sora… I have to take this, but—mmgm… Why don’t we continue our discussions away from the school next time?
I’ll write the principal a note excusing you from class.” “Really?” Sora’s heart sang for the first time in what seemed forever.
Anything to get away from Kari was a light at the end of the tunnel.
Maybe, just maybe, this doctor would be different.
“You won’t go back on it?” “No…” Sora hesitated at Mary’s tone while she read whatever text she’d received.
It seemed to bother her, so it had to be important, which concerned Sora.
“Is… everything okay, Dr.
Jernigan?” “Mmm-hmm?
Oh, yes, well… No, it appears to be something involving my husband, but we needn’t talk about personal matters,” she smiled, and even if it didn’t look fake, Sora believed it must be.
“Okay… My pills?” “I left instructions with the hotel staff assigned to you, and… I left some notes with your father.” She swiftly replied to the text as she got to her feet, Sora following.
“I’ll message you later today about rescheduling, and naturally, heh, I won’t be charging your father for this since we didn’t even get ten minutes in!
Sorry, Sora.” “No!
I’ve…” Sora’s voice caught, feeling a bit of heat rise to her face.
“I’ve just… You really believe me?” Mary puffed out a short breath, her smile softening.
“Yes, Sora.
I’m not trying to placate you; it wouldn’t help you in the least.
We’ll talk in depth about this when we meet next, but in the meantime… As I’ve told you…” “I know.
I know.
Heh, don’t cause trouble, right?” Mary would have hugged her, Sora assumed, but after the number of psychiatrists and therapists she’d had, she knew they needed to keep boundaries.
Still, Mary was becoming one of her favorites, just by this short conversation.
If she was being genuine, that was.
Moving to the door, she opened it to head into the hallway, where the wave of students flooded the walkway, preparing to head home.
Just before the door closed, though, she saw Mary get a phone call, and the paranoia started to set in.
Mary said Kari was connected to influential people… But Dad has a lot of friends in powerful positions, too.
If she can get him to believe me, then maybe… No, if she can help him see I’m not crazy, then I could just be homeschooled… Maybe Wendy would actually be friends with me again.
Lost in thought as she walked to the front entrance, she almost tripped when someone called out her name.
“Sora!
Hmm-hmm.
Done so soon?” Sucking in her bottom lip, Sora looked to her right to find Jenny leaning against the wall.
Despite her popularity, most of the teenagers gave her nervous waves or cheerful, quick greetings, obviously threatened by the girl.
Having incredibly thick, long, brown hair, Jenny usually tied it back into a ponytail since she was the school’s second-best athlete behind Kari.
The tall girl was the Queen Bee’s right-hand gal.
If there was someone who had nearly as much influence as Kari—or made her life as much of a hell—it was a close toss-up between Jenny and Lori.
“Jenny… Umm, yeah… what’s up?” Pushing away from the wall, Sora was forced to look up at the giant girl—185 cm tall—as she casually strode up to her.
The brunette was intimidating, for sure, at only slightly shorter than Kari, and as could be expected, she was wearing her gym clothes.
“Yo, Kari wanted to see you.” Expecting as much, Sora tried to release the tension that tightened her chest, which felt impossible.
Also, she knew if she resisted too much, it would only be worse tomorrow.
Now was the game of mitigation.
“Haaa… right now?
I-Isn’t it almost volleyball practice?” Jenny just snickered and slung her arm around her shoulder in a friendly way, guiding her toward the gym.
“Teach is a bit busy, so we should have enough time for a short chat with the girls!” “Perfect…”