Chapter 6: V

I almost threw my phone across the room after spending a good thirty seconds trying to click on the, what felt like, tiny Instagram button. My hands were shaking so much due to nerves I could hardly keep a firm hold on the small device.

Once I managed to open up the app, I clicked on the first popular girls account I saw and scrolled through her followers to try and locate Cole. It took a few minutes but I finally found it and opened up his page, almost gagging when I saw the second most recent picture.

It had the same background as the real image, and it was still me and Ash. Only, we weren't in the same positions as what we actually were that night.

He was the one against the wall this time, and my forehead was resting on his chest while my hands had somehow been made to seem as if they were at his waist, and more specifically, one in a belt loop while the other had said studded piece of leather in my hands.

Whoever made this clearly knew what they were doing, and I suspected one of the photography or computer nerds had been paid to do the job, as it looked completely real. They made him look angered, and made me appear to be doing things I hadn't and would never do.

I clenched my jaw, ignoring the stinging pain shooting through it due to yesterday's events, and infuriated tears pooled in my eyes.

How? Why? Who?

I wanted to scream, punch a wall, run away and never return.

I wanted to vanish off the face of the Earth.

I couldn't bring myself to look through any more of the degrading, derogatory comments after seeing only a small amount of the things they were saying.

Most of them I wouldn't be able to repeat out loud.

"River, sorry I took so long, I have your h- oh gosh! What happened?" My mum walked in at that moment, just in time to see me practically choked on the tears due to the lack of oxygen I was able to take in.

My body shook violently but I managed to move my phone out of the way before she could see it, deciding that lying would probably be the better option here.

"H-hurts." I wrapped my arms around myself, suggesting it was the bruised area I was talking about, but I could tell she didn't believe me for a second

Her smile was full of sorrow as she sat next to me, carefully placing the cup down on the table.

As she ran a hand through my hair, my sobs slowly began to die down, her warmth calming me.

I felt stupid just laying there, wrapped in my mothers arms. I should be stronger than this, it was just a picture after all.

Yet for some reason, telling myself I was weak just made me cry more.

"Shh, baby it's okay. I'm here." Her voice was soothing as I leant back into her, my head on her shoulder. She brushed her thumb over my cheek while whispering calming things, her motherly charms working magic on my jittery nerves.

I drifted off into a peaceful sleep right there and then, tear stains decorating my cheeks and my lips quivering.

Somehow I had fallen asleep after all of that.

I'm telling you, mothers are magical creatures.

No, scratch that.

They're gods.

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The rest of the weekend passed unbelievably fast as I spent one half of it sleeping and the other playing a variety of PS4 games.

My parents wouldn't allow me to go outside for more than five minutes at a time as they deemed it was 'too dangerous' and I would fall and hurt myself more.

Let's be real, I most likely would.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was, I was stood staring at the door as if it was about to kill me, my pale, mint green hoodie drowning my torso while the black jeans accentuated every curve I possessed.

Even the 'bad' ones, like my not completely flat stomach and the slightly-too-thick thighs I possessed.

Surprise, I'm not perfect; far from it actually.

I shifted my weight uncomfortably between my left and right side, both backpack straps held tightly between my long, thin fingers. My breathing was unevenly ragged, and I felt panic consuming me.

"Honey, you need to go. I know you're nervous but if anything happens, tell someone and I can come to get you."

It was the Monday morning following Fridays incident, and after the picture Cole posted had been shared around the entire school, I was beyond nervous.

My hands were trembling but I tried to give a smile, not wanting my parents to worry more than necessary.

"Y-Yep, thanks mum. See you tonight." I reached for the handle and twisted it lightly, pulling the door open once it clicked.

"I'll make you your favourite noodles tonight!" She sang as I stepped outside, and I let out a soft laugh before giving her a kind smile.

It's okay Riv, you'll be fine. Lila and Harry will both be there for you and James is suspended for the moment.

There's nothing to worry about.

So as I walked in the general direction of hell, I plugged my earphones in and randomised my playlist, resulting in a variety of songs by an even wider variety of people.

I wasn't really paying attention as I walked down the side of the road, and I shrieked as my body came into contact with something hard and tall.

I felt wind messing up my hair as I went stumbling backwards, yet just as I lost my stability, someone grabbed my forearm and steadied me.

After blinking a few times, I straightened the glasses which were lightly placed on my nose as I had just been reading a sign, needing them to make it clear and couldn't be bothered to remove them after.

I coughed sheepishly as a suddenly blush spread over my cheeks, embarrassed about what just happened. "H-heh... thanks Alec."

"No problem River." An awkward silence hung in the air as we both felt as if it was too rude to leave but difficult to stay.

"Hey... you know that, er, picture?" Alecs voice was kind but I still winced, somehow hoping that everyone would miraculously forget all about it.

"Yeah, I don't really want to t-" I started only for him to cut me off desperately.

"Oh, no! That's not what I mean. I-I'm trying to say, I've seen both. And... I don't think you would do that."

