Tormented

Graduation

Chapter 5

Jane stopped expecting Alex to change.

That was the first thing she had to accept.

For months, she had secretly hoped that one day he would look at her and remember the person she used to be to him.

His best friend.

His girlfriend.

The girl he had once promised to protect.

But every day seemed to prove that hope wrong.

At school, Alex barely acknowledged her unless he wanted something.

At home, whenever Jane helped her mother at the Harrington residence, he found some reason to criticize her.

If she cleaned his room, he complained that she had missed something.

If she stayed away from him, he accused her of pretending to be innocent.

If she tried to explain herself, he walked away.

Jane eventually stopped trying.

She focused on school.

Her final exams were approaching, and she had one goal.

She wanted to get into a good university.

She didn't tell Alex about it.

She didn't tell most people.

She only told her mother.

One evening, they sat together at the small kitchen table while Jane studied.

Her mother watched her for a while.

"You've been working very hard."

Jane looked up from her book.

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because I want to leave."

Her mother became quiet.

"Leave where?"

"Anywhere."

Jane looked down at her notes.

"I want to go to university far away."

Her mother sighed.

"You'll miss home."

"I know."

"You'll miss me."

Jane smiled sadly.

"Of course."

"Then why do you want to go so far?"

Jane was quiet for several seconds.

"Because I need to start again."

Her mother understood.

She didn't need to ask who Jane wanted to escape from.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Her mother reached across the table and held her hand.

"Then I'll support you."

Jane smiled.

"Thank you."

That night, Jane searched through universities.

She found several possibilities.

One of them was in New York City.

She stared at the university website for a long time.

It was far away.

Very far away.

But that was exactly what she wanted.

She imagined waking up in a new city.

Nobody would know her history.

Nobody would know about the video.

Nobody would whisper when she walked down the hallway.

Nobody would look at her and see Alex Harrington's former girlfriend.

She could simply be Jane.

She applied.

Then she waited.

The weeks that followed were difficult.

Alex became even colder.

One afternoon, Jane was leaving school when she saw him standing beside his car.

He was waiting for someone.

When he saw her, he looked away.

Jane continued walking.

"Jane."

She stopped.

It was the first time in weeks that he had called her name without anger.

She turned.

"What?"

He looked at her.

"Are you going home?"

"Yes."

"I'll drive you."

Jane stared at him.

"No."

His expression changed.

"Why?"

"I can go myself."

He opened the car door.

"Get in."

"No."

"Jane."

"I said no."

For a moment, they simply stared at each other.

Then Alex shut the door.

"Fine."

He drove away.

Jane watched the car disappear.

She didn't understand why he had offered.

She didn't want to understand.

She had spent too long trying to figure out what was happening inside his head.

She was done.

A few weeks later, Jane received the message she had been waiting for.

She was accepted.

She stared at the email.

Her hands began shaking.

She read it again.

Then again.

She had been accepted into the university in New York City.

She covered her mouth.

Tears filled her eyes.

"Mom!"

Her mother came running into the room.

"What happened?"

Jane turned the screen toward her.

Her mother read the message.

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then she hugged Jane.

"I'm so proud of you."

Jane cried against her shoulder.

"I got in."

"You did."

"I'm leaving."

Her mother pulled away.

"You're going to do something great with your life."

Jane smiled.

For the first time in years, she felt like she could breathe.

But there was one problem.

Alex.

She knew he would not be happy if he found out.

So she kept the news to herself.

At school, she became more focused than ever.

She studied.

She completed her assignments.

She avoided arguments.

She counted the days until graduation.

Alex noticed.

One afternoon, he stopped her outside the classroom.

"You've been acting strange."

Jane looked at him.

"I'm fine."

"You're always in a hurry now."

"I have things to do."

"What things?"

"None of your business."

He stared at her.

"You've changed."

Jane smiled faintly.

"Maybe."

She walked away.

Alex watched her go.

He didn't know where she was going.

He didn't know about the university.

He didn't know that she was planning to leave the city.

But something about the way she had looked at him bothered him.

She no longer looked afraid of him.

She no longer tried to win him back.

She simply looked tired.

And for some reason, that unsettled him.

Meanwhile, Jane continued preparing.

Her mother helped her gather the documents she needed.

They discussed housing.

They discussed travel.

They discussed how Jane would manage on her own.

Everything was finally beginning to come together.

Then graduation day arrived.

Jane woke early.

She stood in front of her mirror wearing her graduation dress.

Her mother came into the room.

"You look beautiful."

Jane smiled.

"Thank you."

Her mother hugged her.

"I'm proud of you."

Jane closed her eyes.

She wanted to remember this moment.

It was the beginning of a new life.

She didn't know that before the day was over, someone would take that new future away from her.

When Jane arrived at the graduation ceremony, she looked around the crowd.

Her mother was there.

Mia was there.

Teachers were congratulating students.

Families were taking pictures.

Jane smiled.

For a few hours, she allowed herself to be happy.

Then she saw Alex.

He stood at the edge of the crowd.

He was watching her.

Jane's smile disappeared.

She wondered why he had come.

Alex said nothing.

He simply looked at her.

And somewhere deep inside him, there was a feeling he could not explain.

He had spent years believing Jane had destroyed his family.

He had spent years punishing her.

Yet seeing her standing there in her graduation gown, ready to leave everything behind, made something uncomfortable settle inside his chest.

He didn't know what it was.

He only knew one thing.

He wasn't ready to let her disappear from his life.