“Why?”
“I’m being nice to you because of my aunt and
uncle.
“I don’t want anything to do with you.”
I was hurting him.
Jake was angrier. He laughed.
“You don’t want anything to do with me.”
He brought me close.
He pulled up my chin and started kissing me.
People screamed.
I felt sick, and after I pushed him away, |
slapped him.
<
8:08
“What do you want!”
His mouth was bleeding, but he didn’t care.
He grabbed my hand and put it on his face.
“You don’t hit hard enough? Didn’t you eat
anything?
“You can’t take care of yourself without me.”
Seeing his face make me feel weird.
I pushed him away.
And ran into the crowd.
15
The next morning, my roommate sent me a
series of messages.
“Look at the college confession page.”
464
“Look at the college confession page.”
I tapped into it.
The latest post had hundreds of comments.
The poster was anonymous.
They posted the photo of Jake kissing me.
The caption said.
“Riley is a cheater.”
The comment with the most likes said that they
went to high school with me.
“I went to high school with Riley, she slept with
someone else’s boyfriend (I have proof). I heard
she’s pregnant and threatening the guy to take
responsibility.”
There were comments supporting the message.
<
“In the photo, the guy is very popular, he used
to date a college hottie, but Riley cheated.”
“I was there, Riley threatened the hottie, saying
that if he didn’t kiss her, she would tell
everyone she was pregnant.”
There were people eating popcorn.
“You guys love men too much. If Riley has
problems, she can’t force him. Looking at the
photo, it looks like he’s kissing her!”
“I don’t know anything, I won’t say anything.”
I started shaking.
I added the people who made comments.
Their common thing was that they talked to the
same account.
I sent that account a friend request.
Г
I waited for an accept.
I called someone.
“Can you help me?”
“Of course.”
“Can you find the IP address?”
“Is it our college?”
“I don’t know.”
“If it’s not, it’s going to be tough.”
I was sad. “Can’t you find out?”
“It’s possible, but it’s going to take time.
“If they used the college’s wifi, I can find the
dorm.
“I heard what happened… No matter what, I will
help. I don’t think you’re that kind of person!”
I said, “Thank you!”
“It’s no problem, I will tell you.”
16
The rumors got worse.
I was labeled as a cheater.
People stared at me.
In class, I got notes, and people even put trash
on my desk.
I was surrounded.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I needed to collect evidence and take it to the
く
I waited for Jake to text me back.
That night, I went to the bathroom.
People locked me inside.
A bag was thrown in from the top of the stall.
There were thousands of bugs.
My breathing got harder.
I couldn’t scream.
I started shaking.
I tried to shake off the bugs.
I felt like I was going to pass out.
I pulled out my phone, and it was at 1%.
I was scared of calling Jake.
<
Before my phone died, I tapped the emergency
call button.
Jake came quickly.
He found the bathroom in the building.
What he saw broke his heart.
He froze.
I looked at him, frozen.
My eyes were silent.
Jake walked forward.
He crouched down, his hand shaking.
He didn’t know what to do.
After a few seconds, he hugged me.
<
8:08
I heard his regret.
“Riley, I know… I’m sorry, I came too late.”
He was crying.
17
474
Jake brought me home, I took off my clothes,
and washed myself.
I felt like the bugs were still on me.
Water ran down my face, I couldn’t tell if it was
from the shower or my tears.
Jake turned off his cigarette and walked up to
- me.
“Riley, I will get the people who did this.”
I slapped him.
<
“Wasn’t it you that caused this?”
I threw my phone at him.
An sent me a message.
Jake read it, and couldn’t believe it.
“Do you see what you did to me?”
“Because of you, I was bullied and cheated.”
