Chapter 7 - THEY TURNED THE WHOLE SCHOOL AGAINST HER
By morning, Lila Mercer’s name was everywhere.
News sites.
Parent forums.
Social media.
Anonymous accounts posted accusations.
SHE CHEATED.
SHE THREATENED PEYTON.
SHE LIED ABOUT BEING POOR.
SHE PRETENDED TO BE A SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT FOR ATTENTION.
One post included Lila’s photograph.
Another included Claire’s death.
A comment read:
Maybe her mother would be ashamed.
Elliot had the post removed within minutes.
Lila had already seen it.
She sat at the kitchen island staring at nothing.
“Give me your phone.”
Elliot said.
“No.”
“Lila.”
“No.”
“I don’t want you reading this.”
“That doesn’t make it disappear.”
He stopped.
She looked at him.
“You keep trying to hide the ugly part from me.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“I know.”
“But everyone else keeps using the ugly part because they think I won’t fight back.”
Elliot stared at his daughter.
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to go to school.”
“No.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Dad.”
“The building was set on fire while you were inside.”
“I know.”
“Someone threatened you.”
“I know.”
“Now people are publishing your picture.”
“I know.”
“So no.”
Lila stood.
“If I stay home, they win.”
“This is not a movie.”
“I know.”
“Bravery doesn’t mean walking into danger to prove something.”
“And fear doesn’t get to make every decision either.”
Silence.
Elliot almost smiled.
Claire again.
Always Claire.
He compromised.
Lila returned with security nearby.
Not beside her.
Nearby.
Ashbury reopened under an interim administrator.
Dr. Reed was still suspended.
But the atmosphere had changed.
Students stared openly.
Whispers followed Lila.
At her locker, someone had taped a printed article to the door.
MERCER BILLIONAIRE TARGETS PRIVATE SCHOOL AFTER DAUGHTER’S DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS.
Across the article, someone had written:
LIAR.
Lila ripped it down.
A teacher approached.
“Lila.”
“What?”
“You need to report vandalism.”
“I am.”
“Then please calm down.”
Lila stared at her.
“I am calm.”
The teacher looked uncomfortable.
“Your tone—”
“My locker says liar.”
“I understand.”
“No.”
Lila stepped closer.
“You understand my tone.”
“You still don’t understand the locker.”
Several students stopped to listen.
The teacher left.
Sophie appeared.
“Hey.”
Lila looked at her.
Sophie had been one of Peyton’s friends.
One of the girls who laughed.
“Hey.”
“I told investigators everything.”
“Okay.”
“I told them about the bathroom.”
Lila stopped.
“What bathroom?”
Sophie went pale.
“You don’t remember?”
Lila’s stomach tightened.
“Remember what?”
Sophie swallowed.
“Last month.”
“When Peyton locked you in.”
Lila froze.
Memories returned.
The girls taking her backpack.
Peyton shoving her inside a bathroom stall.
The lights going out.
Hands pounding against the door.
Laughter.
She had blocked part of it.
Sophie looked sick.
“You were in there almost two hours.”
“I remember.”
“Reed found you.”
Lila nodded slowly.
“He told me the lock was broken.”
Sophie shook her head.
“It wasn’t.”
“What?”
“Peyton gave him the key.”
Lila stopped breathing.
“Why would he lie?”
“Because he knew.”
Sophie’s eyes filled.
“He knew before he opened the door.”
Lila felt the hallway tilt.
“He knew I was in there?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
Sophie started crying.
“Almost the whole time.”
Lila stared.
Across the hall, a security camera blinked.
She turned.
“You recorded it?”
Sophie hesitated.
Then pulled out her phone.
“I recorded part of it.”
The video showed Peyton and Ava standing outside the locked bathroom.
Lila screamed from inside.
“Please let me out!”
Peyton laughed.
Then Dr. Reed walked around the corner.
Lila expected him to react.
He didn’t.
He looked at Peyton.
“How long?”
“Forty minutes.”
Reed sighed.
“That’s enough.”
Peyton frowned.
“My dad said—”
Reed cut her off.
“I said that’s enough.”
He unlocked the bathroom.
Then whispered:
“Next time, no hallway cameras.”
Lila’s blood went cold.
Sophie said:
“I was afraid to show anyone.”
Lila looked at her.
“Why now?”
“Because they’re calling you a liar.”
Sophie wiped her eyes.
“And I helped them.”
Lila took the phone.
“Send this to my dad.”
Sophie did.
Then a voice came from behind them.
“You really can’t stop, can you?”
Peyton stood at the end of the hallway.
Her eyes were red.
Her mother stood beside her.
Victoria Whitmore looked at Lila with pure hatred.
“You’ve destroyed enough.”
Lila stared.
“I destroyed?”
Victoria stepped closer.
“My husband is missing.”
“My daughter is being investigated.”
“My family is being dragged through the press.”
Lila’s voice shook.
“I didn’t tell Peyton to lock me in a bathroom.”
Victoria ignored her.
“You should have left when people made it clear you weren’t welcome.”
Students around them went silent.
Lila stared at the adult woman saying what the children had said for months.
Then she understood where Peyton learned it.
“You knew.”
Victoria’s face changed.
“What?”
“You knew what she was doing.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Peyton told me your husband kept asking if I quit.”
Victoria looked at Peyton.
Peyton lowered her head.
Lila continued.
“You knew.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Be very careful.”
“No.”
Lila’s eyes filled.
“You be careful.”
“My dad isn’t here right now.”
“And you still don’t scare me.”
Victoria slapped her.
The hallway exploded.
Lila stumbled sideways.
Sophie screamed.
Security rushed forward.
Victoria froze.
She seemed unable to believe what she had done.
Lila touched her cheek.
Then looked directly at the nearest security camera.
For the first time in weeks, she smiled.
“Good.”
Victoria stared.
“What?”
May you like
Lila’s voice was quiet.
“You finally did it where the camera works.”
