Tiffany was yelling that it was a mistake.
The cops ignored her, putting her in the car.
I hugged a cop, acting scared, but I was
L
smiling. I made eye contact with Tiffany, who
was stunned, I made sure she got the
message.
They’d all been played.
Before they took me away, I saw a figure in
the shadows.
I smiled, heading to the station to make a
statement.
First, I turned over the recording of Brad from
the night before and the recording I had from
the alley.
With my tears and the evidence, the cops
knew the truth.
“So, they bullied you, forced you to hurt
yourself, right?”
“Yes.”
I nodded, trying to look vulnerable.
The alley had no security cameras. The
stories all aligned with my recording, and the
police wouldn’t take anyone’s word that I was
lying.
The men went to jail, and the girls got
probation.
As for Tiffany.
Her mom showed up at the station.
She wanted to attack me, but the cops
stopped her.
Her mom offered me two million dollars to
drop the charges.
I signed the papers, glad to take the money.
I wasn’t done with them yet.
We left the police station, her mom looked at
me like I was trash.
“You’re just ad digger from the sticks.
You wanted money so you tried to take down
my daughter? Here, take it! And if my
daughter wants to hurt you, you better take
it!”
She threw a wad of cash at me.
As they walked away, I couldn’t help but
laugh.
L
7
Back at home, I was on my phone.
A red light popped up, the recorder was
transmitting.
I put on my headphones, and there they were
again, but they were fighting this time.
Tiffany: “What the hell happened? What kind
of crazy person did you set me up with this
time?”
Brad: “Isn’t it fun? Just like before. This is
going to be good.”
Tiffany: “You didn’t! I can’t believe you said
that. We’re in this together.”
L
Brad: “Listen to me. You can’t beat her. I’ll
find another toy for you.”
“Are you serious? Have you fallen for that
bitch?”
Brad: “Tiffany. You said we were in this
together. I don’t want any drama. It’s bad for
business.”
The conversation stopped.
I heard sounds like something was being
moved, then a car starting.
This had happened twice now.
What was their business?
I went back to school.
One of the girls from Tiffany’s group found
- me.
We went to the roof. She told me how
messed up her life had become.
She was from a rich family.
It all started when she argued with Tiffany.
“She hated me from the moment I caught her
stealing from me.”
“She set up my mom to sleep with my dad.
Then my mom was in the hospital. Her mom
moved in, and I became the evil step-
daughter.”
“But she still wouldn’t leave me alone! I don’t
know what else to do…”
<
She showed me the scars that she kept
hidden.
They were old and new, all over her skin.
She begged me.
“Lily, I don’t know what happened, but if you
can’t help me, I’m done.”
Her words made my heart hurt.
Yeah, if even I wouldn’t help her…
We made a deal. She handed me all her
evidence.
It was a short video, a man and woman in bed
together.
L
The woman was Tiffany’s mom.
