Show Me
1087 Words
I turn the screen toward him.
The photo fills the screen.
Me.
Standing at the train station.
Taken from across the tracks.
My backpack.
My jacket.
Even the exact place I was standing.
Leon goes completely still.
For one second, he says nothing.
Then his expression changes.
The worry disappears.
Anger takes its place.
“Where did you get this?”
“They sent it.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
His jaw tightens.
“You should have told me.”
“I was going to.”
“When?”
“I don't know.”
“Amara.”
“I was scared, okay?”
That shuts him up.
We stand in the empty stairwell.
Students are already heading to class, but somehow we've managed to find the only quiet corner in the entire school.
Leon looks at the photo again.
“This isn't a game anymore.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
He takes my phone.
I let him.
He taps the unknown number.
Calls.
We wait.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Nothing.
The call ends.
Leon calls again.
Still nothing.
He lowers the phone.
“Of course.”
“What?”
“They won't answer.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they don't want to talk.”
I stare at him.
“That's a very confident assumption.”
“It's experience.”
I don't like that answer.
Not even slightly.
He opens my contacts.
“What are you doing?”
“Blocking the number.”
“Oh.”
He blocks it.
Then looks at me.
“We need to report this.”
“To who?”
“School.”
I make a face.
“Mr. Weber?”
“Not just him.”
“The police?”
“If they keep sending pictures, yes.”
I swallow.
That makes everything feel more real.
“I don't want everyone knowing.”
“I know.”
“I don't want people thinking I'm causing trouble.”
“You aren't.”
“My scholarship…”
He looks at me.
“What about it?”
I shrug.
“If this becomes some huge school situation, I don't want anyone questioning why I'm here.”
His expression softens.
“You belong here.”
I look at him.
He says it so simply.
Like it's obvious.
Like I don't need to prove anything.
I look away before he notices that sentence actually affected me.
“Don't say nice things.”
“Why?”
“It makes you confusing.”
He almost smiles.
“I'll try to be more unpleasant.”
“Thank you.”
A pause.
Then I remember the question that's been sitting in my head since yesterday.
“Who would want to watch me?”
Leon doesn't answer.
“Seriously.”
He looks down at my phone.
“Because you searched Lena.”
“That doesn't explain anything.”
He sighs.
“You want to know?”
“Yes.”
“You might regret it.”
“That's becoming your favorite sentence.”
“Amara.”
“Fine.”
He leans against the wall.
“Lena didn't leave Hamburg because she was hurt.”
I stare at him.
“What?”
“She was hurt during the incident.”
“So she did leave because of it.”
“Not exactly.”
He pauses.
“She left because someone threatened her.”
My stomach drops.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“I knew she was scared.”
“What did they threaten her with?”
He looks away.
“I can't tell you that.”
“Leon.”
“I can't.”
I take a breath.
“Then what does the school have to do with this?”
His face becomes hard again.
“The school knew.”
I stare.
“They knew she was being threatened?”
“Yes.”
“And they did nothing?”
“Not officially.”
“What does that mean?”
“Parents got involved.”
“Whose parents?”
“Several.”
I wait.
He continues.
“They didn't want a scandal.”
My stomach twists.
“So they covered it up.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Reputation.”
I laugh bitterly.
“Of course.”
Rich people.
Expensive schools.
Important parents.
And apparently important secrets.
“So everyone just pretended nothing happened?”
“Yes.”
“And Lena?”
“She left.”
“And you?”
“I stayed.”
“Why?”
His eyes meet mine.
“I couldn't leave.”
There is something in his voice.
Something heavy.
I don't ask why.
Not yet.
I think he's already told me more than he planned.
The bell rings.
We both jump.
Leon hands my phone back.
“Don't delete the messages.”
“Why?”
“Evidence.”
I nod.
“And don't go anywhere alone.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“You're giving me rules now?”
“Yes.”
“You're not my father.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
“I'd be a terrible father.”
I laugh.
He smiles.
A real one.
For a second, everything feels normal.
Then I remember the photograph.
The smile disappears.
“So what happens now?”
“We tell someone.”
I nod.
“Okay.”
“And Amara?”
“Yeah?”
“If you get another message…”
“I'll tell you.”
He studies me.
“Promise?”
I hesitate.
Then nod.
“Promise.”
I walk away.
This time, I don't feel like I'm walking away from him.
I feel like I'm walking toward something.
I just don't know what.
By the time I get home, I'm exhausted.
I throw my bag onto my bed.
My phone buzzes.
I freeze.
Unknown number?
No.
Sofia.
I open the message.
Sofia: YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE THIS.
Me: What?
Three dots.
Then:
Sofia: Lena accepted my follow request.
I sit upright.
What?
I open i********:.
There it is.
Lena's private account.
Following Sofia.
My heart starts pounding.
“How?”
Another message appears.
Sofia: She messaged me.
I stare at the screen.
Then Sofia sends me a screenshot.
One message.
Three words.
Tell Leon I didn't forget.
I stop breathing.
I read it again.
Tell Leon I didn't forget.
I look toward my bedroom door.
Then back at my phone.
Because suddenly I understand something.
Lena isn't just someone from Leon's past.
She's still watching.
And she remembers everything.
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