4
No one noticed my dislike for Lily.
I was always easygoing, and although my
classmates respected me, I never excluded
anyone.
The first time I targeted Lily was in gym class.
Lily was left without a partner.
I smiled, and offered my hand. “Let’s be
partners.
“”
She looked surprised, “Me?”
I nodded.
She smiled gratefully.
I turned, suppressing my smile, hoping she
く
wouldn’t be able to smile soon.
Lily didn’t catch a single ball.
I served the ball where she couldn’t reach it.
She ran around, desperately trying to catch
them.
Chapter 2
She apologized while picking up the balls,
“I’m… I’m so sorry. I’m really bad at this.”
She didn’t realize I was doing it on purpose,
until other classmates gathered around. I
heard someone whisper, “What’s wrong with
Willow? I’ve never seen her treat anyone like
this.”
“When did the new girl offend Willow?”
I smiled, pretending not to hear, serving the
ball with increasing difficulty. Lily stumbled
and fell while trying to catch one.
I stood there, unrepentant. “Oh, I’m so sorry.
She lowered her head, clutching her bruised
knee. “It’s… it’s okay.”
99
99
I smiled kindly. “Your skills are really bad.
Don’t hold the team back during the match.”
Lily apologized and struggled to get up.
Everyone watched. Then Jackson arrived. He
glanced at me, then took the racket from Lily,
who was on the verge of tears. He looked at
me coldly.
He smiled, “She’s bad at tennis, Willow. I’ll
practice with you.”
He beat me badly, even using his left hand.
He’d won a junior tennis championship at
twelve. I’d only played for a couple of years to
keep up with him. My amateur skills were no
match for his.
I played for half an hour, barely managing a
few returns.
Luckily, I didn’t have to pick up the balls.
Guys who had a crush on me picked them up
for me.
I stubbornly stared at Jackson, who showed
no mercy, until the final serve. The ball grazed
―
the net and hit my knee the same knee Lily
had injured.
I winced. Someone gasped and caught me
before I fell.
Jackson was unmoved, coldly saying, “Willow,
with your skills, you wouldn’t win even without
anyone holding you back.”
He turned to Lily, beckoning her. “Come on,
let’s go.”
Lily looked at him like a lovestruck girl,
nodding obediently. “Okay.”
Classmates took me to the infirmary. Sophia
stayed with me.
Sophia, usually carefree, sensed something
was wrong. “Willow, is Jackson crazy?”
It turned out she was right. His later actions
were indeed crazy.
Ironically, he now regretted it.
How laughable.
