Chapter 7
1159 Words
Lila POV
“Post it.”
Mia held her phone out, eyes bright.
“Are you sure? Kaden’s dad could kill you if he finds out.”
I took the phone.
My finger hovered over the upload button.
Thirty seconds of Keira and Kaden, too close, too quiet.
Not proof.
But close enough.
I smiled.
“Then he’ll have to kill me fast.”
I hit post.
The video went live to St. Claire’s private group chat in under a second.
Ten seconds later, Mia’s phone buzzed.
Then mine.
Then everyone’s.
“OMG is that real?”
“Knew it. Step-siblings are always like that.”
“Keira’s so fake.”
Good.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and walked toward the main hall.
Let them talk.
Let them doubt her.
That’s all I needed.
---
“Did you see it?”
Two juniors passed me, whispering, eyes wide.
I didn’t stop.
I didn’t need to.
The hallway was alive today.
More alive than it had been all term.
People weren’t bored anymore.
They had something to dissect.
“Excuse me.”
I nudged past a group blocking the stairs.
One of them jumped, like I’d startled them.
“Lila,” one girl said.
“Is it true? About Keira and Kaden?”
I stopped.
Turned.
Looked her dead in the eye.
“What do you think?”
She blinked.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Exactly,” I said.
And walked on.
---
First period was English.
Keira wasn’t there.
Kaden was.
Sitting in his usual seat, jaw tight, staring at the desk like it had insulted him.
He hadn’t looked at me once since I walked in.
Good.
That meant it hurt.
Ms. Carter started attendance.
When she called Keira’s name, the room went quiet.
“No response,” Ms. Carter said, frowning.
“Anyone know where she is?”
No one answered.
I kept my face blank.
Inside, I was counting.
Two day gone.
One more, and the rumors would be too big to fix.
Then Keira would quit.
Or get expelled.
Either way, she’d be gone.
The bell rang.
I stood up.
Mia fell into step beside me.
“So? Did it work?”
“Check the group,” I said.
She did.
Her eyes widened.
“It’s at 2k views. And comments are insane.”
“Good,” I said.
We reached the courtyard.
Students were huddled in clusters, watching the video on repeat.
Some looked angry.
Some looked excited.
None of them looked like they believed Keira was innocent.
Perfect.
“Do you think she’ll come back?” Mia asked.
“Not if she’s smart,” I said.
Kaden was across the courtyard.
Talking to Max
Low voice, sharp gestures.
He looked pissed.
He saw me watching.
His eyes narrowed.
I smiled.
Let him hate me.
Hate meant I was winning.
---
Lunch was chaos.
The cafeteria was louder than usual.
Phones were out on every table.
Keira’s name was everywhere.
I sat with Mia and the others at our usual table.
Didn’t touch my food.
Didn’t need to.
Watching the fallout was better.
“Do you think Kaden will say something?” Mia asked.
“He won’t,” I said.
“If he does, he admits it’s real.”
Mia nodded, impressed.
“You’re good at this.”
I shrugged.
“I just tell the truth.
Or the version of it that matters.”
Across the room, I saw Max stand up.
He walked straight toward me.
I didn’t move.
“Hey,” he said, stopping at my table.
His voice was low.
“You need to take that down.”
I tilted my head.
“Why?”
“Because it’s not fair,” he said.
“Keira didn’t do anything.”
I laughed.
“Then why did she look like she wanted him to kiss her?”
Max flushed.
“That’s not—”
“That’s what it looked like,” I cut in.
“And that’s all people need.”
Max clenched his jaw.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Lila.”
I leaned forward.
“So are you.
Careful, Max. People might start thinking you like her too.”
His face went red.
He walked away.
Mia let out a low whistle.
“Damn. You’re cold.”
“I’m smart,” I said.
---
By third period, the video had hit 5k views.
It was also on t****k.
Someone had reposted it with the caption:
“St. Claire’s golden boy and the new girl. Not so innocent after all.”
It had 20k views in an hour.
I watched the numbers climb during History.
Mr. Davies was talking about the Civil War.
I wasn’t listening.
History was happening right here.
My phone buzzed under the desk.
Unknown number.
Unknown:
Stop this. Now.
I deleted it without reading again.
Probably Kaden.
Probably Keira.
Didn’t matter.
They were reacting.
That meant I was in control.
---
After school, I waited by the gate.
I didn’t have to wait long.
Kaden came out first.
Alone.
No Keira.
His face was set, eyes hard.
He saw me.
Walked straight over.
“You’re done,” he said.
I smiled.
“Am I?”
He grabbed my arm.
Not hard enough to hurt.
Just enough to make a point.
“Take it down,” he said.
“Now.”
I pulled my arm free.
“Or what? You’ll hit me?
Go ahead, Kaden.
Let’s give them another video.”
His jaw tightened.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I said.
“I’m fixing this school.
Getting rid of people who don’t belong.”
“Keira belongs here more than you,” he said.
I laughed.
“Then why is she hiding?”
That shut him up.
For a second, I saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
Good.
“Last chance, Lila,” he said.
“Delete it, or I will.”
“How?” I asked.
“You don’t even know who posted it.”
He stepped closer.
“I know you did.”
I didn’t deny it.
I didn’t need to.
“You can’t prove anything,” I said.
“And even if you could, it’s already too late.”
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
He glanced at it.
His face went white.
“What?” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
He just turned and ran toward the parking lot.
Mia appeared beside me, out of breath.
“What happened?”
I checked my phone.
The group chat was exploding.
Someone had posted a screenshot.
A message from Keira’s account.
“Leave me alone. I’m not coming back.”
I stared at it.
It looked real.
The timing was perfect.
“Did you do that?” Mia asked.
I didn’t answer.
Because if Keira quit now…
I won.
I looked toward the parking lot.
Kaden’s car was gone.
I smiled.
One down.
- Writer
