3: 3
Bridget's eyes swept over to me, and there was nothing left of the old warmth or friendliness.
Only the taunt of a winner.
I couldn't watch anymore, so I turned and stumbled out of the hotel.
But the moment I stepped through the doors, the pain low in my belly kept sharpening, and my head spun worse and worse.
The world went black, and I passed out.
When I opened my eyes again, some kind stranger had already brought me to the hospital.
A nurse hooked up my IV, scolding me the whole time.
"What is wrong with you, little miss? Cramps this bad, and you go do something that intense?"
"It's this hot out, and you can still get heatstroke and dehydrated at night, you know that? I asked around for you. Nobody had any pads, so I put a medical bed pad under you. Call your family and have them bring you a pack. Your pants are ruined too."
It hadn't even occurred to me that the stomach pain was my period coming early.
Maybe it was the IV, but my bladder felt uncomfortably full.
The state I was in, though, there was no way I could get to the bathroom on my own.
I thought about it, and the restaurant where Clay and the others were was the closest place to me.
I called Clay.
The first calls all went dead. It wasn't until the tenth that he finally picked up.
Embarrassed, I kept my voice low.
"Clay, I fainted from cramps. I'm at the hospital. Could you bring me a pack of pads?"
"And a pair of pants, the cheap kind is fine..."
Clay cut me off, impatient.
"Clementine, are you ever done putting on a show?"
"Bri's having a great time right now. You really can't stand to see her happy? Enough. I don't have the time or the patience to deal with you."
The call cut off without mercy, and the flat dial tone buzzed in my ear.
In the end it was the academic advisor who got my plea for help. She grabbed her own sweatpants and rushed over, staying with me all night.
When I was discharged the next day, she asked me one more time to be sure.
"Clem, are you certain you want to file to withdraw?"
I opened my phone. Clay hadn't called back, hadn't sent a single message.
The only thing there was a post from the classmate who'd egged him on to give the gift the night before.
【Let's all congratulate the happy couple. Wedding night tonight~】
The photo was Clay walking a slightly tipsy Bridget into the hotel.
Bridget had replied underneath with a laughing-crying face and a shy one.
Clay had answered.
【Knock it off, delete that for Daddy right now. You know how thin-skinned Bri is.】
But he didn't deny a word of that caption.
I stared at that reply for a long time.
Then I put my phone away and pulled my mouth into something like a smile for the advisor.
"Yeah. I'm sure."
I went with the advisor to the office and filled out the withdrawal paperwork.
But when I got back to the dorm, I found all my things dumped outside the door.
Even my blanket was soaked, reeking of disinfectant.
I frowned at my three roommates. "What's this supposed to mean?"
The room leader kicked a chair over and jabbed a finger in my face.
"You've still got the nerve to ask? Your good friend Bridget told us everything. Your private life is a mess, and you only got back from the hospital this morning because you caught some filthy disease. How do you have the face to still live in this dorm? You're trying to get us all sick!"
"We are not living with a dirty thing like you. Grab your stuff and get out, fast, or I'll report you to the school!"
I froze, unable to make sense of it for a moment.
In the end it was Gwyneth Finch, the roommate I got along with best, who pulled me out into the hall and warned me quietly.
"Clem, this morning Bridget suddenly posted some... um, pretty revealing photos of you in our department group chat."
"She deleted them fast, but a lot of people still saw them. Everyone got worked up and threw all these questions at her. Just look for yourself. You'll understand."
Confused, I opened the thousand-person group chat I'd always kept muted.
When I saw what was inside, my head roared.
【Whoa, who knew Clementine had a body like that? Bet she's got plenty of clients.】
【I heard someone saw the advisor picking her up from the hospital this morning, and she wasn't even in the same pants as last night. Did she get busted in a prostitution sweep? That rough, playing so hard she landed in the hospital?】
【Ugh, so dirty, so gross. What if she's got something contagious... moment of silence for her roommates.】
To all of this, Bridget posted a shushing face.
【Oh come on, my hand really did slip. Just pretend you didn't see it.】
【Clem's got no mom or dad. Making a little money isn't easy for her. As for whether she's actually caught anything... I can't really give away someone's private business. Anyway, I hope nobody discriminates against her, but do protect yourselves. Be careful about hygiene every day.】
I didn't even need to look to know what those few messages Bridget had recalled at the very top were.
They had to be the photos Clay put up on the big screen last night.
The messages after that, I could no longer read.
My whole body was shaking hard, and only one thing filled my head.
Clay had forwarded those photos to Bridget.
This was the man who'd said no one would ever pass them around.
