Jay:It’s taken down in your time, but it should still be there in mine, right?
I’m an idiot. Why didn’t I think of that?
Aleeza:Look for it.
He doesn’t respond, so I assume he’s looking. I take the opportunity to look up which professors have offices on the second floor here. Looks like they are all psychology or engineering professors. I jot down their names in my black notebook.
Jay:I found it.
Aleeza:What’s it posting?
Jay:The pictures are all random shots of birds around the city. The captions are the same unsubstantiated BS from the old Tumblr posts. Also anonymous accounts of me being a dirty player. Like I’m dating three girls at once, or I’m a serial ghoster. One says I gave someone an STI. It’s not true. This is defamation. Ugh. I should call my lawyer again.
Aleeza:I’m so sorry. What’s the account?
Jay:Birdwatcher_City. I assume the city is for Toronto City University. Someone started it six weeks ago.
I look for the site on my end, and I do find it. It’s empty, though. All the posts have been deleted. The profile picture is of a blue jay.
This is proof that Birdwatcher exists, at least. Unless this account is for, you know, actually watching birds.
Aleeza:Have you never noticed this account before?
Jay:I very rarely use social media. This is the first time I’ve logged on in weeks, except for when I checked your account a few days ago.
Aleeza:Who follows it?
Jay:76 followers. No names I recognize. Wait. Emma and Bailey. And some others I know. No one else I hooked up with.
I check who’s following the account on my end. It has about a hundred followers—none that I recognize after a brief scan, except Emma. It looks like a bunch of bots are following—there are some sketch names here. It doesn’t surprise me. A bunch of bots follow my account too.
Aleeza:I don’t recognize any of the followers.
Jay:I just followed it and put a notification on it so I’ll see if it posts again.
Aleeza:Maybe they’ll stop posting once they see that Jay Hoque is following them.
Jay:Give me some credit, Roomie. I set up a fake account. A fake account to stalk my stalker.
Aleeza:Good idea. Maybe Bailey Cressman will tell us who’s behind it. I’m glad Gracie and Aster are helping me get access to her.
Jay:Yeah, I feel like I should go knock on Gracie’s door and thank her for having my back in a few months.
Aleeza:She said you two weren’t close.
Jay:Not really. We say hello in the hallway. Canadian polite acquaintances. I know Aster a little better. Still not really friends, though. Aster and Gracie have been attached at the hip since September. Are they dating?
Aleeza:I don’t know what’s going on between them. But Gracie’s been protective of you since I moved in. At first, she actually thought I was your stalker.
Jay:Has she seen the Birdwatcher Instagram?
Aleeza:No. How does Bailey Cressman know you?
Jay:Same as Aster. I saw her at parties last year. I know what you’re thinking, but no, I didn’t hook up with her. Bailey seems ... high maintenance.
Aleeza:Otherwise you would have hooked up with her?
Jay:No.
