The security guards backstage paved the way for Selina. She slipped behind the black curtain, continuing to the prep space Annabelle had been organizing during her absence.
As she walked through the crowded backstage, all eyes followed her, whispering things she couldn't hear.
"Do I look terrible walking like this?" she asked, wondering if it was her slight limp that caught their attention.
"No. You don't look terrible. They're all reacting to your innocence."
"What do you mean? Had the pervert confessed?"
Annabelle nodded and held out her phone. Selina took it, her eyes skimming the screen. The internet was now hurling hostile words at the pervert; many users expressed guilt for dragging her name through the mud for so long.
The subtle, lingering knot in Selina's chest loosened. The taint that had threatened to crumble her life had finally been cleared. She turned her sparkling eyes toward the crowd, and when their gazes met hers, they ducked their heads, abashed.
