Page 97 of Fauxmance

Her tone made me look up.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." She shook her head, locking her phone and reaching to do the same to mine. "It's stupid. Let's talk about something else. How about those corndogs? Real meat or mystery? What do you think?"

I laughed, pulling my hand away. "Now, that was a subject change. What's up with you?"

Ruby gasped, and my eyes shot to her. She was staring at her phone, biting her lip. I knewit had to be bad by how wide her eyes had gotten.

"What is it?" I repeated.

"Trust me," she mumbled. "You don't want to know."

"Just people trolling," Amanda put in, scooping my phone from my hand when I wasn't paying attention and putting it face down on the table. "There. It's all good."

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry?" I said. "I don't even know what they wrote."

"Magnolia, this won't make you feel any better."

I held out my hand until Amanda reluctantly gave me the phone. "Still. I'd rather know."

"Ignorance is bliss," Ruby said. "But if you want to torture yourself..."

With a swallow, I opened up my phone, scrolled down to the bottom of the article and began reading the comment section. There were a lot of nice things—at first. Like they'd said, Hayden was doted on, and some people said how pretty my dress was.

"This isn't so bad," I said. "I don't get why you guys…"

My voice trailed off as I saw the first one.

nityathegoodwrote: How did this trash get in, omg

Several more followed. It was like that one mean comment opened the floodgates to a bunch of others.

Anonymouswrote: Who's the slutin red? Hayden could do so much better!

Sexybride365wrote: Yeah, who does she think she is in that dress???

bubblybridebiancawrote: Fat and Fugly are not a good look :P

NightJosswrote: I heard her family's poor which makes sense

Weddinglover23wrote: Just another gold digger out to get the Davenport money. Run Hayden, run!

They went on and on, but my eyes had started to blur.

Ruby took the phone from my numb fingers, and then put her hand in mine.

"You okay?" Amanda said, taking my other hand.

"Those people are just haters." Ruby shook her head. "You can't listen to that noise."

But it's so loud.

"Just tune it out."

I can't.

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