Maybe They Are Right
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Jingyi Li, Grade 10, James Ruse Agricultural High School
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Short Story
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2017
Finalist in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition
/They called her a traitor, a liar and a thief.
But she denied nothing, because maybe she was ~~/
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I used to think that the worst thing that someone could call you was 'stupid'. But then I got older, and the worst insult became 'a**hole'. But now, I look back and laugh at myself, because I was so naive back then.
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It started with Ace. He was my best friend's boyfriend. And I knew, /I knew/, what I was doing. But I'd forget all about the consequences when he winked at me, and I couldn't help but wink back. And then the week after their first month anniversary, I made a mistake... a huge one. But then one week later, we did it again. And again. And again. Until it just became... habit.
But then, that summer, Ace's girlfriend, my best friend, showed up at his house looking to surprise her boyfriend. But what she found instead was a whole load of betrayal.
And so they called me a traitor. But I denied nothing because maybe I was.
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Then it was Blake… and Adam. I knew I was dating Blake, and I knew that meant we were exclusive. And yet when I'd see Adam around school and I’d smile at him anyways. And then I made the same mistake. And I told myself I could fix it this time, I could show everyone that I was better than this.
But I couldn't and I wasn't. So when Blake asked me about Adam, I just shook my head and laughed as if the idea was preposterous. But it wasn't, and he was right. And when Blake found out he was right and confronted me about it... I didn't say anything, even as he screamed and shouted at me to /"just say something, anything"/.
And so they called me a liar. But I denied nothing because maybe I was.
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Then Aiden transferred in. He had a girlfriend too. Her name was Emma and she was the sweetest thing. Which made everything I did so much worse. But I already knew how this was going to end before it even started.
And I was right. I stole his heart and broke hers.
And so they called me a thief. But I denied nothing because maybe I was.
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/They called me a traitor, a liar and a thief.
But I denied nothing, because/ they were right/~~/
*/italics/