As the doctor treated my wounds, I heard the conversation Mom and Scarlet had outside the room.
“He’s already like this, do you still want to spread rumors online that he got into the state team through backdoor connections?” Scarlet’s voice was sharp with disbelief.
My mom was quiet for a moment before answering in a cold, flat tone. “The top athletic schools value their reputation. They’d never accept a student who got in through backdoor connections.”
But I worked so hard for this—I poured sweat and blood into getting into the state team and winning those medals. How could they just erase everything I worked for like it was nothing?
Tears welled up and spilled over.
The doctor noticed and hesitated. “Am I hurting you?”
I shook my head weakly. “No.”
I wasn’t sure which hurt more—the physical pain or the gut-wrenching realization that the two most important women in my life weren’t just content to destroy my body. They wanted to crush my spirit too.
At that moment, I honestly wanted to ask them ‘Are we family, or enemies?’
A sharp buzz cut through the tension. My phone vibrated on the bedside table. I picked it up with shaking hands and tapped the screen.
A video was going viral on school forums. The title read: “A sports start, bribed his way into the State team.”
[I know this guy. He’s Rafael Thompson, one of my classmates. I can’t believe he’s actually terrible at basketball and only made it to state because of insider connections. What a disgrace!]
[Yes and I can vouch for that. He’s got a horrible attitude too. He loves picking on other kids. Honestly, I’m glad those thugs broke his arms. Serves him right!]
[His mom’s the CEO of a big company. I can’t imagine how embarrassed she must be knowing her son’s such a jerk.]
The words were daggers. Each one stabbed into my chest, twisting and leaving behind a dull, aching burn. My breath hitched and my hands trembled.
Scarlet reached over and covered my eyes with her hand. “Enough, Rafael. Stop looking at it.”
Not long after, my mom rushed in, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She snatched my phone from my hand and turned on Scarlet with a cold glare. “Scarlet, why are you so incompetent? Didn’t I tell you to handle this? How could this news still get out?”
Scarlet’s face darkened instantly. “I tried to stop it, Mom, but someone must have recorded it and leaked it.”
“Don’t worry, Rafael,” Scarlet said, turning toward me with a reassuring smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll find out who leaked it and shut it down.”
I almost laughed. Their performance was so polished I felt like applauding—if both my arms weren’t bound in casts and strapped to the pole. Every word, every movement—it was like they’d rehearsed this moment a thousand times.
My mom crouched in front of me, her eyes wide with desperation. “It doesn’t matter what people say. You will always be my good son. I will always stand by you, Rafael.”
Scarlet nodded firmly. “That’s right. I’ll always protect you too.”
The video was taken down not long after. But the damage had already been done. Too many people had already saved copies and passed them around.
My reputation was destroyed. Even if my body healed, I’d never be able to show my face at school again.
And I’d never be able to play again. My dream of becoming a basketball player was gone.
