In the distance, Katrina hobbled toward us, her shirt rumpled and stained with water and dirt. It seemed that she fell to the ground with a dramatic thud.
I could not help but feel bewildered.
I had not bumped into her at all. How had she ended up on the floor?
Did she slip? Or had she done it on purpose?
Before I could process the scene, Lewis rushed to her side, his protective instincts kicking in instantly.
Katrina, with tears glistening in her eyes, shook her head softly. “It’s not a big deal; she didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t be so hard on her,” she said, her voice trembling with faux kindness.
Then she added pointedly, “If her brother finds out you yelled at his sister, it might hurt the bond between you two.”
The mention of Tobias brought a strange expression to Lewis’s face, hesitation, as if he were weighing something unspoken.
But why would Lewis mind it?
As far as I knew, Tobias and Lewis had drifted apart since I began dating Lewis. He should not have anything to fear anymore, right?
However, Lewis’s resolve returned as he helped Katrina.
“Her brother entrusted her to me,” he said firmly, “so it’s my duty to correct her when she’s in the wrong.”
My breath caught.
It was not just that he considered me his little sister. It was worse than that.
He acted like he was my caretaker, and I was some disobedient child needing constant correction.
I could not hold back anymore.
I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cold. “What exactly did I do wrong, Lewis? Even in court, you need solid evidence to convict someone.
“Haven’t you thought about how unfair it is to judge me and even yell at me without understanding the truth?”
Lewis’ fists clenched as he glared at me. “You knew there were no cameras in the restroom, so I’m sure you did it on purpose, right?”
His baseless accusation stunned me. The injustice of it all left me somewhere between laughter and tears.
“If there were no cameras,” I countered, “then how can you be sure it was me?”
For the first time, Lewis hesitated. My question momentarily broke through his anger, but it was not enough.
“Are you now saying that Katrina wrongfully accused you?” he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. “I didn’t know you were like this. I thought you were a good kid.”
I refused to let his words cut deeper. “And what if she lies?” I asked evenly.
“She won’t,” he snapped. “I’ve known her. She’s not the kind of person who lies.”