- 5.
The next day, Brianna’s campaign against me
began.
I pulled out a pink tissue, and she’d exclaim,
“OMG! Even your tissues are pink! Are you
trying to turn yourself into a real–life Barbie
doll?”
During cleaning duty, I wiped the broom
handle with a wet wipe, and she’d exchange
knowing glances with the boys.
“Here comes the Princess.”
On desk–switching days, when I was
struggling to move my desk, she’d yell across
the classroom, “The princess needs help!
<
Someone get over here and help the princess
move her stuff!”
Every time, the boys in her clique would laugh
and cheer her on, as if it was the funniest
thing ever.
At first, Jason thought it was inappropriate
and would tell her to stop.
But Brianna would just shrug and say, “I’m
just joking. Ashley’s always so uptight. I’m
just trying to help her loosen up and get along with everyone.”
Jason would nod thoughtfully.
“Ashley can be a bit of a princess, yeah. Are
all girls like this these days?”
Brianna punched his shoulder playfully.
“Hey, not me! Don’t lump me in with them.”
Jason chuckled.
My heart ached. I knew Jason thought I was
spoiled and a bit temperamental.
Maybe to most guys, liking pink, being a neat
く
freak, and not being super strong meant I was
a “princess.”
Finally, I snapped.
That summer, I’d gone to the beach with my
parents and gotten a pretty bad tan.
It had happened before, and it usually faded within a couple of weeks, so I didn’t think
much of it.
Shortly after school started, I wore a pink
shirt under my uniform.
Brianna saw it and gasped dramatically.
“Oh my God! Ashley, you’re wearing pink with
that tan? Don’t you think that looks
ridiculous?”
“No, seriously, hahaha, this is killing me. What
kind of princess are you? There’s no such
thing as a tanned princess. You look more
like a little chihuahua, hahahahaha…”
She and a few boys roared with laughter.
Even Jason seemed amused, a smirk playing
<
on his lips.
In that moment, overwhelming humiliation and
anger washed over me. I felt the blood rush to
my head, my fists clenching.
As their laughter continued, I grabbed my
water bottle and splashed it in Brianna’s face.
Brianna froze, stunned, frantically wiping her
wet face.
She was wearing makeup, and the water had
smudged it.
“Cough, cough…What the hell?… Are you
crazy?!”
“Oh my god,” I mimicked her voice. “Wearing
fake eyelashes, foundation, and lipstick to
school? No wonder you’re not a princess.
You’re here to put on a show, aren’t you?
Just a clown.”
A few boys stepped in front of me, Jason
leading the pack. He snatched the water
bottle from my hand.
く
“Ashley, apologize.”
He looked down at me, frowning, his voice
cold.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at him.
“Didn’t you hear what she called me? She
called me a dog.”
“That’s beside the point. You already
retaliated. Now you need to apologize for
splashing her.”
“You have to own up to your mistakes. Be a
good girl. Stop throwing a tantrum.”
He said it as if it was the most obvious thing
in the world.
“Just apologize. Brianna won’t hold it against
you.”
I scoffed.
“Apologize my ass.”
Jason’s eyes widened. He raised his hand and
slapped me hard.
