Chapter 3

“Come on, Marie. It will be fun!”

“Leave me alone, you jerk!”

Arthur Nieves, a would-be fuckboi who thought he was God’s gift to women, smiled with arrogance.

“Don’t act so high and mighty, the whole school knows you’re a slut!”

Marie felt her cheeks burn with anger and embarrassment. Her heart raced as she looked around, but there was no one to save her from this idiot who had been following her for several minutes now.

“So, what do you say, that college guy’s cock, my cock, what’s the difference?” he sneered, while walking a couple of steps behind her.

She glanced frantically around again and caught sight of Peter. A wave of relief washed over her, hoping he would come to her rescue like he always did.

Peter looked at her, watching her silent plea for help. But then something unexpected happened. Peter looked away and kept walking.

Marie’s steps halted suddenly, causing Arthur to almost stumble into her from behind. He quickly caught himself just in time.

“Hey, girl, does it mean you’re interested?” he asked.

Marie didn’t answer. She was so shocked that she had completely forgotten Arthur as she watched her own brother abandon her in her time of need.

“Mr. Nieves!” a voice called out firmly, a voice that did not belong to any student.

Arthur turned and sneered, “It was just a joke. I’m leaving.”

“You’ll leave all those ladies alone, understand?” growled Miss Parker, the school counselor.

“I don’t see no ladies around here,” Arthur muttered under his breath while glaring at Marie.

“Did you say something, Mr. Nieves?” The counselor demanded.

“Nothing, Miss Parker. I was already leaving.” He walked away with an arrogant swagger.

“Idiot,” Miss Parker thought silently to herself, but now her attention was solely on Marie.

“Are you alright, Marie?” Her concern was genuine as she approached the shaken girl.

Marie couldn’t find any words to speak. Her heart felt shattered. Her own brother had abandoned her.

Arthur Nieves’ peaceful walk home was abruptly interrupted by a sharp grip on his shoulder. Before he could react, a fist collided with his face, sending him stumbling backwards. He tried to defend himself, but the barrage of kicks to his groin and ribs left him helpless and in excruciating pain.

“You will never lay a hand on any girl again!” each word was punctuated by another vicious kick. The final word was punctuated by a crushing stomp to Arthur’s already tenderized testicles.

As he lay there, writhing in agony and struggling to catch his breath, Arthur looked up to see Peter’s enraged face looming over him. “Do you understand? Say it!”

“I understand,” he squeaked out, cowering under the intimidating presence.

“Spread the word to your pathetic friends. The Faithless Four are off limits for you from now on,” Peter spat, disgust evident in his voice.

Arthur nodded frantically, fear pulsing through every fiber of his being.

“And not even a word about me. I wasn’t here,” Peter said. Then he turned and walked away, rubbing his throbbing hand. She didn’t deserve it, but family is family. That didn’t mean she needed to know.

“Peter, we need to talk!” his mother demanded with a trembling voice.

Peter raised his head from the book he had been reading.

“Marie just told me that a bully was harassing her today and you did nothing to protect her!”

“Oh, that was nothing.” He scoffed. “She was not in any real danger”

“How can you say that?” his mother exclaimed, eyes filled with anger and concern. “A boy was following her and telling her ... things!”

“So what?” he countered.

“But she was alone and scared!” his mom insisted.

“So? she can always ask Ross for help,” Peter ended, coldly.

His mother’s hand came down hard on his cheek before he could even register what was happening. Shocked and hurt, Peter stumbled back and held his stinging cheek.

“She’s your sister, Peter! Your flesh and blood!” his mother exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes.

“Did you slap her when she betrayed me?” Peter asked, the pain in his voice evident.

“What? No, of course not,” his mother replied, taken aback by the accusation.

“I thought so,” he continued, feeling a surge of bitterness towards both his sister and his mother. “I bet you just talked to her and told her not to do it again, right?”

“That has nothing to do with...” his mother began, but Peter cut her off.

“But I don’t defend her when she’s not in danger and suddenly I deserve a slap!” he said angrily.

“Brothers are supposed to defend their sisters!” his mom insisted.

“And sisters are supposed to defend their brothers, right?” Peter retorted. “So why didn’t she defend me? Where is her slap? Did you at least ground her or something?”

His mother was speechless, unable to answer his questions. Peter’s anger and resentment only grew.

“Am I expected to put myself in harm’s way simply because I’m a guy?” he questioned.

“I’m sorry about the slap, I shouldn’t have done it. But he could have forced her!” her words sounded weak, like if she were grasping at straws.

“Really? In the middle of a school hallway, surrounded by students and teachers, and able to cry for help if she really needed it?” Peter retorted.

“She’s your sister!” repeated his mother.

“Should I be grateful for being cheated on and laughed at just because I’m a guy?” His words dripped with bitterness and betrayal, each one stabbing into her mom’s heart like a knife.

And then came the final blow - “She’s just another manipulative, self-centered slut. So, what’s one more cock to her?” Peter spat out those words with venomous hatred, and Marie could feel herself crumbling under the weight of his disgust.

His mother was speechless. Her heart broke as she watched her son spiral into bitterness and resentment. This wasn’t the kind, caring boy she had raised. This was someone else entirely. She left his room like a zombie, only to find Marie still standing frozen in the corridor.

She had heard the loud shouts coming from her brother’s room. With a sense of creeping guilt, she had approached his closed door, knowing that she was the cause of their argument.

She stood in the hallway, frozen and filled with shame, as she listened to her brother’s accusations. Her mother’s feeble attempts at defending her only served to add fuel to the fire. The sound of her brother’s hatred towards her rang through the house and echoed in Marie’s ears.

“It’s my fault, Mom,” Marie whispered through tears.

“No, it’s not, Honey. Peter is...”

“Peter is destroyed because of me, Mom. And I can’t take that back, ever.”

Later that night, Marie listened to her parents fighting. They were in their bedroom, but she could still hear them.

“No punishment at all? Not even grounded?” Her father’s voice boomed through the walls.

“Please understand. Marie is already suffering enough!” Her mother’s defense was weak and pleading.

“Peter is suffering, too, and you slapped him!”

“We decided that I would deal with Marie and you with Peter!”

“Slapping our son and giving our daughter a pat in the back, you call that dealing with it?” her father argued.

Marie covered her ears in desperation, trying to block out their words as they continued to argue about her. How could things have gone so wrong? Just two weeks ago, she had been on top of the world. Now, her own brother hated her, her parents were fighting because of her, and the whole school thought she was a whore - the very thing she had tried so hard to avoid.

The four girls were at a park near Zoey’s house. All of them were sharing their own horror stories.

Suddenly Jenny’s phone buzzed and she felt her stomach drop. She knew it was going to be bad news. Her hands trembled as she read the message, and she couldn’t hold back a cry.

“What’s wrong?” Marie asked, concern etched on her face.

“It’s my mom,” Jenny sobbed. “My Aunt Kim called her just now. Ross got arrested for statutory rape, and they’re blaming me.”

Zoey quickly searched for the relevant law in their state on her phone. “He could face up to 20 years in jail,” she said grimly.