He Asked My Bully to Be My Bridesmaid

My fianc asked the girl who used to bully me to be my bridesmaid.

He said, Tina knows she was wrong. Letting her be your bridesmaid can count as her apology.

I lowered my head and stared at the little burn scars on my wrist, the ones left by cigarette butts.

Then I nodded.

And turned around to invite Nathans worst enemies to be his groomsmen.

The wedding was getting close, but I still didnt have bridesmaids.

The few close friends I had were either overseas or already married with kids.

Just as I was wondering whether I should hire professional bridesmaids, Nathan said he had the perfect candidate.

Tina Walsh.

When I heard that name, my heart clenched hard.

It sounded so sharp in my ears that I instinctively asked, Which Tina Walsh?

Nathan sounded casual.

The one from our high school. You forgot?

She started working as a receptionist at our company a few days ago. When she heard we were getting married, she asked if you still needed a bridesmaid.

Old memories rushed back at once.

Cockroaches in my desk.

Hair in my thermos.

Water poured all over my bedding.

Scene after scene surged into my mind.

My stomach turned. I bit down hard on my lower lip to swallow the nausea.

I looked at Nathan through clenched teeth.

You know Im not on good terms with her. And you still want her to be my bridesmaid?

Are you trying to disgust me?

Nathan and I had been in the same class in high school.

He knew exactly what Tina meant to me.

I transferred there in sophomore year. In my first monthly exam, I placed first in class.

My total score beat the original first-place student by more than twenty points.

That student was Tina.

She was not happy.

At first, she made sarcastic comments and encouraged the other girls to isolate me.

Then she began bullying me outright.

She threw cockroaches under my desk and laughed when I screamed.

She spat in my thermos and dropped hair and nail clippings inside, giving me a lifelong disgust toward thermoses.

Once, she poured water over my bedding. I cried and reported it to the dorm supervisor. The next day, Tina was called to the office.

That night, she blocked me in the bathroom.

She brought several girls with her. They pressed lit cigarette butts into my wrist, leaving blisters that scarred over and never fully faded.

Nathan knew all of this.

Back then, he protected me.

When Tina bullied me, he would stand up for me.

When everyone isolated me, he ignored their strange looks and talked to me anyway.

Yet now, he was saying Tina should be my bridesmaid.

Seeing my anger, Nathan sat beside me and pulled me into his arms.

Gia, its been so many years. Dont keep holding onto it.

We were all young back then. Nobody understood these things. She knows she was wrong now.

Shes coming to be your bridesmaid as an apology. Isnt that enough?

Be the bigger person, okay?

Do it for me.

Hearing the person I loved most ask me to forgive the person who had tormented me, hearing him comfort me by telling me to be generous, made me feel sick.

He suddenly felt like a stranger.

I shoved Nathan away.

Nathan, even if I have no bridesmaids, I will not let Tina Walsh stand beside me.

If she became my bridesmaid, this marriage would sooner or later end.

Seeing that I wouldnt listen, Nathan got angry too.

Gia Morgan, Im doing this for your own good. Dont reject help when its handed to you.

If you had friends around you and could find bridesmaids, would I need to help?

I found someone for you, and now youre picky? People like you deserve not to have friends.

After saying that, he grabbed his jacket from the sofa and slammed the door behind him.

Watching Nathan leave, I felt my chest clog with pain.

Nathan knew everything.

My fears.

My grievances.

My resentment.

Every single thing.

He knew.

Our homeroom teacher in high school was a woman in her forties.

When it came to bullying between girls, she always turned a blind eye.

As long as the bully had good grades and things didnt get too big, she pretended not to know.

I went to her more than once to report Tina. She didnt even lift her eyelids.

Tina is only joking with you. Dont be so petty. Learn to take a joke.

I told my parents.

They only said, Why dont they bully other people? Why only you? You should reflect on yourself.

No one believed me.

No one stood on my side.

Being so helpless back then made me afraid of getting close to people even now.

I thought Nathan would stand beside me for the rest of my life.

But now, even he said I deserved it.

Nathan came home around noon the next day.

I was cooking in the kitchen when the front door opened.

Laughter floated in from outside.

Nathan said, Gia, look whos here.

I looked out and saw Tinas smiling face. She was holding a carton of milk.

When she saw me, she greeted me warmly.

Gia, long time no see.

Seeing that face I had hated for ten years, my hand holding the spatula began to tremble.

Nathan had actually brought her into our home.

Tina sat on the sofa. Nathan poured her water, then came into the kitchen.

He said, Gia, I invited Tina over for lunch today. Whatever misunderstandings you two had, just talk them out.

You dont have many friends here. Tina was our high school classmate, and she works at my company now. We can all hang out together when we have time.

All you do is stay home and write. You barely know how to socialize anymore.

I was so angry my teeth clenched.

Nathan Carter, are you sick?

You know I hate her most, and you still brought her here. Are you doing this on purpose?

