It was the ninth year since I'd left my small town behind. I was scrolling through a viral social media post when a comment caught my eye. The tone was smug, dripping with self-satisfaction. “My son was dating an ordinary girl back in the day. I didn’t stop them, just used a little trick to ruin her. He watched his own girlfriend fall apart and broke up with her out of disappointment. Now he’s successful and close to home. I suppose it’s what any great mother would do.” Jimmy Vance’s mother. After all these years, she was still proud of tearing us apart. The post had blown up, flooded with arguments and outrage. But I just turned off my phone, a calm emptiness inside me. It all happened so long ago. Then, I looked up and saw him. In a hospital consultation room, wearing a doctor’s white coat. Jimmy. I froze for a heartbeat. Then, with a heavy limp, I walked into the room and handed him my appointment slip. “Doctor,” I said, my voice flat. “I’m here to schedule an abortion.” 1. He recognized me instantly. Jimmy’s gaze faltered, then dropped to the paper in his hand. "Your health is fragile," he said, his voice professional but strained. "An abortion could have serious complications. Are you sure about this?" Years had passed, but Jimmy was the same as ever—radiant, seemingly untouched by the world’s harshness. His mother had protected him well, shielding him from any real suffering. The old me would have slapped him across the face, screaming at him for the hypocrisy. I would have told him that what I’d become was all because of him and his mother. But years of torment and medication had blunted my emotions, leaving only a deep, weary numbness. I met his gaze calmly. “Yes. I’d like to schedule the procedure as soon as possible, Dr. Vance. Is that possible?” The earlier, the less damage to my body. I had debts to pay, and I needed to get back to work. Jimmy stood half in shadow, his expression unreadable. “Why? Is your husband not good to you?” I frowned, realizing his assumption. But I didn't bother to correct him. He was nothing to me now. After this, our paths would never cross again. Seeing my silence, he said no more. After a quick examination, he scheduled the surgery for that same day. The cold needle slid into my arm, and my consciousness began to drift into a hazy fog. Just as the preparations were finishing, a young nurse hurried in and whispered something in Jimmy’s ear. He didn't hesitate for a second. He turned and left the room. “Dr. Vance is such a good husband,” one of the nurses murmured. “His wife has a little cold and he’s already so worried.” “I know, right?” the other chimed in. “Not like the one on the table. Coming in alone for an abortion, with no one by her side. You know what that means.” My eyelids fluttered, but I couldn't force them open. I wanted to scream, to defend myself. I wasn't some slut. I was once the love of Jimmy’s life. It was the summer after sophomore year. I met Jimmy when he was shipped off to our sleepy little town. He was the son from his father’s affair, an outcast. No one wanted anything to do with him. But my parents, bless their bleeding hearts, felt sorry for the lonely boy and always had me bring him food. Maybe it was out of gratitude for their kindness, but Jimmy’s attitude toward me softened, becoming gentle, almost indulgent. He never said no to me. Anything I wanted, he’d move heaven and earth to get it. My friends noticed how close we were getting. "He's the son of a mistress," one of them whispered to me. "He's dirty. You shouldn't hang out with him." But it wasn't his fault he was born that way. My face hardened. "You can't say that about him. Jimmy is a good person—the kindest person I've ever met." I might have exaggerated a little, trying to defend his name. My friend nudged me, and I turned. Jimmy was standing there, his eyes red and glistening. Suddenly flustered, I ran off. That evening, as I was walking home from school, Jimmy followed me like he always did. But just as we left the school gates, he gently took my hand. “Ava,” he said, his voice soft. “Thank you. You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met, too.” My face flushed, but I didn’t pull away. I let our hands stay intertwined, the warmth slowly seeping into my skin. Jimmy and I were together. He promised he would love me forever. We would go to the same college, buy a small apartment, and get two cats. On my eighteenth birthday, Jimmy was late. Alone, I closed my eyes and made that wish. Late that night, I heard the door to the