“You’ve always been generous, don’t corner him.”
Each sentence hid a soft sharpness.
Rosalie stood there noble and classy, using a graceful posture to mask bias as justice.
I listened and could not stop a bitter laugh.
“Say sorry?”
“I won’t take it.”
I slowly pulled my collar closed, fully covering those shaming characters completely.
My fingernails pressed into my palm, aching, yet not even one ten-thousandth of the ache in my chest.
I looked at Rosalie and spoke each word plainly. “Since you can’t deal with this properly,”
“I’ll handle it my own way.”
I turned and left.
As the door shut, I faintly caught voices inside.
“Just now, Keagan’s look scared me so bad my spine went cold. When has he ever been humiliated like that?”
Someone added with doubt. “Keagan isn’t easy to face; he likely won’t let this drop.”
Rosalie’s voice sounded level and sure.
“No, I know Keagan, he’s only talking in anger, he won’t truly hurt Fritz.”
She paused, then continued, “And with me standing in front of him, he can’t do anything.”
Several people traded uneasy looks.
No one thought Rosalie, who had always gone along with me in everything, would protect Fritz like this.