Gia, dont be angry. There must be misunderstandings between you two. Once you clear them up, itll be fine.

He untied my apron.

How about this? Ill cook. You go out and chat with her. She really isnt the same as before. Trust me.

Maybe the memories were too heavy.

Just seeing Tinas face triggered me.

I would always remember the smile on her face as she pressed a lit cigarette into the back of my wrist.

Gia Morgan, dont you love tattling? Go on. Keep tattling.

Lift your wrist and show everyone. Tell them I bullied you.

She raised her brows and met my eyes.

Go ahead. See if the Ice Witch punishes me.

Tina had always been our homeroom teachers favorite student. Her English grades were always first in the year. Why would the teacher punish her over such a small thing?

Even if I told the teacher, I would only hear, She was just joking.

Nathan half-pushed me out of the kitchen and sat me beside Tina.

The moment I sat down, my whole body felt wrong.

I still hated Tina.

Very, very much.

So much I wanted to tear her apart.

Nathan went into the kitchen to cook.

Only Tina and I were left in the living room.

Tina held her cup and chatted with me.

I cant believe you and Nathan are getting married. Time really flies.

In high school, I already thought something was going on between you two. Nobody believed youd actually end up together, but I said you definitely would.

I heard you started dating in college. Thats eight or nine years now, right?

School sweethearts. So romantic.

After saying that, she looked almost nostalgic.

I said nothing, head lowered, thumb scrolling across my phone.

There was nothing for Tina and me to talk about.

What would we discuss?

How she bullied me in high school?

Seeing me silent, Tina continued.

I want to apologize for what happened before. We were young and ignorant back then. I didnt know right from wrong.

But seeing you now, Im happy for you.

Nathan said you still havent found bridesmaids. Im free that day. I can be one.

No need.

I looked up at Tina, my tone firm.

The air went awkward for a moment.

Tina laughed dryly and took a few sips of water.

Dinner was ready soon.

Nathan brought dish after dish to the table.

They were all foods I liked. Four dishes and a soup. Very generous.

During dinner, Nathan kept trying to create conversation.

He talked about our college years, their company, the wedding, the future.

Then he said, Gia, its been so many years. Stop clinging to old grudges. People will laugh if they see you like this.

How about this? Ill make the decision today. You two drink this, and all past grievances are erased. How does that sound?

Tina immediately lifted her glass and held it in front of me.

Gia, I was ignorant before. I apologize.

Ill be your bridesmaid. You can order me to do anything at the wedding. Consider it my apology.

Under the table, Nathan kicked my leg and gave me frantic looks.

In his eyes, Tina had already made the biggest concession.

I should know better.

One drink, and we would smile away the past.

I slowly picked up the glass on the table and lightly clinked it against Tinas.

Then I drank it all.

Good, Nathan immediately clapped.

Thats more like it.

Then its settled. Tina will be your bridesmaid.

Tina said, Bridesmaids are usually in even numbers, right? Quinn is free that day too. Ill call her.

Quinn had been Tinas little follower, one of the girls who bullied me alongside her.

Nathan immediately praised Tina for being thoughtful, then said to me, See? Just like that, the bridesmaid problem is solved.

I lowered my head and looked at the scars on my wrist.

Ten years had passed, and they were still there.

The marks were faint now, but no matter how faint, they proved that cigarette butts had once burned my skin.

I nodded.

Fine.

Nathan and Tina smiled at each other, as if finally relieved.

Soon, the wedding day arrived.

The bride was about to go onstage, but Tina and Quinn still hadnt arrived.

Nathan looked at me apologetically.

He had called Tina more than ten times. No answer.

Only just now had Tina finally picked up, saying she overslept and was rushing over.

Where we lived, bridesmaids played a very important role in weddings.

When the bride went onstage, bridesmaids had to follow beside her.

During the toasts, they helped carry things.

Without bridesmaids, not only would things be inconvenient, the bride would also be laughed at.

After all, having no bridesmaids meant the bride had poor relationships.

People would imagine all kinds of strange stories.

Gia, wait a little longer. Tina already left. Shell be here soon.

I smiled.

Its fine. I found bridesmaids a long time ago.

Two bridesmaids in matching dresses came out of the dressing room.

They were professional bridesmaids I had hired long ago. They had attended more than a dozen weddings and were very familiar with the process.

Seeing the two bridesmaids behind me, Nathan froze.

The apology on his face instantly sank.

Gia, if you found two more bridesmaids, then youll have four bridesmaids.

I only have two groomsmen.

Thats why I found two more groomsmen for you too.

As I spoke, two of Nathans former colleagues, Ryan Wells and Sean Brooks, stepped out in groomsmen suits.

They walked to Nathans side and hooked their arms around his shoulders.

Nathan, thats not cool. Youre getting married and didnt even tell us?

If your wife hadnt called, we wouldnt have known today was your wedding.

The moment Nathan saw them, his face darkened.