house next door open. "Jimmy, you missed my..." My words died in my throat. Standing behind him was a woman. She smiled warmly and extended a hand. “You must be Ava, right? I’m Jimmy’s mother.” She was gentle, nothing like the wicked woman people made her out to be. She gave me expensive gifts, spoke to me in honeyed tones, and brought me pretty little pastries every day. She even introduced me to her friends. We were in a private room at an upscale club. It was filled with leering, middle-aged men. A knot of fear tightened in my stomach. But Jimmy’s mother firmly pushed me down onto the sofa. “This is my son’s girlfriend, Ava,” she announced to the room. “Isn’t she beautiful?” Every eye in the room landed on me. Their slimy gazes made my skin crawl. “Ma’am, I still have homework to do. I should probably get going.” But one of the men grabbed the hem of my skirt, his hand even starting to creep higher. I shoved him, desperate, and earned a sharp slap across the face. My cheek burned instantly, a ringing sound echoing in my ears. “Don’t play innocent,” he sneered. “You only got with Jimmy for his money, right? Well, I’ve got money too. Why don’t you come with me?” He yanked me up and pulled me onto his lap. “No! Let me go!” I struggled, my eyes frantically searching for Jimmy’s mother. She just sat there, watching with cold indifference. I tried to escape, but I was no match for a grown man’s strength. They held me down, pouring glass after glass of liquor down my throat. The alcohol soaked the front of my shirt, turning the fabric translucent. My head spun. They grabbed my chin, snapping pictures of me. “The little bitch is actually pretty cute. No wonder Jimmy likes her.” Through the haze, I saw the look of disgust in his mother’s eyes. “She’s not good enough for Jimmy,” she said. “He has much better options in his future.” Then she added, “Alright, that’s enough. Stop playing around.” I didn’t understand what she meant, but I felt them arranging my body into a compromising position. The next second, the door flew open. “Ava… what are you doing?” Jimmy stood frozen in the doorway, staring at me—disheveled, sprawled against another man. I couldn’t speak. His mother helped me up. “Jimmy, don’t blame Ava,” she said sweetly. “Girls… they see a man with money and they're tempted to take shortcuts. But don’t worry, your uncles here are decent men. They knew she was your girlfriend, so they didn’t touch her.” In a few short sentences, she had painted me as a shameless, money-grubbing whore. I choked back a sob. "No, that's not what happened..." Jimmy didn’t say a word. He walked over to me and roughly wiped the liquor from my lips. I grabbed his hand, trembling. “Jimmy, it’s not like that. I didn't do anything. Your mom made those men force me to drink. Please, believe me.” His face was shrouded in shadow, his expression impossible to read. “Mom,” he said, his voice tight. “Don’t bring her to places like this again.” He didn't answer me. He just turned, put me on his back, and carried me out of the room. “Jimmy, it wasn't what your mom said. She’s trying to break us up.” The night air was cold, making my voice tremble. He was silent for a long time. “Ava,” he finally said. “From what I’ve seen, my mom has been very good to you.” On that long walk home, he didn't say another word. I knew. He believed her. The next morning, Jimmy didn’t wait for me. I rushed to school, desperate to explain. But when I got there, all my classmates were staring at me with strange expressions. Especially the boys. A thug with bleached-blond hair walked up to me. He hooked a finger under my bra strap and snapped it hard against my skin. “Come back again sometime,” he said with a smirk. “My buddies and I had a great time.” He threw a handful of photos on the ground. They scattered everywhere. The looks from my classmates turned from curiosity to contempt. Jimmy stood silently in the crowd, his eyes a storm of conflicting emotions. Shaking, I grabbed my thermos from my desk and threw it at the thug’s head. “You’re lying! I’m calling the cops!” Blood streamed down his face. His expression turned vicious. “You little bitch,” he snarled. “You were enjoying yourself last night, weren't you? Put your clothes on and suddenly you don’t know us?” “You’re lying!” I screamed. Just then, Jimmy stepped forward. He grabbed my arm, his grip like steel. “That’s enough!” he hissed. “Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?” I stared at him, stunned. “He’s the one bullying me! Am I supposed to just let him