I pick up my phone again to try Dee, but I can’t ignore the other texts anymore. It’s like in Harry Potter when they destroy that locket Horcrux and all the bad shit comes flying out. I am face-to-face with an onslaught, a downpour of texts, complete with photos. From lots of people: unknown numbers and people who maybe were once my friends.

Holy shit look at this

omg I can’t believe what they did

are you ok are you ok are you ok

have you called the police

what are you going to do

are you going to school

the pic is on Instagram

they hacked that heather account

do you think its Aidan

are you ok are you ok where are you where are you are you ok

they posted it everywhere

call me are you ok

There are many people in the photos, but I can’t tell who’s who. A prone body. Shirt lifted off, fingers pointing, grabbing, the body limp, blurred. I turn it off and know that this is it. I won’t turn it back on. There is sadness like a building pressure storm, but then something else happens. It flips on itself.

I throw the covers off me and stand in front of my mirror. I take off my pajama shirt.

I look at the smeared red marker all over my body.

CRAZY BITCH

I touch the letters, then clench my hands into fists.

I look at my reflection, and suddenly, finally, she is there.

Dee.

“Where were you? I needed you.”

I’m here now, she says, my dry lips moving. I know what they did. Everything. And nothing.

She wipes the tears away.

Chapter 27

27

I do not cry again, although I do throw up two more times.

I scrub myself in the shower until my body is red and raw, but it’s having a hard time forgetting. It looks basically the same, but I know that it’s not. I get out and dry myself roughly with a towel. I can still see some of the marks on my body, but I get dressed, I cover it up.

I am not going to school. Mom called and told them I’m sick. My phone is off. Off forever. The curtains are closed. But I have lots of work to do.

Dee started the fire of vengeance that took over the school. She did it because I had no control. Because the hate, the cruelty, the violations left me without options. She gave power to the powerless. She inspired people. She taught us how to fight back. Most importantly, she’s the reason that the assholes, the thieves, will not get away with anything.

I need her, she tells me. Now more than ever. We can make them understand. We can start fresh.