Lisa had been struggling since her husband passed away, and the move to a new city was supposed to be their fresh start. She prayed the change would help her son, Mike, heal, but there was a heavy sense of uncertainty every day as she tried to help him adjust.
When Mike came home after his first day at school, Lisa’s heart skipped a beat when he excitedly told her he had made a new friend named Sophie. For the first time in weeks, Mike’s face was bright, and his spirit seemed to lift. He had found someone who could help him feel at home in this strange new town.
Sophie and Mike quickly became inseparable, and one day, Sophie invited Mike over to play. Lisa, wanting to make sure everything was safe, texted Sophie’s mom to confirm the playdate. The response was warm and friendly, and Sophie’s mom even suggested they meet, offering the chance for Lisa to make a new friend in this unfamiliar place.
The next day, Lisa stood at the door of Sophie’s house with a bottle of wine in hand, ready for a friendly chat. Mike, full of energy, knocked excitedly. Sophie’s mom opened the door, and Lisa’s heart dropped into her stomach.
It was Alice. Her former high school enemy.
The woman who had made Lisa’s teenage years miserable. Alice had been the queen of their school—the popular, charismatic one who made Lisa’s life a living hell with cruel taunts and pranks. Lisa had always been the shy, quiet girl, often the target of Alice’s snide remarks and ruthless teasing.
Lisa tried to steady her breathing as Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Lisa,” she said, the fake smile not fooling anyone.
Lisa’s pulse quickened as the tension between them thickened. “Alice,” she replied curtly.
It didn’t take long for their old animosity to resurface. Alice wasted no time throwing out jabs, mocking Lisa for still being “plain and boring.” Lisa, not about to let Alice get away with her petty behavior, shot back, calling her out for still wearing skirts so short they were borderline indecent.
The awkward silence between them was palpable as they moved into the house, where the children’s laughter echoed from the other room. Lisa gripped the wine bottle tightly, trying to fight the memories of high school when Alice had made her life miserable.
As the evening wore on, the two women barely spoke. The air was cold and strained. Lisa couldn’t shake the hurt from all those years ago. Alice had never apologized for the things she’d done. Not even once. It was as if those years of bullying had never meant anything to her.
Days passed, and Mike and Sophie remained friends, though Lisa did her best to avoid Alice. But then, one day, she received an unexpected call from Mike’s teacher, Miss Terry. When Lisa arrived at the school, she was greeted by Alice sitting in the office.
“Mike’s been bullying Sophie,” Miss Terry said, her voice serious.
Lisa’s heart sank. She knew Mike—he was kind, gentle, and had never shown any signs of being cruel. “What are you talking about? They’re friends!”
Alice sighed dramatically, her face full of fake sorrow. “Sophie has been telling me that Mike has been bullying her. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Lisa’s blood boiled. “Why am I only hearing about this now?”
Alice’s tone turned venomous. “Maybe because you’re too busy being a terrible mom to notice how bad your son is turning out.”
Lisa’s patience snapped. “How dare you talk about my son that way!”
Miss Terry tried to calm things down, but it was clear the situation was escalating. Lisa knew something was off, but Alice was relentless. She didn’t care about the truth—only about making Lisa feel small.
“Maybe you need a specialist too if you can’t see what your son is doing,” Alice sneered.
Lisa couldn’t take it anymore. She stormed out of the office, her heart racing in anger and disbelief. How could Alice still be trying to ruin her life after all these years?
A few days later, Lisa was shocked when Alice showed up at her door, her expression far softer than usual.
“Lisa,” Alice began, “I came to apologize.”
Lisa stood frozen, the last person she expected to see apologizing was Alice.
Alice looked down, clearly uncomfortable. “Sophie’s been crying nonstop. She misses Mike. She wants to be friends again. And I don’t want to see her hurting.”
Lisa was taken aback. “So, you lied?” she asked, her voice shaking with disbelief.
Alice nodded. “I lied. I’m sorry. But I was jealous of you, Lisa. I’ve always been jealous.”
The admission stunned Lisa into silence. Alice went on to explain how she had married a man who was abusive, how she had left him, and how, despite everything, she had always envied Lisa’s strength.
“I’ve been carrying all this anger for so long,” Alice confessed. “Can you forgive me?”
Lisa, still processing the whirlwind of emotions, finally nodded. “Let’s start with some wine. We’ve got a lot to talk about,” she said, stepping aside to let Alice in.
As they sat down to talk, the weight of the past slowly began to lift. Alice, the woman who had once tormented her, was now asking for forgiveness. Lisa realized that maybe, just maybe, they could both move past their old wounds.