students noticed the commotion at t

out of the cafeteria and also saw the

ut with so many people watching, as the older sister, she felt sh

k to Richard-someone she secretly like

nd doesn't know better. If she offe

omposed and r

ly avoided him altogether. But Rose deliberately chose t

nd ignored her entirely, still stari

oftly, "What

"You asked me what I wanted to do.

..

arby chuckled

he was asking for consen

ment, interpreting them through her own lens. Richard, with his rough charm

I'll tell the teacher!" Rose tri

on from the crowd. To them, Rose had always

t and shot her a glance. "Who

se like that, especially not

ly wronged, eyes reddening, even tho

ame over to

unsolicited drama, felt

collar and yanked her closer. In a low,

tay the hell out of my sight. Otherwise, e

shrank back and n

helped straighten her coll

ay, Snow breathed a sigh of relief-but her hear

oke Richard. It would i

on, Rose pos

d got bullied. I was so angry, I stood up for her

ents flo

such a wonderf

y Rose has suc

er even mess with t

h fire, you get burned. Poor

hugs to B

gh it had no popularity-actually, no followers besides a f

hoto of the dusky sch

or opportunities. Snow will strive t

at life wasn't easy, a

all. It was the restless heat of late sum

like he had infinite energy. Several boys were a

gh his phone and suddenly said, "Yo

"Damn, that's a good shot-Br

teaching building, catching Rich

rapher hadn't even reali

, "Where'd y

ople Nearby' feed-posted two m

l strive to live well, the future is bright.' Tch. Sounds like a dramatic girl, li

r Butterfly. Adam tapped into the accou

an. She's only retweeted Rose'

weeted that post wh

ose tras

basketballs and crowd

ents-what are

lies. We've never bullied anyone

other Richard did today... yeah

far-he hit that girl with

l. Way t

rted turning

e court beside Adam, startling everyon

l fell

s phone and scrolled

ried Richard might fly in

ely, he didn

oticed she had gai

new follower's profile pict

Princess." The follower's avatar looke

terfly as their avatar, she just sh

ter, during

sisted on competing in high jump and ended up falli

be life-threatening. If the bleeding wasn

doctors said she'd lost too much blo

ed urgently by her parents to

as unprepared but was taken to the med

ndition was critical. The bleeding had stopped, but wi

and rarely had relapses. So Snow hadn't had to give blood often.

r of her

er parents hovered around

eakly on the couch

s?" Rose asked wi

Thanks fo

l, their parents looked pleased. Sally

now? Let Mommy

ed, Snow would angrily scold her siste

d by her parents for being

d them-until even their last bit

d learned, the child w

ys makes me dizzy. I'll feel

've had a hard time. I'll cook

's see what Ros

such a go

e looked at Snow, face

gaze. The bottomless darkness in he

ing and joking, "Snow's sti

Mom, I heard today that Sis insisted on competing wit

changed. "I

ccidentally. Now that Snow expos

at's what h

ow could you act so recklessly with friends? Thank God Snow made

tears. "It's not like she couldn't come! She was just at

. Anytime she cried, her parents' hear

ve you blood. But every time I donate blood, I feel awful.

tears welled

unned. Snow

d harshly as a child, she would bite her

e was

he desert, rar

's had completely

uddenly realizing how s

gave you blood because she cares, not because she has to fix your m

y words, they were exa

r been scolded like this-usually, she'

roles wer

at? I... I might as well d

d. "Mom, my

rum, snapped, "Stop crying. Y

t her, Rose quickly changed tactics,

calmly. She had

the pushover Ros