Finally, Brandon’s locked eyes looked somewhere else. His expression was hidden. He pushed himself up against the bed. Readjusting; then he stood up, showing an inch of unease. “Okay.” He said.
“Okay? You don’t believe me, do you?” Jioni said. “I don’t know how to prove it to you but that’s the truth. Tracey illegally put me in the Trials at level 15, and I got hurt—”
“Please stop,” Brandon asked. “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay, really. Just don’t lie about Mayor Tracey like that. She wouldn’t hurt anyone. She’s not like that.”
Jioni’s lips tightened. He was right; Mayor Tracey wouldn’t do what she did, and it was her own fault that it got to that point anyway—disrespecting her and saying outlandish things to her. If she had acted like an obedient student from the start, it would’ve never happened. This late realization embarrassed her; she shouldn’t have dragged Tracey’s name in front of Brandon. And through all this shame and guilt, she had no animosity towards her friend. His response was justified, and no longer could he provide the comfort she craved.
“Am I right?” Brandon asked. His wooden voice started to pick up life. “That didn’t happen, did it?”
Jioni stood up with all her self-consciousness. There were no words left to be found. Her feet dragged her toward the window and she avoided him in her walk.
