64: The power of silence (Part II)

“I'm not,” Joel had replied Isabelle.

He kept his gaze ahead as he continued. “I'm not any different from my friends and I tell myself that every day. The fact that I had no hand in all they did doesn't excuse the fact that I knew and kept my mouth shut. If I can say sorry over and over again to those who have suffered at our hands, I would.

“Until now, I didn't realize how bad my silence had been. I used to think as long as I wasn't involved, my sins were less. But as time led on, I realized I had played a bigger role in everything.

“Hearing Loveth talk about what we had done to Tope... It, it made me sad and I want to apologize. I want to let her know I didn't mean for any of those things to happen to her, but I don't think she'll listen. She must be too hurt to want to even see my face.”

There were no words to make this better, to make him feel better. His silence was his mistake, his sin and it was great. If only he had spoken up, Tope might still be a scholarship student. She wou