slander me?” Jimmy’s eyes were dark. “If you hadn’t been so careless with yourself, would they even have a chance to slander you?” I froze. Looking at him, he felt like a stranger. Like I had never known him at all. I slapped him, hard. He turned his head to the side, slowly releasing his grip on my arm. “Ava, are you going to act like a saint after playing the whore? My mom and her friends all said you were the one who came onto them. Are you telling me every single one of them is lying?” His words sealed my fate. I became the class pariah. They called me names, stuffed trash in my desk, and scrawled obscenities on my uniform. I buried myself in my studies, pouring all my energy into getting into a good college. Late at night, I would lie in bed and tell myself it would be okay. Just get to college. Just get away from here. Jimmy’s mother was still as sweet to me as ever, but seeing her filled me with dread. “Ava, why have you been ignoring Jimmy lately? He’s been so heartbroken.” I finally found the courage to look her in the eye. “Ma’am, we’ve already broken up. Please stop targeting me.” A smirk played on her lips. “Your breakup means nothing. Jimmy is still completely devoted to you. But don’t worry. I’ll make him watch you rot, piece by piece. Then, he’ll finally give up on you.” Her threats, combined with the relentless bullying from my classmates, pushed me to the edge of a breakdown. My parents noticed something was wrong and wanted to talk. But before we could, there was a knock on the door. It was Jimmy’s mother, asking to borrow some salt. My dad went to the kitchen. My mom glanced at her phone, handed me my backpack, and pushed me out the door. “You’re going to be late. Go on to school. We’ll talk tonight.” I was on edge all day. After school, I practically ran home. Our house was surrounded by a crowd of people. The unease in my chest exploded into full-blown panic. I shoved my way through the onlookers, my hands trembling. And then I saw it. My father and Jimmy’s mother, tangled together, their clothes in disarray. My dad’s face was ashen, with bright red scratches on his skin. The woman was sobbing pitifully. “How could you do this to me? This is rape! I’m calling the police!” Jimmy threw his school jacket over them, his gaze sweeping over my family with dark contempt. “I thought you were good people,” he spat. “Turns out you’re the most disgusting of all!” My father’s lips trembled. “No… I didn’t do it…” But no one believed him. Not even my mother. She just stood there, humbly apologizing to Jimmy’s mother. The neighbors pointed and whispered. I stood frozen in the crowd, and in that moment, I saw a flicker of triumph in his mother’s eyes. After they left, my mother screamed and hit my father. He kept denying it, but the evidence was overwhelming. It ended with my mother demanding a divorce. I cried, begging her on my father’s behalf. “It has to be Jimmy’s mom! She’s setting him up! Mom, don’t fall for it…” My mother slapped me across the face. “How could I have raised a daughter who can’t tell right from wrong?” The house became a war zone of endless arguments. Jimmy told everyone at school that my father had raped his mother. On top of "whore" and "slut," I now had a new title: daughter of a rapist. Eventually, the fighting at home subsided. It was as if nothing had ever happened. On the last day of my final exams, my dad gave me a brand-new phone. “Ava,” he said, his voice heavy. “Study hard. Live a good life.” The past few months had left me numb and exhausted, but I managed a small smile. “Thanks, Dad.” I thought they had reconciled. I ignored the deep pain in his eyes. The next day, I went to the exam center. Before I could even walk in, my phone rang. It was our neighbor. “Ava, you have to come home! Your dad jumped off the building, and your mom is trying to kill herself!” My legs gave out from under me. I scrambled home, stumbling and falling. My mom had turned on all the gas stoves in the house and was about to light a match. I screamed, trying to drag her out. But it was too late. The gas exploded. Everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. My whole body ached, but I couldn’t feel my left arm at all. Our neighbor looked at me with pity in her eyes. “Ava, don’t look. Your arm… it was too badly injured. They had to amputate.” I struggled to sit up. “My parents? Where are they?” She turned away, unable to meet my eyes. But I knew. They were gone. In the end, I had nothing left.
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