Chapter 2: The Name Behind It
“Who?””
My voice barely came out.
Miles kept staring at the door.
“Ethan.””
Principal Bennett's expression changed.
“Ethan Cole?””
Miles nodded.
I knew that name.
Ethan was one of Miles’s closest friends.
He had been to our house twice. I remembered him as the loud kid who always wanted soda and spent half an afternoon playing video games in Miles’s room.
I looked at my son.
“You're telling me Ethan sent you that photograph?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Monday.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Miles wiped his face with his sleeve.
“Because he'd get mad.””
Principal Bennett folded his hands.
“Miles, did Ethan tell you what he intended to do with it?””
“No.””
“Did you send it to anyone?””
Miles hesitated.
I noticed.
“Miles.””
He looked at me.
“I sent it to the group.””
My chest tightened.
“You sent it?””
“Just once.””
Ariana's eyes filled again.
Miles immediately looked away.
“I didn't know they'd post it.””
“You didn't know?”” Ariana asked.
Miles snapped.
“I said I didn't know!””
Principal Bennett raised his hand.
“Enough.””
Miles fell silent.
The principal pulled up the class group chat on his computer.
There were dozens of messages.
Pictures.
Laughing emojis.
Cruel comments about Ariana's clothes.
Someone had photographed her lunch.
Someone else had zoomed in on the leftovers.
One message said:
*Guess she brought garbage again.*
Another read:
*Maybe her mom cleaned this off someone's plate.*
I felt sick.
I looked at Miles.
“Why?””
He shrugged weakly.
“I don't know.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I wanted them to laugh!””
The words exploded out of him.
Silence followed.
Ariana looked down at her shoes.
I wanted to disappear.
Principal Bennett closed the laptop.
“This is why we asked everyone to come in.””
I stood.
“Where is Ethan?””
“His mother is on her way.””
As if summoned by the words, someone knocked.
Principal Bennett opened the door.
A woman stepped inside.
She was wearing an expensive cream-colored coat and carrying a leather handbag.
“I'm sorry,” she said.
“Traffic was awful.””
Then she saw Miles.
Her face tightened.
“What happened?””
Principal Bennett gestured toward the chair.
“Mrs. Cole, please sit.””
She sat.
“Is Ethan in trouble?””
The principal looked at her.
“Yes.””
She blinked.
“For what?””
Before he could answer, Ariana spoke.
“He sent the picture.””
Mrs. Cole looked confused.
“What picture?””
Principal Bennett rotated the laptop.
Her eyes moved across the screen.
Then she frowned.
“I don't understand.””
“This is your son,” he said.
“He took the photograph?””
“No. We believe he received it from another source.””
Mrs. Cole looked at Miles.
“Who gave it to you?””
Miles said nothing.
I felt something was wrong.
Principal Bennett had called Ethan's mother here, but he still hadn't explained where the photograph originally came from.
I asked.
“Mr. Bennett, where did Ethan get it?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he opened another file.
“This is where things become more serious.””
He clicked.
A photograph appeared.
It showed the exterior of a downtown office building.
My office building.
I recognized the glass entrance immediately.
My heart stopped.
“Why is that here?””
Principal Bennett looked directly at me.
“That photograph was sent to Ethan from an anonymous account.””
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
I stared at him.
“Three weeks?””
“Yes.””
Miles looked at me.
I could see fear spreading across his face.
Principal Bennett continued.
“The account also sent Ethan several other photographs.””
He opened them.
Ariana's mother entering the building.
Ariana's mother leaving.
Ariana's mother waiting for a bus.
And then—
A photograph of me.
Standing in the lobby of my office.
I stepped backward.
“What is this?””
Mrs. Cole leaned forward.
“Why would someone photograph you?””
“I don't know.””
Principal Bennett looked at Miles.
“Do you?””
Miles shook his head.
“No.””
“You're sure?””
“Yes.””
Then Principal Bennett opened the final message.
It had been sent to Ethan the night before.
*Tomorrow, make sure Ariana gets blamed.*
My stomach turned.
I looked at Miles.
“Whoever sent those messages knew what you were going to do.””
Miles began shaking his head.
“I didn't plan anything.””
“Then who did?””
“I don't know!””
Principal Bennett stared at him.
“Miles, you do know something.””
My son squeezed his eyes shut.
Then he whispered,
“Ethan said somebody at my mom's office told him to do it.””
I froze.
“Someone at my office?””
Miles nodded.
“And he said if I didn't help…”
He stopped.
“What?””
May you like
Miles looked at me.
“He said they'd make sure you got fired.””
