Page 189 of Wicked Dreams

Oh no.

I don’t tell her I know there’s a video. That would open up a whole different can of worms—particularly because, while she knew I got a strange text when I first started, I haven’t told her about any of the following texts.

“It’s bad,” Riley whispers. “It’ll be okay, though. I just… your phone might be blowing up, and I don’t want you to freak out. In fact, you should probably just turn it off.”

I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

It’s more for myself, directed at who I now consider my stalker, than Riley.

What did I do to push them over the edge?

“Who got the video?”

She hesitates.

I have to physically stop myself from getting angry at her. She’s just being a good friend.

“Everyone,” she blurts out. “Like, the school. And someone posted it on social media. And?—”

I’m going to be sick.

The noises from that video—noisesImade—play on repeat in my mind.

I rush to the bathroom, falling to my knees in front of the toilet. I throw up. The acid burns on my tongue, but my stomach doesn’t settle for a few long moments.

Finally, I’m able to straighten. Riley hands me a glass of water, giving me a sympathetic look.

“Don’t do that,” I plead. “Don’t pity me.”

She grabs my toothbrush and toothpaste from my bag, placing it on the counter. “I’m not trying to pity you, Margo. You know I love you. I just hate that this is happening.Again.”

I nod. “Yeah. I just?—”

“I’ve already reported the video. Eli did, too?—”

“He saw it?” I drop the toothpaste and cover my eyes. I don’t want to know how many people are watching me get finger-fucked by Caleb Asher. But if people I’m close with are seeing it? I can’t show my face. I can’t go back to Emery-Rose after that.

“He didn’t,” she says. “Once we realized what it was… No, we didn’t.”

I let out a shuddering breath.

She wraps her arms around me. “Let’s get you home. There’s no need to worry. The Bryans will probably let you take a few more days off, and the school board can get it removed…”

“Yeah.” I find myself nodding along with her plan. “Good idea.”

She smiles. “I’m full of good ideas.”

We leave, and I lift my hood, just in case there are more students in the lobby. I’m not ready to deal with anyone’s comments.

The backlash from the photo was bad, and the video will be even worse.

Eli’s truck is out front, and I practically dive into his backseat. He throws me a glance, eyebrows raised.

“You okay?” he asks.

I force myself to smile, although I think it’s more like a grimace. “Yes.”

I wonder if Caleb knows yet. I doubt he had a chance to check his phone before he ran out of the hotel room. He would’ve told me.

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