It started with a message.
Violet didn’t even notice it at first. Her phone buzzed during class, then again, then again—too many notifications to ignore.
By the time the bell rang, her screen was flooded.
Group chats.
Mentions.
Unknown numbers.
Her stomach dropped before she even opened anything.
Because this was how it always started.
Quiet.
Then all at once.
“Violet…” her best friend’s voice was already tense when she rushed over. “Tell me that’s fake.”
Violet’s fingers felt stiff as she tapped the screen.
Opened it.
And froze.
It was a picture.
Not recent.
But not old enough to feel like a different lifetime either.
Her.
Sitting in a classroom. Hoodie loose, posture slouched, angle unflattering—taken without her knowing.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
The caption wa
