4: 4

As if someone had hit a switch, the tears started up again in Yvonne's eyes.

She looked even more pitiful than before.

Her voice cracked.

"Minnie, I know it hurts, you just bought a new car. But don't worry, I won't let you help for nothing. I'll cover your gas. I can give you extra. Here, take it now—"

She fumbled a hundred-dollar bill out of her pocket and shoved it toward me.

"A round trip to the hospital only runs about twenty, really. A hundred should more than do it, and the rest can count as compensation for your new car."

The crowd couldn't stand it anymore.

Crystal and Hannah especially, already rolling up their sleeves, ready to teach me another lesson.

Right then Yvonne's mother let out a groan of pain, her legs nearly buckling under her.

Everyone's attention swung back to the sick woman, and they all panicked.

"She's not going to make it, call 911, hurry!"

"Call, now! Any more hesitating and it'll be too late."

But Yvonne still didn't give up, still looking at me with those pleading eyes.

Someone had already called, and the ambulance pulled up downstairs fast.

Only when she saw I still hadn't budged did Yvonne finally pull her gaze off me.

Between them, the crowd got Yvonne's mother onto the stretcher, then scrambled to lift her into the ambulance.

Crystal, Hannah, and Logan climbed on themselves.

Yvonne didn't seem to be in any rush, checking whether anyone else was getting on.

Crystal pushed her along. "Come on, let's go, or it'll be too late."

Only when no one else got on did Yvonne agree to move out.

Just before she left, she looked at me once.

Beyond the heavy hatred, the rest of it was a taunt. It said, "Just you wait."

The three who'd climbed aboard shot me a sideways look too, one that said, "Don't think you're off the hook. You'll pay for this later."

I smiled.

The game was on again.

Only this time, it was a different version.