“If I wasn’t the number one suspect for like, everything, I would probably do it too. I’m not kidding, he’s the worst.”
There was only so much somebody could take when living by the doctor’s mantra of ‘your emotions are not you, take a deep breath and hold back.’ Mae could inhale and exhale her bubbling rage aside when it came to matters of students taunting her, but some asshole mocking or raising a hand to her friends made her seethe. She was completely tense in the shoulders as she complained to Casey in the back of the classroom.
It wasn’t her battle to pick up, any sensible adult would say. Still, her aunt was a cop. Her dad was known to be a man of honour. Her mom listened to and repeated the goodly words of the church. By following their advice, wasn’t it wrong to let a bad thing happen if intervening was an option? Standing up to bullies should be a positive action.
She usually never let Casey forget that ‘no, age doesn’t matter- a difference in months don’t count!’ but yet she still went to him over and over for comfort and counseling. These days she spilled her grief to Casey and joy to Gregg, not in the best way.
“Do you think if he just disappeared one day, anyone would care? Other than the police because they’re just slaves to The Man.”