The pain seared through me as though I'd been doused in acid, burning away every part of me that still allowed me to breathe.
Consumed with rage, I struck Joanne across the face, "You are a murderer, Joanne!"
But before my hand could connect, she dramatically collapsed to the floor, clutching her face and gazing up at me with tear-filled eyes of shock, "Eleanor, I was only telling the truth. Why did you hit me?"
She began coughing weakly, her voice trembling as she said, "Gerald … my chest hurts so much … Is it because of the car accident? Cough … cough …"
Gerald rushed to cradle Joanne in his arms and stepped back as though I were some deranged monster, "Eleanor, are you insane? Why did you hit Joanne?"
"You drove into her car, occupied public resources and now you're even accusing her of being a murderer! How did you become so cruel and vicious?"
I stared blankly at Gerald. After knowing him for eight years, was this truly how he saw me?
The sight of the snow-covered world beyond the window suddenly reminded me of a New Year's Eve in my third year of college. That night, Gerald had searched tirelessly through half the city just to buy me a white dog-shaped hat I'd liked.
When he placed it on my head, his breathing was still labored from running. I had smacked his chest lightly, teary-eyed, "Idiot, was it really worth all that trouble in this freezing weather?"
He had stroked my hair, kissed my forehead and warmed my hands in his while replying softly, "It's worth it, Eleanor. Don't you see how perfectly it matches you?"
Then came the boom of fireworks exploding against the night sky. The dazzling lights illuminated the frost-covered trees, painting them in brilliant, colorful hues.
Gerald leaned in close, his voice dripping with sweetness as he said, "You're all just as kind and innocent."
The birds perched on the branches scattered at the sound of his voice. Snow fell from the trees, stripping the frost from the branches and leaving them bare and brittle against the stark white backdrop of winter. The boy from that New Year's Eve ... he was gone for good.
The shards of the broken pendant necklace dug into my palm, but I couldn't feel any pain.