Chapter 14 - OLIVIA CAME BACK WITHOUT A UNIFORMOlivia was suspended for the remainder of the semester and removed from leadership roles.
Later, after review and family agreement, she transferred schools.
Months passed.
Then Emma received a letter.
Not from Richard.
From Olivia.
The first version apparently had been rejected by her counselor because it blamed stress.
The final letter was different.
I hit you with the tray because I believed I could.
Emma stopped reading.
Then continued.
I thought the school would protect me because it always had.
No excuse.
I knew my friends would laugh because they were afraid of becoming my next target.
Then:
I told myself you were trying to embarrass me by reporting me. Now I understand you were trying to make me stop.
Emma folded the letter.
Michael asked:
“Do you want to answer?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
A month later, she changed her mind.
She wrote one paragraph.
I hope you become someone who doesn’t need other people beneath you to feel important. I don’t want contact right now. Please respect that.
May you like
Olivia did.
That mattered.
