The Security Footage That Proved She Lied

Renata's POV: At our class reunion, everyone received a nude photo of me. I was completely blindsided. I immediately turned to Justin Miller, desperate to explain. "That's not me! I swear, I have no idea where that picture came from. Justin, you have to believe me..." I was on the verge of tears when Cheryl Ross suddenly burst out laughing. "Come on, Renata. Of course Justin knows it's not you. I was the one who Photoshopped it. Justin even gave me a photo of your face to use!" I froze. It took me several seconds to realize the whole thing was some sick prank. "Cheryl Ross, apologize to me. Right now!" Cheryl immediately pouted, acting as if I were the one bullying her. Justin stepped in front of her protectively. "It was just a joke, Renata. Do you seriously have to make such a big deal out of it?" I didn't answer. I just stared at Justin. He always let Cheryl get away with everything. When Cheryl smeared cake all over my face, he called it a harmless joke. When Cheryl falsely reported me for plagiarizing my thesis, he told me I had nothing to worry about if I was innocent. Even when Cheryl hit me with her car, he brushed it off as an accident and told me not to hold a grudge. I'd swallowed my anger time and time again. But now, even when my reputation was being dragged through the mud, Justin couldn't have cared less. Fine, then. If that was how he wanted it, I was done. I didn't want Justin anymore. ***** Everyone around the table immediately jumped to Cheryl's defense. "Exactly! It's just one picture. It's not like anyone actually got hurt. Renata, quit making such a scene." "Cheryl was just having a little fun. So what if she Photoshopped a picture? It's not like she sent it to the whole world." My best friend, Claire Walker, couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and snapped. "Do you people have any idea how much damage something like this could do to someone's reputation?!" Justin, who had been quiet for a while, cut her off coldly. "Do we really need to blow this so far out of proportion? Nobody even shared it outside this room!" So apparently, as long as the picture stayed within our little group, what they'd done to me didn't matter. It was so ridiculous that I actually laughed. Claire opened her mouth to argue again, but I caught her hand and shook my head. She looked furious. Leaning closer, she whispered, "You're Justin's girlfriend, Renata. Not only does he refuse to stand up for you, he's actually defending Cheryl! Seriously, Renata. Do you really think a guy like that is worth it?" No. He wasn't. It had just taken me far too long to figure that out. I forced a small smile. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Claire fell silent. And just like that, things settled down at the table. Justin even started serving me food. "That's more like it, Renata. Cheryl didn't mean any harm. You know how childish she can be. There's no point in getting worked up over someone like her." Cheryl was a grown woman in her 20s. Yet somehow, in Justin's eyes, she was still just a little kid. What a joke. I ignored him. Instead, I glanced down at the beef he'd placed on my plate. "Justin, I've told you before. I don't like beef." Cheryl was the one who loved beef. His hand paused for a split second before he carried on as if nothing had happened. Apparently, confusing his girlfriend's likes and dislikes with another woman's was no big deal. "Cheryl's been craving beef nonstop these past few days. Guess I got you two mixed up. Here, let me get you something else." He started piling my plate with food I actually liked. But no matter how much food he put on my plate, I couldn't taste a thing. By the time dinner ended, everyone had started heading home. Justin drove a two-seater convertible sports car. After sliding into the driver's seat, he glanced at me and repeated his usual line. "Wait here, okay? I'll drop Cheryl off first, then come back for you. Sound good?" He phrased it like a question. But before I could even respond, he was already calling Cheryl over to get in. I stood in the cold wind, watching Cheryl flash me a smug, taunting smile. Suddenly, I remembered the first time Justin and I had fought about this exact situation. "Renata, are you seriously doing this right now? I've told you a million times. Cheryl loves riding in a convertible. That's the only reason I keep driving this car. If it weren't for Cheryl, I'd be dead by now. You're my girlfriend. Can't you at least be understanding enough to let me drive her home first?" I still remembered the disappointment in his eyes that day. It had hurt more than I wanted to admit. So I'd learned to wait. I waited for Justin to finish taking Cheryl to the hospital before he finally went to buy me painkillers. I waited in the pouring rain while Justin picked Cheryl up before coming back with an umbrella for me. I waited while Justin drove Cheryl home before taking me to my parents' house for dinner. I'd spent three years waiting. Three years standing around, breathing in the exhaust fumes as his car disappeared down the road. But not anymore. This time, I wasn't going to wait. As soon as Justin's car pulled away, I opened a rideshare app on my phone. My ride arrived in 5 minutes. Whenever I waited for Justin, it took him at least an hour to come back. I slid into the back seat and finally texted my mom back. Renata: I've decided to take your advice. I'm coming home to work. I was leaving this city. The city I'd only stayed in because of Justin.