Obloquy (noun): strong disapproval, resulting in a bad reputation

The class president could still remember the incident from two days ago—orange juice soaking through her hair, her glasses, her freshly ironed uniform. She could still remember the cruel smile on the new girl’s face. Remember the way she loudly declared herself queen, now that she’d dethroned the leader of the class.

Everyone had been horrified.

Not the class president, though. Smiling from ear to ear, she reassured her classmates that the bully was just stressed on her first day, and that they should carry on as usual.

~~~~~

“Hey! Could I borrow your gym clothes? I let the new girl borrow mine but she hasn’t returned it yet.”

~~~~~

“Sorry, I can’t make it to the book club meeting. I’ll put the new girl in charge though, it’d be a great opportunity for her to share her favorite reads!”

~~~~~

“Are you sure it was the new girl that vandalized the bathroom? She was having trouble adjusting to this school, but I believe she’s a wonderful person inside.”

~~~~~

Compliment after compliment, positive remark after positive remark, the class president never let her smile slip from her face—even when her classmates told her that she was being too nice, too naive. She kept defending the new girl, even when her reputation was destroyed by her crimes and rumors alike. Within a week, the new girl dropped out, running out of the school in tears after the entire class came rushing to their president’s defense.

The smile only bloomed further.

She could still remember the incident, remember her fury for vengeance.