The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 264
She took a deep breath and scratched her head, sounding helpless. “Leilani, your mindset is too
stable. Compared to you, I’m like a cat on a hot tin roof. So what do you plan to do now? Just let them insult you like this?”
That would be too stifling.
Leilani chuckled softly and turned on the faucet. The sound of rushing water came through the phone.
“What’s the rush? Going out to argue now would just get me riddled with holes by their paid trolls.” Judie pouted. “But we can’t just let them throw mud at you, right?”
Leilani turned off the water, picked up a towel to dry her face, and spoke nonchalantly. “Tamara and Clive invested heavily this time-trending topics, bot farms, statements, the whole package. They clearly want to nail me to the cross as an ‘ungrateful wretch.”
She paused, then let out a cold laugh. “Going out to clarify now would only mean getting hit by the ‘evidence’ they’ve prepared. It’s better to wait until they’ve finished their performance, then I’ll slap them back with one hit.”
Judie blinked, suddenly feeling that Leilani’s strategic composure was incredibly cool. She couldn’t help but sigh. “Leilani, clearly you are the biological daughter of the Sloan family, yet they treat you like the adopted one. Tamara is adopted, yet they hold her in the palm of their hands… I used to only hear you say the Sloan family was weird, but seeing it with my own eyes…” Her voice lowered, filled with distress “It’s sickening.”
nt for a moment, then said lightly, “I’m used to it. With people like that, you just shouldn’t e time of day.”
The simple phrase “I’m used to it” made Judie’s nose tingle. Thinking of Leilani suffering through cyberbullying all alone in her house made her heart ache.
“No! Leilani, I can’t let you stay alone! I’m coming over right now to keep you company!”
Leilani paused. “No need, I…”
“I’m not listening. Refusal not accepted. I’ll be there in thirty minutes!”
Judie didn’t give her a chance to say no and hung up immediately.
Leilani looked at the black screen and shook her head helplessly. That girl was still so impulsive.
She put down her phone, walked to the closet, and picked out some loose loungewear to change into.
Just as she finished changing, the doorbell rang.
“That fast?” Leilani raised an eyebrow and went to open the door.
Outside, Judie stood holding two large bags of snacks, panting as she grinned broadly. “Surprise!”
Leilani looked at the bulging bags in her hands, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Did you mistake my house for a movie theater?”
09:49
Judie squeezed through the door, dumped the snacks onto the coffee table, and waved her hand heroically. “Today we are staying in, eating snacks, binge-watching shows, and cursing scumbags! Who cares about the storm outside!”
Seeing her full of energy, a warmth flashed in Leilani’s eyes. She turned to the kitchen to pour a glass of water and handed it to Judie. “Slow down, don’t choke.”
Judie took the glass and gulped down most of it before catching her breath. She leaned in close to Leilani and whispered mysteriously, “Leilani, actually, before I came, I secretly messaged my cousin…”
Leilani froze. “Callahan?”
Judie blinked. “Yeah! I told him you were being bullied, and he just replied with a ‘Hmm’! I was so mad!”
She waved her fist. “Acting all high and mighty at a time like this! No wonder he can’t win over his wife!”
Leilani almost choked on her own saliva. “Who is his wife?”
Judie grinned mischievously. Just as she was about to speak, Leilani’s phone began to vibrate.
09:49
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