Page 84 of Dark Tangled Truths
“We definitely think he’s the stalker.” I take my bag, and he claps me on the shoulder.
“Then I need the story. Let’s go to lunch.”
CHAPTER 26
EvanAnn
Mia sitswith us for lunch. When Cam finally joins us, he doesn’t have good news. The account is still active, and while he has someone trying to crack the login, there’s not much the company will do to take it down. Mia walks with me to senior acting.
“It’s not that bad, Evan.”
The page has pictures of me and the Devil’s trio. If it were just that, it would be easy to laugh off. But I read a few of the actual posts, and they were terrifying. The guys will keep me safe, but the things the poster said they wanted to do to me were graphic and violent.
A shiver creeps down my spine.
“You should tell your mom about it.” Mia walks into the classroom. “Someone’s been following you, even here at school.”
That’s the worst part. It’s not just outside pics. It’s pics in this school. Jackson couldn’t have gotten those pictures. Not on his own. Which means he either has someone here working with him, or it’s always been someone at my school. Suddenly my safe space isn’t safe at all.
When Mr. Watson walks into the room, he comes directly over to Mia and me.
“Hi, Mr. Watson.” Mia looks him up and down like he’s a snack she wants to gobble up.
“Mia,” he acknowledges, before turning to me. “EvanAnn, the faculty are aware of the page, and it’s been reported to the police since the majority of the pictures are on school property.”
“Thank you.” I’m trying not to let it get to me, but fuck. It’s like I’m already dealing with paparazzi, and this is just high school.
Mr. Watson rests his hand on my shoulder before moving to get ready for class.
“I hate to say it,” Mia says as we take our seats. “I know you think it’s Jackson, but could this be Chase? He’s been pretty fucking bitter since you dumped his ass.”
At that moment, Chase walks in with a shit-eating grin on his face. He clocks Mr. Watson before he opens his mouth though. His smug smile remains. He takes a chair next to Abby and leans in to talk to her.
Abby plays with a strand of her hair and smiles while they flirt.
“That’s so gross.” Mia makes a retching noise. She turns her back on them and focuses on me. “Seriously, though. He had to know he was losing you. Putting that shit online. Even the rose, he was there at practice. It could have been him.”
“He didn’t know about Jackson though.” No one knew about Jackson and the kiss. I kept it hidden away, trying to forget it ever happened. The first person I told was Damon.
“We should look back at the texts. Maybe they’re vague enough it’s possible you read into it what you wanted to believe.” Mia leans back in her chair. “Maybe you’ve been blaming the wrong guy all along.”
No, that’s not possible. It lines up with when Jackson found me. That obsessive look in his eyes at the game and scrimmage. Unless he was really obsessing about Mia now.
Could I have been wrong? I don’t pull out my phone. All morning I was inundated with texts. Some from people who were concerned and others who wanted to gloat and say they knew I wasn’t as good as I pretended to be. At the first threatening text, I turned my phone off. I messaged the guys first so they wouldn’t panic when they saw my phone go offline.
Senior acting flies by in a haze. I do the exercises with Mia and then leave to go to my directing block. Keira catches up with me outside the black box theater.
“Hey, boss.” She knocks her shoulder against mine. “Shit day, right?”
I blow out a breath. “Not the best. Do you think Chase could be behind everything?”
A laugh bursts out of Keira until she looks at my face. “You’re serious?”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
“I mean, Chase is a good actor and decent looking, but he’s not working with a lot of brain power. Not that it takes much to stalk someone.” Keira bites her lip. “You know what? We’re good onOthello, so let’s murder board this.”
“Murder board?” I look at her like she’s lost a few screws.
