Page 44 of Ten

Please, Nisha.

We almost lost Savvy.

We can’t lose you.

I’ll be careful. I promise.

Oh—and Holly?

Yeah?

Savvy mentioned someone named Gabe?

Do you know who that is?

Yes. I do.

What did she want to tell him?

She didn’t finish her thought.

She just said:

Tell Gabe

and then she passed out.

I’ll let him know.

I swiped my thumb across the screen, closing the messaging app, and noticed I had dozens of social media notifications. My phone was set toDo Not Disturbwith only select contacts able to get through to me so I hadn’t heard any of the notifications. My gut twisted with anxiety as I tapped the screen.

“Oh, no.” My head began to throb, and my ears grew hot as I scanned the notifications. People were brigading my Instagram and Facebook pages and even TikTok where I shared silly salon videos. Some of the comments were encouraging or defending me, but so many of them were horrific accusations against me.

Serial killer slut! Chad411 has spilled all the dirty tea.

She knew! There’s no way she didn’t know what he was doing!

Y’all are disgusting! Victim blaming assholes! Leave her alone!

She’s such a liar. There’s no way a wife doesn’t know what her man is up to! She knew!

Gonna get her friends killed because she’s too much of a coward to tell the truth!

You people are insane! She was a kid married to a grooming rapist psycho!

What happened to Derek Miller, Nisha?

Are y’all serious with this victim blaming nonsense? He killed their baby! Leave her alone!

Go watch Chad411! He has ALL the details. He knows ALL her secrets. She’s a fucking liar!

Ghetto trash! She’s no victim. She’s just like her nasty pimp uncle who runs the 5thward!

Someone ask her about Marissa Lopez! Yeah, girl. That’s right. We all remember what you did!

Get a grip you nuts! She is a victim! He was beating on her and brainwashing her!

“Nisha.” Ten’s deep voice broke through the panic gripping me. I glanced up at him, and my stomach flopped wildly. He was holding his phone, and I could tell by the look on his face he was reading the same horrible shit I was.

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