Tormented

Changes

Chapter 4

The first time Alex deliberately embarrassed Jane in front of the other students, she realized that things between them had truly changed.

It happened on a Monday morning.

Jane was standing beside her locker, arranging her books, when she heard laughter behind her.

She turned.

Alex was walking toward her with three boys from their class.

He stopped when he saw her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Alex looked at the boys.

"Do you know what she did?"

Jane's stomach tightened.

"Alex."

He ignored her.

"She posted that video of my mother."

One of the boys looked at Jane.

"Seriously?"

Jane closed her locker.

"I didn't."

Alex laughed.

"That's all she ever says."

Jane stared at him.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"You know I didn't do it."

His expression hardened.

"You don't get to tell me what I know."

The hallway had become quiet.

Students were watching them.

Jane lowered her voice.

"Can we talk somewhere private?"

"No."

"Please."

"I have nothing to say to you."

He turned away.

Jane reached for his arm.

"Alex."

He immediately pulled his arm away.

"Don't touch me."

Jane froze.

The words hurt more than she expected.

They had spent years holding hands.

Walking home together.

Sitting beside each other.

Sharing everything.

Now he acted as though her touch disgusted him.

Alex walked away.

Jane remained beside her locker.

Mia approached her.

"Are you okay?"

Jane nodded.

"I'm fine."

"You don't have to pretend with me."

Jane looked down.

"I don't understand him."

Mia sighed.

"He's angry."

"At me."

"Yes."

"But I didn't do anything."

"I know."

Jane closed her locker.

"I wish someone would believe me."

"I do."

Jane gave her a small smile.

"Thank you."

At lunch, Jane avoided the cafeteria.

She sat outside behind the library with her food.

She had barely taken two bites when she heard footsteps.

She looked up.

Alex was standing there.

"What do you want?"

He placed a folder on the bench beside her.

"You're going to start working at my house."

Jane stared at him.

"What?"

"My father spoke to your mother."

Jane's face changed.

"My mother already works there."

"She has more work now."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"You're going to help."

Jane shook her head.

"I have school."

"So?"

"I have homework."

"You'll do it later."

She looked at him.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I can."

Jane stared at him.

The Alex she knew would never have said those words.

"You hate me that much?"

He didn't answer.

She pushed the folder back toward him.

"I won't."

His eyes narrowed.

"Then your mother can lose her job."

Jane's expression changed immediately.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

"Alex, please."

He leaned closer.

"My family has given your mother work for years. Don't forget that."

Jane stood.

"My mother works hard."

"Then she shouldn't have a problem working harder."

He walked away.

Jane remained there, trembling with anger.

That evening, she confronted her mother.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Her mother looked confused.

"Tell you what?"

"Alex said I have to work at their house."

Her mother's face fell.

"I was going to explain."

"Why?"

"Because I can't lose my job."

Jane stared at her.

"You shouldn't have to work more because of what happened."

Her mother sighed.

"Things are complicated now."

"No. They're not."

Jane's voice shook.

"I didn't do anything."

"I know."

"Then why are we letting him treat us like this?"

Her mother was quiet.

Because she knew something Jane did not want to hear.

The Harrington family had power.

They had money.

They had connections.

And Jane's mother had very little besides her job.

"We need to be careful," her mother finally said.

Jane looked away.

"I hate this."

"I know."

The next morning, Jane went to the Harrington residence after school.

She had been there countless times as a child.

She had played in the garden.

She had watched movies in the family room with Alex.

She had eaten dinner at their table.

It had once felt like a second home.

Now it felt unfamiliar.

A maid opened the door.

"Jane."

Jane nodded.

"Where should I go?"

"Mr. Alex said you should clean his room."

Jane's heart sank.

"His room?"

"Yes."

She walked upstairs.

When she reached Alex's bedroom, she stood outside for several seconds.

She remembered being there years earlier.

They had spent entire afternoons playing video games.

Alex had once kept a photograph of the two of them on his desk.

She opened the door.

The room was messy.

Clothes were scattered across a chair.

Books were lying on the floor.

Jane took a deep breath and began cleaning.

She tried not to think about him.

She was almost finished when the door opened.

Alex walked in.

He looked at her.

"You missed the table."

Jane turned.

"I'll clean it."

"You missed the floor too."

"I'll do it."

He looked around.

"You call this cleaning?"

Jane stared at him.

"I've been here for two hours."

"Then you should have done a better job."

She swallowed her anger.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you keep doing this?"

His face hardened.

"Because you deserve it."

Jane went completely still.

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes."

She nodded slowly.

"Okay."

She picked up the cleaning cloth.

Alex watched her.

For a brief second, something in his expression changed.

But it disappeared almost immediately.

"Get out when you're done."

Jane didn't answer.

She continued cleaning.

That night, when she returned home, her mother was waiting.

"How was it?"

Jane placed her bag down.

"Fine."

Her mother knew she was lying.

But she didn't push.

Jane went to her room and closed the door.

She sat on the edge of her bed.

Her phone was beside her.

She opened her old messages with Alex.

There were hundreds.

Pictures.

Jokes.

Birthday messages.

Promises.

One message from years earlier made her stop.

Alex: No matter what happens, I'll always be on your side.

Jane stared at the words.

Then she locked the phone.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She wiped it away.

She knew she could not keep living like this.

She needed a way out.

She needed a future that had nothing to do with Alex Harrington.

And for the first time, Jane began thinking seriously about leaving.

Not tomorrow.

Not next week.

But someday.

She would finish school.

She would take her college entrance examination.

And if she got the chance, she would go somewhere Alex could never reach her.

She didn't know yet that leaving him would not be as easy as she imagined.