I stood, slightly angling my head up to see his face, with an unbelieving expression.

"Please don't mess with me Alec, I can't deal with any more of it." I whispered, throat closing up with emotion after being reminded of the second fake image.

"I'm not, I promise. I know it's difficult to believe as I'm friends with Ash, Cole and James, but I'm not the same as them. And I know you wouldn't do that to anyone, so I plan on trying to help you. If you want me to that is."

I couldn't help but feel suspicious, yet his expression was sincere and he had never done anything to try and hurt me.

Plus, I needed all the help I could get considering the situation I was in.

"Okay, fine. But I swear to god if you try anything, I won't have a problem with punching you." I threatened, and he just nodded in reply.

"I have to go, but I'll see you soon." I said calmly, beginning to walk in a direction different to the one he would.

"Of course, bye." He smiles softly and I returned the gesture.

"Bye." I called back over my shoulder before swiftly attaching my earphones again and continuing to listen to 'I Found' by Amber Run.

I can't decide whether I trust him or not.

Seems a little suspicious of you ask me.

I walked for around ten minutes before I noticed two familiar silhouettes in the distance who almost instantly began running in my direction.

They were the only thing that could make me turn off my music.

I beamed as I saw them come closer before we finally slammed together into a tight group hug, the pain being obliterated by the giggles and laughs.

"Rivvy! Welcome back." Lila smiled widely and I laughed in return, my happiness unfaltering.

"It was weird without you." Harry added with a slight laugh.

"I know, I'm just that amazing. Anyway, I have tea sisters. Who wants a sip?" I smiled smugly, leaning my head into the middle of the triangle we made which had an effect of causing them to do the same.

"Spill it."

"Okay so, I may have walked into Alec Parker on the way here, but just wait. He said he didn't believe I would do something like that, and also said that we would help us." I spoke all in one breath, gasping by the end of it.

The other two looked at me with the same dodgy smirk and knowing expression, causing me to return the look before all three of us burst out laughing.

"In all seriousness though, that's amazing! One out of the four is now on our side, now we just need a couple more." Lila thought aloud and I sighed.

"There's no way any of the other three are going to betray the group. I'm sorry Li, but this is the best bet we have."

The mood dampened as I spoke the words that everyone knew were true.

There was no point going after Ash, Cole or James, and that meant that most of the school wouldn't listen to us over them.

Object 'get the truth known' was not going to be an easy task, we knew that.

We had to try though.

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I saw Alec in second period English and he told me to meet him in the art room at lunch, which I obviously accepted on the condition that I could bring the other two losers along.

He agreed and then we went our separate ways, but we had to make sure it didn't look suspicious how we were suddenly talking, so I initiated the conversation by dropping my pencils so he would help me retrieve them.

I know, I'm so smart.

Anyway, skip all the boring classes and we arrived at the art room in the attic that rarely ever gets used. It was only known by those people who took art as a GCSE my year and before because they were the only ones who were able to use it in the first place, before it was abandoned that is.

As lunch started, the three of us walked to the room and found Alec already waiting there with his arms crossed and a vacant expression on his face.

"Hey, what did you want us for?" Lila looked at him suspiciously as we entered the room, eyebrow raised and hands on her hips.

He jumped slightly as the silent atmosphere was shattered, but smiled when he saw that it was just us.

"Okay, I have an idea, but it's not going to be easy. And it might not be safe." He spoke warily, somewhat afraid that Lila would pounce at him if he made a wrong move.

"Yeah? Tell." Harry added and I gave a quizzical look.

"So... you can't tell anyone, but Ash has kissed a guy other than you before-"

"WHAT?" Lila and I shouted simultaneously, eyes wide and mouths hanging open from shock, while Harry just scrunched his nose in confusion.

"Shh! Only me and a couple of others know about it, so if you tell anyone I'm dead meat. It was fairly similar circumstances as he was angered, and I think when he's truly mad, he can't control his emotions so he does whatever feels right at that moment in time. Like I said, no one else knows and I'm already risking my rep by telling you, but I wanted to help." He looked desperate and doubtful as he finished his speech, yet the ideas in our minds were radiating around the room, and he suddenly let out a laugh.

"You three look like psychopaths." He looked amused as he leant back against the wall, all of us laughing along with him.

"Oh, we are psychopaths. But you just gave us a great idea." I clapped my hands together excitedly, eyes wild and whole body buzzing.

"We make him angry when they're on their own, and either record what happens or make sure people walk in when he kisses him." Lila squealed and jumped around energetically.

"This is presuming he does. After what happened at the party, he's going to be on edge. Especially around River." Harry spoke softly, and you could almost see the cogs turning in his mind as he tried to find a solution.

Everyone thought for a moment, silence ringing through the room, when I suddenly had an ingenious idea.

"Hey guys, I think it's about time me and Ash had a nice little chat."

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Do you trust Alec? And what do you think Rivers idea might be?

Thank you so much for reading and please vote if you enjoyed!

See you soon~

- Storm 🌹