A few people nearby turned to watch. Richard didn’t flinch. “Funny,” he said calmly, “I don’t remember either of you caring about how I looked two weeks ago. You were too busy laughing to notice anything else.” Amber lifted her chin. “And you’re too sensitive. We were joking.” Richard tilted his head. “Right. Jokes.” He paused just long enough for people to lean in.
“Like when Chase shoved my books down the stairwell? Or when you two spent half of sophomore year deciding what nickname would humiliate me the most?” Chase’s jaw tightened. “Don’t act like a victim, Hale.” “I’m not acting like anything,” Richard said, completely steady. “But I do think it’s interesting that you call it ‘joking’ only when you’re the ones doing it.”