I need to talk to you. Call me.
April glanced at her laptop screen.
I can’t believe I donated to her stupid fundraiser. This is fraud!
Now we know whose side she’s really on.
April shut her laptop. She couldn’t look at it anymore. Moments later, she received a reply from Vicki.
Can’t talk. Busy with work.
April cursed. It’s important. Can you call me when you get a minute?
Vicki’s response was a single word. Later.
April set her phone down, her stomach roiling with unease. Sure, she’d called Vicki to warn her that the photo was out. But more than anything, April just wanted to talk to her. Of course, it was silly to expect Vicki to drop everything for her.
For the next half hour, April paced and fretted. When she finally managed to calm herself down, there was a knock on her door. For a moment, she wondered if it was Vicki. Then she realized how unlikely that was. Vicki hadn’t even called her back.
April opened the door to find Lexi standing out in the hall. In her flustered state, April had forgotten that Lexi was coming over.
“Shit,” Lexi said. “You saw the photo, didn’t you?”
April nodded.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been better,” April said. “Come on in.”
April sat back down on the couch, her legs tucked under her, as Lexi made them tea. Eliza’s tea habit had spread to everyone who worked at the library.
Lexi returned to the living room carrying two mugs. “Here.” She handed one to April and sat down next to her. “Sorry for the weird phone call. I was hoping you hadn’t seen the post yet.”
April wrapped her hands around the warm mug. “When I thought about the photo getting out, I wasn’t expecting it to show up on social media like this,” April said. “I don’t even know the woman who posted it.”
“I do,” Lexi said. “She’s city hall’s resident busybody. Works for the mayor. And we both know that the Mayor isn’t too happy that you made her look bad.”
“What, so one of her employees decided to make me look bad too? That’s so petty.” April sighed. “I don’t even care that people know about Vicki and me. I just don’t understand why everyone is being so mean.”
Lexi shrugged. “That’s the dark side of social media.”
“But these people don’t even know me! Some of them have nothing to do with the library or West Heights! Why do they even care?”
“Don’t let it get to you. They’re just sad little people hiding behind their screens who have nothing better to do than badmouth others online.
“It feels like the whole world is against me,” April said softly. “It’s like high school all over again.”
Lexi held out her arms and pulled April into a hug. “I know it feels that way. But no one who matters has seen this or thinks you’re a hypocrite. And we can fix this. I’ll help you get the photo and all the comments taken down.”
“Thanks, Lex.”
“That’s what friends are for,” Lexi replied. “You know what else will help? Takeout and a bad movie. Why don’t you order dinner while I take care of this?”
April gave her a half smile. “Okay.”
An hour later, the two of them were watching a fluffy rom-com while stuffing themselves with Chinese food. Lexi was right. It had taken April’s mind off everything.
Except for Vicki.