Repercussions

After we arrived back, Ms. Hani wasted no time in shuffling every single person back into their rooms, phones charged and on call. Her face, something out of a horror movie. Maybe that old bat could care after all.

A few girls stayed behind, talking amongst themselves in whispers–way below hearing level. Charlotte was one such girl.

Inside my room, I couldn’t help but stare at my screen. Vhub was… no! I tossed my phone to the side. Who cared what some nobodies tucked away in their parent's basement were talking about?!

Sometimes, I couldn't help but wonder. What did Charlotte do to deserve this? Astella was the perfect girl, beauty and perfection wrapped up in one. Her motives never delved beyond that desire to entertain.

Yet she was the whole internet’s target all of a sudden.

How close was I to doing the same? If Charlotte hadn’t confided in me that day, would I be one of them? Val’s advice still rang true in my head back then, the worst path I could have taken.

Maybe that's where Patrick's words lay within. In a world like that, with my mind still clouded with opportunity.

I would have lost everything

Everything about this leaker just shot up enigma after enigma. All we had was the how, not the who what or why.

Maybe they were just jealous, bored, hateful, a whole spectrum of emotions, yet the simple facts stayed the same. I’d have chucked my future down the bin if I continued down that path.

And this leaker was barreling down that same trail.

* * *

“Kaiden?” I groggily awoke to Felix leaning over my bed.

“What’s up?” My voice creaked with every word, a sign of the time. Fragments shot any coherence within my thoughts as I revved up my engine for the day. “Struggling to think without Camden to guide you along?”

“Haha. Funny. You’ve been out for over twelve hours, bro! Knocking, shaking, nothing I did roused you in the slightest! Hell, I was thirty seconds away from slamming you on the floor.”

“Can a man not get his beauty sleep? Toxic masculinity strikes again.” As the fragments broke away, coherent thoughts began to sprout. “Wait… What happened to Charlotte!?”

“She's fine,” Felix interjected. “After we arrived back, she fell straight asleep and hasn't woken up yet.”

“Thank you. How’s everyone else?”

“Not great. All the staff had some private meeting of sorts a few hours ago regarding everyone's safety. From what I’ve heard we’re heading back Friday morning, and canceling the trip into town tomorrow.”

“Why not tomorrow? Stressing over our safety then letting us loose across the campgrounds sure feels like an… ambitious move.” I asked.

“Bus couldn’t get here in time.”

“Have they tried driving faster? Listen, if I had the whole speedometer I’d use the whole speedometer.”

“You know speed limits exist, right?”

“Oh, those suggestions? A minor inconvenience if you ask me.”

“OK…” Felix rolled his eyes. “Have fun in the county jail with your minor inconvenience.”

“You only go there if they get you.”

“You’d be breaking the law bro!”

“Nothing’s illegal if you don’t get caught!” My grin stretched towards my cheeks. As Felix tried his best to counteract me–a foolish maneuver.

“That's not…”

“That’s exactly how it works. Not that you would know.”

“And you would?” Felix rolled his eyes.

“I’m wanted in forty two states, Felix.”

“Wha–”

BANG BANG BANG

Interrupting our near perfect conversation, some annoying force decided its purpose in life was to bang on our door with every bit of strength available.

“Coming!” Felix trotted towards the source with a vacant expression. As brass turned and wood creaked, Camden stood against the now open frame, arms crossed. Camden glanced around, my eyes meeting hers.

“What’s up, sleepyhead?” They walked in, collapsing on Felix’s bed.

“Last I checked, the ceiling, then we have the clouds above that, the sky, outer space, maybe the moon…”

“And above all that we got your ego, way too massive for any planet to contain.”

Damn, burn.

“Well maybe everyone else should try to match mine.” I shrugged.

“Size isn't everything, Kaiden,” Camden said, sitting up. “Anyway, I talked to Charlotte a bit ago and–”

“What did she say?” My voice burst forth like a Gatling gun, blasting past any opposition without a second's pause.

“Chill man!” The curtains flowed upon their foundation as the breeze continued to push on. “She uhh, decided to enlighten me about her streaming activities.”

“Oh.” What the hell was I supposed to say? This had been our thing, our secret, and now? First it was Camden, then Felix, the who fucking knew? One of those seven was our leaker, maybe bringing them in on everything wasn’t the best idea?

Gosh. I took a deep breath–in and out.

This wasn’t me, not anymore. No one liked a cringe fest. That's exactly why every book has a morally great main character, everyone in real life is a great person after all.

I needed to trust Charlotte! She wasn’t some object for me to order around like a doll, Charlotte could make her own, adult decisions without me bossing her around. If she decided to confess, I’d have to respect that.

After all, I wasn't some objective viewpoint within the world. Well, maybe a little objective when Charlotte wasn’t involved.

Damn, maybe Camden underestimated my ego by a long shot.

“Well, if that's the case, I might as well fill you in on our investigation.”

Both listened intently as I ventured in depth about my discovery process, narrowing the list to a mere seven classmates.

Well, make that five. If Charlotte knew enough to let Camden in, that was enough for me. It wasn’t like Felix had an original thought in his head, so might as well throw him in to boot.

“So… what now?” I asked. “Y'all got any ideas?”

“Not really, I don’t want to accuse anyone, much less a friend our ours, but facts are facts.”

“Well,” Felix interrupted, a stern look within his eyes. “I do have one idea.”