That’s like half the school.
There’s also a Twitter account dedicated to anonymous tip-offs. Its username? @FindZacAndLoveTips. The third screenshot Dia sent me displays a post in the Facebook group. It hoards speculations about Zac and Love’s identities, lengthy paragraphs packed with insults detailing why we’re the worst people on earth. Especially Love.
Well, me.
My throat tightens painfully as I skim over the comments.
“Love is such a whore. Think she’s taking clients?”
“Backstabbing bitch. She should be ashamed of herself.”
“Slut. No wonder someone close to her killed himself.”
Don’t cry.
They don’t know the whole story.
They don’t know you.
Names of potential candidates for Zac and Love keep piling up in the comment section, but none of them are accurate…
Except for one comment.
Brie’s comment.
Brielle Randall:My money is on Aveena Harper for Love. Didn’t her dad commit suicide? Also, anyone else notice she conveniently stopped showing up at school when the confessions came out? And why isn’t she in this group? That’s kind of suspicious. Just saying…
But the real horror? Her comment racked up a hundred and sixty likes. The majority agrees. The third picture Dia sent me exposes other people’s replies to Brie’s accusation.
Theodore Cox: No way. Aveena would never do shit like sleep with her sister’s boyfriend. Have you met her? She’s as close as you can get to a saint.
Axel Fletcher: I wouldn’t be surprised if she had tbh. Girl always came across like she was hungry for dick.
Finley Richards: @AxelFletcher, @BrielleRandall Will you two shut the fuck up? Aveena isn’t Love.
Lacey Mattson:I’m with Brie on this one. Aveena’s looking REAL shady here. Omg, can you imagine? Miss Goody Two Shoes screwing her sister’s man? TEAAA.
Diamond Mitchell: @AxelFletcher You’re a fucking pig. And @BrielleRandall, @LaceyMattson, the only reason Aveena isn’t in this group is because she’s at home RESTING. She’s sick. Stop reaching.
I don’t even get the chance to appreciate Dia sticking up for me before a hurricane of questions traps me in its eye. How does Brie know about my dad? Very few people at school know about that night. I was nine when it happened, years away from enrolling into Easton, and it’s not like I went around school blabbing about my childhood trauma.
Did she look into me?
My phone chimes with a new text, snapping me back to reality. It’s Dia again.
Dia: Vee, I have to ask… Is it true?
Are you Love?
I wrestle with the idea of telling her for five minutes and come to the conclusion that I can’t navigate this storm alone. I need to tell someone. And I can’t think of a better person than my oldest friend.
Aveena: Yes, I am.
Dia starts typing out a reply immediately, and I cradle my knees against my chest, awaiting her answer.
“Vee?” A loud succession of knocks rattles my bedroom door. I recognize Ashley’s voice. Mom isn’t home yet, which is weird considering she’s usually downstairs ordering dinner by now. She doesn’t cook, remember?
“Yeah?” I yawn.