Fighting through the agonizing pain, I gripped the wall and pulled myself up, preparing to explain.
But as soon as my hand touched the microphone, Rebecca dramatically clutched her chest and collapsed to the ground.
"Please, Amelia, let me go! Stop hurting me! It hurts so much, I can't take it!"
From the audience's perspective, it looked as though I'd pushed Rebecca after taking the microphone.
"Oh my God, did you see that? She just shoved Rebecca!
"Rebecca looks like she's in so much pain. She mentioned before that she wasn't in good health. Amelia must have really pushed her over the edge!"
A nearby female school leader, unable to bear it any longer, walked to the front and glared daggers at me as she helped Rebecca up.
"Don't worry, Rebecca. We women will stand by you and not let this homewrecker win. We will get you justice! Don't lose heart. You did nothing wrong. It's a disgrace that a student from our university would be so brazen as to hit you."
Rebecca's "justice warriors" echoed the sentiment. "Exactly, Rebecca. Girls help girls. We're all behind you and won't let this slut get away with it."