Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

Mr. Hall nods. “You see, it’s been brought to our attention that you’re rumored to be one of the writers of the leaked confessions.”

Fuck.

I knew this would come back to bite me in the ass. I just didn’t know when. The school did everything in its power to bury what happened. I ran back home in pieces the day Brie spread the confessions everywhere, but Dia said there wasn’t so much as one copy left in the entire school by lunchtime.

Of course it was too late by then.

Students were already intrigued.

Invested in our fucked-up secrets.

“Is that true? Are you Love?” Mr. Hall asks.

I don’t answer, biting the inside of my cheek and peeking at Principal Emery hiding in the corner like a coward.

“As I’m sure you can understand, parents are not happy with us. Many are accusing us of having lost control of our students. They say this Zac and Love nonsense has distracted their kids from their studies. We’re under fire here, Miss Harper.”

I still don’t say a word.

“People want names. They want whoever’s responsible for this to take accountability.”

“And you think I’m responsible?” I question.

Mr. Hall sighs a discouraged sigh.

“We know, Aveena. Drop the act.”

I frown. “What act?”

“We know you released the confessions. And we know you made the Facebook group.”

My jaw plummets to my feet.

“You think I did this?” I shriek.

The worst part is, even if I wanted to prove to them I wasn’t the admin by bringing up the group settings, Brie was smart enough to make a fake account so that no one could trace it back to her.

Mr. Hall pauses for a long moment.

“Brielle Randall came clean. She told us she overheard you talking and you almost broke her nose to keep her quiet.”

I’m smoking with rage.

Of course they’d believe that Malibu Barbie over me. They’d believe a talking monkey if he said the right thing, anything to save their own ass and please the angry parents.

“Why would I ever do that?” I snap. “The confessions were humiliating. They ruined my life.”

“Did they? To me, it looks an awful lot like they—what’s the expression—put you on the map,” Mr. Hall counters.

I’m completely baffled.

“You think I did this for attention?” Tears fill my eyes.

“Miss Randall pointed out you’ve always been quite the loner and you don’t have many friends.”

“If I wanted to make friends, I’d talk to people. Not destroy my own reputation. You’re wrong. Brielle did this. She released the confessions. She made the Facebook group.”

“Look, Aveena… High sch