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Principal Walker leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. "Alright, guys, we need to have a serious talk. Mr. Kingsbury here has brought some concerns to my attention, and I want to hear your side of the story."
The kids exchanged glances, their feet shuffling under their chairs. Finally, the lanky boy from before spoke up. "It's not a big deal, Mr. Walker. We were just messing around."
I raised an eyebrow, my voice steady. "Messing around with what, exactly?"
The boy squirmed, his eyes darting to his friends for support. "You know, making fake dating profiles. Pretending to be someone else online. It's just a joke."
Principal Walker's brow furrowed, his tone growing serious. "A joke? Boys, do you realize how serious this is? Impersonating someone online, especially an adult, is not only inappropriate but potentially illegal."
The kids seemed to shrink in their seats, the gravity of the situation sinking in. I leaned forward, my gaze intense. "Is that what happened to me? Did one of you create a fake profile in my name?"
Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Finally, one of the other boys spoke up, his voice trembling. "We didn't do it, Mr. Kingsbury. I swear. But we... we know who did."
Principal Walker and I exchanged a look, our suspicions confirmed. He turned back to the students, his voice firm. "Alright, I want names. And I want the truth. All of it."
The next hour was a flurry of confessions and apologies, the kids tripping over themselves to explain what they knew. It turned out that creating fake profiles to catfish and humiliate adults was a popular "prank" among certain groups of students. They'd pick a target, usually a teacher or someone in authority, and create a dating profile in their name. Then they'd sit back and watch the chaos unfold.
As I listened to their stories, I felt a mix of anger and disappointment. These were kids I'd taught, kids I'd trusted. And yet, they'd been part of something so cruel, so damaging.
Principal Walker assured me that the students involved would be dealt with appropriately, that their parents would be notified, and consequences would be handed out. He apologized profusely for the way I'd been treated and for the way the school had initially handled the situation.
I nodded, accepting his apology even as my mind raced with questions. Something about this whole thing didn't sit right with me. It felt too targeted, too personal to be just a random prank.
As I left Principal Walker's office, my thoughts were a tangled mess. I knew I should feel relieved that the truth had come out, that the kids responsible were being held accountable, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this story, that the real mastermind behind the fake profile was still out there.
I thought back to the whispered conversations I'd overheard, the furtive glances and guilty looks. There was something they weren't telling me, something they were afraid to say.
I was determined to find out what it was.
I headed back to my classroom, my jaw set with determination. I knew I couldn't let this go, couldn't just write it off as a teenage prank gone wrong. If these kids were to be believed, they only messed with random strangers, not people they knew.
As dumb, dangerous, and cruel as what they were doing was, these kids weren’t stupid. They knew better than to pull a stunt like this close to home.
Whoever was blackmailing me with these pictures was closer to home, which left me with two guesses: Valerie or Natasha.
All that would have to wait, because my phone lit up with text from Pat: The baby is coming!
25
MOLLY
Amy's in labor.
I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face like I was a kid on Christmas morning when I saw Jake's text. I mean, hello! Baby alert! This was exciting stuff.
"Okay, spill. What's got you smiling like the Cheshire Cat?" Becca asked, her eyebrows raised as she took a bite of her lunch.
"Jake just texted me. Amy's in labor!" I practically squealed, bouncing in my seat.
"Aww, that's amazing! How's she doing?" Becca's face softened,; her own excitement clear.
"I'm not sure, but I'm definitely going to see if I can bring her anything after work. You know, just to show some support."
Becca's eyes glinted with mischief as she winked at me. "Hey, maybe you'll be the next one popping out a little bundle of joy."
Laney, bless her heart, kicked Becca under the table, making her yelp. "What was that for?"
"Stop it," Laney warned, her tone serious.
