Chapter 25
That afternoon, most kids were chilling in the shade, playing games and staying out of the sun. But Quinlyn was out there, practicing her basketball shots all by herself despite the heat.
At first, she struggled with the big ball–her short arms made it hard to control, and the ball kept going wild.
Some students laughed at her clumsy attempts as they passed by, pointing and teasing.
Harriet watched Quinlyn darting around by herself, a flicker of smugness stirring inside her. “She looks so pitiful,” Harriet remarked, her tone dripping with insincerity. If she wants to join our game, we could let her.”
For once, Harriet toyed with the idea of being a little kinder to Quinlyn, considering that the money on Quinlyn’s card would soon be hers.
Quinlyn wasn’t backing down from basketball. If she missed a shot, she’d just keep trying. If she didn’t get it right away, she’d break down Harry’s advice, figure it out, and adjust her game.
Meanwhile, a group of kids lounging in the shade, eyes glued to their cards, glanced up just in time to see a basketball sail through the hoop from way beyond the three–point line.
“Did that really go in!” they muttered, thinking they were seeing things. But then they saw Quinlyn pick up another ball, step back to the three–point line, and swish it again–another perfect shot
Harry went from barely paying attention to standing right next to her, grabbing balls and watching her like she was a hidden
gem.
He nodded. “Not bad at all. You’ve definitely got potential. I saw you running earlier; you looked like you were made for this. How about I time your sprint later?”
Quinlyn shook her head. “I just want to grow taller,” she said, her mind on something bigger.
Harry rubbed his nose, feeling a bit awkward. He was just making it up when he said basketball could help her grow taller, but he didn’t admit it
Pretty soon, more kids gathered around the court, cheering every time Quinlyn made a basket. They found it more exciting than opening card packs.
“Wow, that’s amazing!” one kid shouted. “Her three–pointers are on point, and her layups are perfect.”
“I always knew Quinlyn was amazing,” another added. “No wonder she’s not into cards. She’s cooler than any rare card out there.”
Kids admire skills more openly than adults. In a flash, the trading cards under the shade were forgotten as everyone rushed to cheer for Quinlyn.
Harriet was ready to finally shine, but once again, Quinlyn grabbed all the attention. She was so frustrated that she tore up some grass and tossed it aside.
Harry was keeping an eye on Quinlyn. It was scorching, and he didn’t want her to overdo it and risk heatstroke. With ten minutes left in class, he decided to call it a day and grabbed the basketball.
Quinlyn was drenched and parched. She ran to the outdoor sink to splash water on her face, then jogged over to the water fountain for a quick drink.
As she sipped, she spotted a familiar figure walking out of the school building–Eugene, with a few girls trailing behind him.
Quinlyn recognized them from the study group. Thinking of how furious Joseph had looked after checking Eugene’s phone, she quickly put down her cup and followed them quietly.
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Eugene led the group to a small wooded area behind the school. It was summer, and the woods were thick with leaves. Quinlyn had to get pretty close to see what was going on.
The sight of Eugene using a ruler to adjust the girls‘ skirts caught her eye, and a wave of discomfort washed over her. She frowned, feeling uneasy about what she saw.
Quinlyn had never been to school, but she understood that as girls grew up, their bodies were private and sensitive- something others didn’t mess with.
“Alright, just be honest, and I’ll let you go back. Otherwise, we’ll have to play here for a bit,” Eugene said. His voice, usually soft, was now low and rough, and his laughter was harsh.
He dragged the ruler slowly over the girls knees, his voice echoing softly. “Who took my phone?”
Quinlyn realized that Eugene had noticed his phone was missing and suspected the girls had taken it. She felt a pang of regret for her thoughtlessness.
She wanted to step forward and admit it, but Joseph’s advice to stay calm echoed in her mind. Though Eugene didn’t seem scary, she decided to hold back for now.
As the questioning dragged on, the girls started to cry softly. Instead of making Eugene feel sorry for them, their tears only seemed to make him more interested.
“Go on, cry a little harder. Yeah, just like that. It’s perfect,” he muttered, pacing around with a big grin like he was in a trance. Then he snapped, “Now, take them off.”
Quinlyn’s brow furrowed. She didn’t get it at first until she saw one of the girls tugging at her dress. Then it hit her–what Eugene was really up to.
Her mind flashed back to the year a new teacher named Fiona came to her town. She was a beautiful older girl who had visited Quinlyn a few times, encouraging her to go to school and even making pretty flower crowns for her.
“Only knowledge can change our destiny,” Fiona had said. “I’ve read books and seen how much they can do. That’s why I’m here to share that with you. Quinlyn, things here won’t always be this way. You gotta believe that knowledge can change everything.”
Things were supposed to improve in the town, but Fiona fell apart first. Rumors circulated that she’d been through something terrible in the cornfield.
When Quinlyn visited her, she ran into townspeople leaving Fiona’s house, each wearing a smug, satisfied smile, as if they’d just won something. It made Quinlyn feel sick.
Fiona, once so beautiful and gentle, lay among torn clothes, silent and withdrawn.
Not long after, Fiona ended her life by jumping into the river. When she died, she was pregnant. They said she didn’t want to bring the baby into the world, so she chose to end it all.
Fiona had come to the town, sacrificing her future, with the hope of changing the fate of the people. But ultimately, her story concluded here.
All Quinlyn could remember were the smug smiles of those townspeople. She thought she’d leave them behind when she left town, but the same dark side seemed to seep into every place she went–even this beautiful, castle–like school.
Quinlyn ran outside on pure instinct. Her mind was a jumbled mess–screams, cries, and the sound of people ring toward her.
Teachers and students, hearing the noise, rushed into the woods. They found Eugene on the ground, bleeding from the back
of his head
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Qobilyn was standing over him, holding a rock. Her face was blank, but her eyes were cold and intense, like she was
ready to
Call an ambulance, now a teacher yelled at the security guard. He turned to the students crowding around. “Everyone. back to your classroom. No standing around. Mr. Lynn, get your kids under control.
Harry shook off his shock and started ushering the students away.
Then Harriet’s voice cut through the chaos. “Did Quinlyn just kill someone? She’s a murderer!”
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