Chapter 1: The Story He Told Me
“My son is being bullied, and nobody at this school seems to care.””
Those were the words I shouted across Principal Bennett’s office before I even took off my coat.
For three days, Miles had come home from Jefferson Middle School with red eyes and a story that made my blood boil.
Ariana.
That was the name he kept repeating.
“She follows me around.””
“She tells people I’m weird.””
“She makes everyone laugh at me.””
On the first night, I had hugged him.
On the second, I had called the school.
By the third, I was standing in the principal’s office, ready to demand consequences.
Principal Bennett remained unusually calm.
“Mrs. Harris, please sit down.””
“I don’t want to sit down,” I said.
“I want to know why a twelve-year-old girl has been allowed to torment my son for three days.””
Miles sat beside me, staring at the carpet.
Principal Bennett glanced at him.
“Miles, is that what happened?””
“Yes,” Miles muttered.
I reached for his shoulder.
“You don't have to be afraid anymore. Your mother is here.””
Ariana was sitting across the room.
She looked nothing like the bully I had imagined.
Her shoulders were hunched. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around the straps of an old backpack. Her sneakers were scuffed at the toes.
She didn't look at Miles.
Principal Bennett opened a folder.
“Before we discuss Ariana's behavior, I need to ask you something.””
“Fine.””
“Why did Ariana stop sitting with Miles at lunch?””
I frowned.
“Because she was bullying him, apparently.””
Ariana finally looked up.
Her eyes were wet.
“No,” she whispered.
“I stopped sitting with him because I was tired of being humiliated.””
Miles rolled his eyes.
“Here we go.””
I turned sharply.
“Miles.””
“She’s making it sound worse than it was.””
Principal Bennett leaned forward.
“How was it?””
Miles shrugged.
“I made a joke.””
“What kind of joke?”” I asked.
He said nothing.
Ariana wiped beneath one eye.
“He called my clothes ‘Goodwill fits.’”
My stomach tightened.
Miles looked at me.
“It was funny.””
“No,” Ariana said softly.
“It wasn't.””
Miles scoffed.
“You laughed at my jokes before.””
“Because everyone else was laughing.””
“And now you're suddenly offended?””
“I was always offended.””
The room went quiet.
Principal Bennett pushed another sheet across his desk.
“Six students have reported similar incidents involving Miles.””
I stared at the names.
Six.
Not one.
Not Ariana.
Six.
My face grew hot.
“Miles, is this true?””
“They're exaggerating.””
“Are they?””
He wouldn't answer.
Then Ariana reached into her backpack.
“I have something.””
Principal Bennett looked concerned.
“Ariana, you don't have to show us anything you aren't comfortable showing.””
She pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“My mom found this on my locker.””
She opened it.
It was a photograph of her mother pushing a cleaning cart through an office hallway.
Across the picture, someone had written:
*LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. TRASH BELONGS WITH TRASH.*
I couldn't breathe for a second.
“Miles,” I whispered.
He stared at the floor.
“Did you do this?””
“No.””
“Did you know about it?””
He swallowed.
“I don't know.””
Principal Bennett turned his laptop toward me.
“We reviewed the security footage.””
The video showed Miles walking down the hallway with two boys.
He stopped beside Ariana's locker.
One boy laughed.
Miles reached toward the locker.
I watched him tape something to it.
My hand went cold.
“That’s my son,” I whispered.
“I know,” Principal Bennett said.
He paused the footage.
“There’s more.””
He opened another file.
“This is a message Miles sent afterward.””
I leaned closer.
The first sentence made my heart drop.
*If Ariana tells anyone, my mom will make sure her mom loses her job.*
I looked at Miles.
“What does this mean?””
His face crumpled.
“Mom, I didn't write that.””
“You did.””
“I didn't!””
“Then who did?””
Miles began crying.
For the first time in three days, I didn't immediately reach for him.
Instead, I asked quietly, “How did you get the photograph of Ariana's mother?””
Miles shook his head.
“I didn't take it.””
“Then who did?””
He looked toward Principal Bennett's closed office door.
His lips trembled.
May you like
Then he whispered a name.
And every bit of anger inside me suddenly turned into fear.
