Chapter 6
Just when a few burner accounts started accusing me of threatening my roommate, the next bombshell dropped.
People began questioning whether Jessica faked the whole thing for sympathy.
And of course, she jumped out right on cue with a “statement.“[]
Claimed she was a victim too, pinned everything on Megan.
Suddenly the online outrage shifted–now folks were dissecting Megan’s motives instead of mine.
Some lumped the two of us together, said we were both snakes.
Just like that, the hate train changed tracks and Megan became the new punching bag.
God bless 5G.
By dinner, the whole school was whispering about how Megan was just jealous of Jessica.[]
She didn’t come back to the dorm until almost 10.]
I was on the balcony finishing a phone call, and Taylor was FaceTiming her boyfriend on the top bunk.[]
Click. Megan shut the door super carefully, but I still heard it.
I glanced her way, then went back to my call like she was air.
Her eyes were all swollen–clearly she’d been crying.
I’d heard her classmates picked on her a lot, mostly ‘cause her family wasn’t well–off.[]
We tried telling her she didn’t have to take that crap, that she should talk to someone.
But she never did. Didn’t wanna stir things up.
Maybe she had her reasons.
But I sure as hell didn’t force her to send those messages. []
She’s not a kid. If she can push “send,” she better be ready to own
- it.
When I came back inside, she was just sitting at her desk.
Not moving. Not typing. Just…. sitting there.
I could feel her glancing back at me, over and over again, like she was working up the nerve.
Right before lights out, Taylor snapped.
“You gonna say something or just sit there looking like a ghost?”
“Don’t act like we bullied you into silence.”
“I.. I didn’t mean to… Jessica said if I did what she asked, she’d give me some money…”
“You know I’m broke. I really needed it.“]
She started crying like the world was ending
“Your financial problems aren’t mine to fix.” I said.
“I was nothing but nice to you in this dorm. And this is how you repay me?”
“You hate being treated like trash, but look what you just did.”
“You became the thing you hate most.“[]
“And come on, did you really think Jessica would pay you? You know what kind of snake she is.“]
That hit her like a gut punch.
Megan collapsed to the floor, mouth opening and closing like a fish, but no words came–just sobs.
It was honestly pathetic.
“Crying? That’s your move? You think tears are gonna fix what you did online?” I snapped.]
Taylor couldn’t take it anymore. []
She stormed over, yanked Megan off the floor, and shoved her into the chair.]
And Megan?
She latched onto Taylor like a drowning girl grabbing a life preserver–wailing, sniffling, wiping snot and tears all over her shirt.
The neighbors banged on our door and told us to shut up before she finally stopped.
Still sniffling, she said between hiccups-
“I know… sniff… I really messed up… hic… I don’t expect you to forgive me… but this might help.“[]
