Chapter 2 Chapter Two

I dropped to my knees, my hands scrambling to shove everything back into my bag, but Kem was faster.

"Oh my god," she said, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Is this…"

“It’s nothing,” I managed, reaching for it, but she pulled it back.

“Isn’t this Nat’s key?” She squinted at the photo, then looked at me. “Why do you have Nat’s key?”

My throat closed up, trapping every word inside.

More people started gathering, forming a circle around us. I could feel their eyes, their phones probably already recording.

"I found it," I managed, barely above a whisper. "I was going to give it back to him."

"Sure, you were." Kem's eyes dropped to the floor where my phone had landed face up, and she picked it up.

"Give it back. Please." I reached for it, but she stepped back, already swiping.

I never locked my phone because I never thought anyone would care enough to look.

"Chloe, you need to see this." She started scrolling, and I lunged for the phone, but someone grabbed my arm and yanked me back. I didn't see who grabbed me. I was watching Kem, watching her smile get wider and wider with every scroll.

"Our little earthquake here has been very busy." She looked right at me, and I knew exactly what she'd found. "Should I start with the fan fiction, or"

My hands went numb.

"His hand brushed mine today. Oh my god, I almost stopped functioning. He's so perfect I want to cry." Kem read out loud in this mocking, sing-song voice that made everyone laugh.

I tried to go for the phone, but whoever was holding me tightened their grip.

“I wish I had Chloe's body.” Kem paused, looking up at me with that cruel smile. "Well, we all wish that for you, don't we?"

Laughter erupted around me, louder this time, practically howling like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard.

My whole body went hot. Not the good kind of hot, the kind where you feel like your skin is on fire and everyone can see right through you. I couldn't move or think.

“Stop. Please just stop.” I twisted, trying to pull my arm free, but whoever had me wouldn’t let go.

The crowd cheered her on, and her voice got even louder with each message. I caught a glimpse of Nat and Chloe near the edge of the crowd, standing still while everyone else pressed forward.

“So, you’ve been stalking him this whole time?” She moved closer, close enough that our toes were touching.

“No no, I’m not.”

“How dare you?” Chloe’s voice cut through the noise. She walked up slowly, her face twisted in something between shock and rage. Her eyes went to the keychain in Kem’s hand, then to my phone, then to me.

“You’ve been obsessing over my boyfriend?” Her voice shook. “This whole time I’ve been nice to you, trying to include you, and you’ve been what? Fantasizing about stealing him from me?”

“No, you are getting it all wrong.”

“As fat as you are?” She laughed. “You really thought you had a chance? You think he would look at you twice?”

"Fight, fight, fight!" The chant started from somewhere in the back and spread instantly, the whole room picking it up like a pulse.

I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole. My eyes burned, and I blinked hard because I wasn’t going to cry here, not in front of everyone.

“Stop.”

The voice came from behind Chloe. The chanting faltered, then went quiet.

Nat pushed through the crowd. His jaw tightened as he moved toward me, eyes locked on mine, and I couldn’t read his expression. Couldn’t tell if it was anger, confusion, or disgust.

He took the keychain from Kem and stared at it.

“Have you been leaving those letters?” he asked without looking up.

“What letters?” I asked, confused.

“The ones in my locker.” His tone hardened. “Don’t play dumb with me.”

"No-"

"She stole the key to get into his locker," Chloe snapped.

"Of course, she did," Kem added. "She's so desperate."

“Imagine being that obsessed with someone else’s man!” Someone yelled from the background, and the crowd erupted again, voices piling on top of each other.

“I’m not lying, please. I found it at-”

But before I could finish, something cold and wet hit my face.

Chloe had smashed a plate of pie directly into my face.

I couldn’t breathe through the thick cream blocking my nose.

Then liquid poured over my head, soaking through my hair and dress. Kem had dumped an entire bottle on me.

I yanked at my arm, desperate to break free. But someone shoved me hard from behind, and I went down, my knees hitting the floor with a crack that sent pain shooting up my legs.

“You can have your phone back.” Kem tossed it on the ground, and the screen shattered the instant it hit.

“Get out,” Chloe’s voice came from somewhere above me. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

I grabbed my phone with shaking hands, wiped the pie from my eyes enough to see, and scrambled to collect what was left of my things scattered on the floor.

Then I got to my feet, dripping and covered in shame, and I walked out. My phone buzzed before I even reached the door. Notification after notification from accounts I didn't recognize.

They had already posted it.