Chapter 3 – What They Saw
1103 Words
Jason sat on the edge of his bed staring at the pictures in his hands. They were grainy. Blurry. But not enough to hide the damage. He could see himself, or at least it looked like him, and Talia, lying side by side in bed, shirtless, half-asleep.
Only, he knew that moment never happened.
The sheets, the light, even the angle of his face, none of it felt right. It wasn’t his room. He’d never seen that bed before. Talia looked dazed, eyes half-open. Her lips parted slightly like she was in a dream. Whoever made this photo wanted it to feel real.
Jason’s heart pounded as he flipped to the next one. It was worse. A hand, his supposedly, holding her waist. A kiss on her shoulder.
His phone buzzed.
New message from an unknown number.
she’s a liar. you’re next.
He swallowed hard.
Outside, the school felt louder than usual. The walls seemed to vibrate. Everyone moved in packs, whispering. Some looked at him. Others just passed notes, hiding smirks behind their hands.
He kept walking.
Sean caught up with him near the locker room.
“Yo,” he said, “you seen the group chat?”
Jason didn’t answer.
Sean stepped in front of him. “Something happened?”
Jason looked him in the eye. “I got sent something.”
Sean waited.
“Photos. Of me and Talia.”
Sean frowned. “You and Talia? Like… what kind of photos?”
Jason exhaled. “Fake ones. They’re edited. I didn’t... it never happened.”
Sean stared at him. “Who sent them?”
“Private number. They want me to back off.”
Sean shook his head. “Man, people are sick.”
Jason nodded, but something inside him stayed quiet.
Later that day, in the senior hallway, Jade was at her locker. She opened it and something slipped out, a folded sheet of paper. It landed face-down on the floor.
She picked it up and looked around quickly. No one seemed to notice.
Jason saw her. From across the hall.
She opened the letter slowly, eyes narrowing as she read. Her lips moved with the words. Then something strange happened.
She smiled.
Not the fake one she gave for cameras. A real smile. Soft. Confused.
Jason tilted his head. But she didn’t see him watching.
She folded the note and slid it into her pocket.
Back in class, he tried to focus, but the whispers were louder than the teacher. He caught snatches of phrases. “That’s the guy.” “She’s crazy.” “He probably forced her.”
Jason kept his head down.
The bell rang. He waited until the room cleared out.
Talia wasn’t in any of his afternoon classes. He checked his phone. Nothing from her. No texts. No replies.
He found her near the back gate after school. She stood with her hoodie up, arms folded across her chest, eyes low.
“Talia,” he called.
She turned slowly. When she saw his face, her body stiffened.
“You saw it,” she said.
Jason nodded.
“I didn’t know they took that photo,” she said. Her voice cracked.
“It’s not real.”
“I know.”
Jason looked at her. “Then why is everyone acting like it is?”
Talia’s jaw tightened. “Because it’s easier to believe I’m guilty.”
“Guilty of what?”
She looked away. “Of ruining things. That’s what they always say.”
Jason stepped closer. “Who sent it?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know how they even got that picture.”
Jason’s chest rose and fell. “We need to tell someone.”
“They won’t care,” she said. “They didn’t care at my last school either.”
Jason stared at her. “So this happened before?”
She nodded once. “A photo. Not the same one. Different guy. Different story. Still ended the same.”
Jason felt like the ground moved under him.
“You think it’s the same person?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “But it’s always the same game.”
Jason wanted to hold her hand. He didn’t.
That night, Sean called him.
“You alright?” he asked.
“Not really.”
Sean paused. “You want me to say something to Coach?”
Jason hesitated. “You’d do that?”
“Of course,” Sean said. “You’re my boy.”
Jason didn’t know what to say. So he said nothing.
Across town, Jade sat on her bed with the letter unfolded in front of her.
It said:
You’re more than the sparkle you wear. You’re fire in disguise. One day they’ll see the real queen you are. But I already do.
It wasn’t signed.
She read it three times before slipping it into the back of her journal.
The next day, another one appeared. Same handwriting. Same perfume smell. This time, it was inside her gym bag.
Jason didn’t know about the letters.
He only knew that Coach called him into the office after practice.
“Sit down, Cruz,” Coach said.
Jason sat.
Coach rubbed his face. “We’ve got a problem.”
Jason stayed quiet.
“I got a call this morning. From one of the scouts at Oakbridge.”
Jason tensed.
“They saw the photos. Online. Said you’re no longer eligible for recruitment this season.”
Jason clenched his fists. “It’s not real.”
Coach nodded. “I believe you. But the system doesn’t.”
Jason stood. “So that’s it?”
“I didn’t say that,” Coach replied. “But we’ve got to clean this up. Fast.”
Jason left the office with his head down. The hallway spun around him. He didn’t know where he was walking. Just that his whole life was shifting beneath him.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number again.
This time, no words. Just a video file.
Jason hesitated. Then tapped play.
It was shaky. Recorded from behind a cracked door.
The video showed Talia. Sitting on the floor. Crying.
She held something sharp in her hand. A razor. Her sleeve was pulled up.
She was whispering something. Jason turned up the volume.
“I just want it to stop.”
Behind her, someone moved.
A shadow. Tall. Slow.
Watching her from the doorway.
Jason’s breath caught.
The video ended.
His phone buzzed again.
New message:
She’s lying to you. Just like she lied before.
Jason’s screen dimmed.
His hands trembled.
And this time, he didn’t know what to believe.
- Writer
