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“You can’t prevent that,” I said, appreciative that I had her on my side.
“I know, but I want to protect you.”
My phone buzzed with a notification. I picked it up, expecting to finally hear from Sam, but it was a notification from the app I used for my videos.
“What is it?” Elle asked, her voice etched with concern.
“Probably another comment on that video you posted.” I’d gotten so many I could barely keep up with them. Most were positive, although there were a few trolls who said I was making junk. I deleted those as soon as they popped up.
I tried not to worry about comments like that. That was the pitfall of posting online. At least I was able to control it. Elle had no say in what the show filmed or aired. It was all about ratings.
When I read the comment, my heart thumped harder, and I sat next to Elle, feeling like the blood had drained from my face.
Elle touched my arm. “You’re scaring me.”
“It’s another nasty comment on the video.”
“Delete it.”
But I couldn’t. I just kept reading it over.You’re the kind of girl who likes showing videos of herself online.
It didn’t have to mean anything. It was just a random person who didn’t know me, but yet, I felt cold. I swear they were talking about something else. Like the video Jace had taken of me.
“Let me see.” Elle grabbed the phone from my hand.
I rubbed the ache forming at my temple.
“I don’t like this,” Elle said, scrolling through the comments, probably looking for others like it.
“I don’t like it either.”
“It could just be a creep, but—” Elle looked at me carefully. “You think it’s something.”
“There’s something I never told you.” I’d confided in Sam, and it was past time I told Elle.
She sighed, taking my hand. “Is this about why you left California?”
“Yes.” I moved so that my knee was between us, and I was facing her. Taking a deep breath, I decided not to sugarcoat it. “Jace filmed us together. I didn’t know there were any cameras in his room.”
“You’re serious?” Elle’s voice shook with emotion.
I needed to get this out, but I couldn’t look at her when I did. “He threatened me with it. Said he’d release it online if I didn’t convince you to return.”
Elle tensed. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
“I was ashamed and scared. I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been to trust him. I thought we were in a relationship, but he was using me to get to you. I felt violated and used. My only value as a person was my connection to you. I felt worthless.” It was painful to admit the truth.
“That’s not true. You have to know that’s not the case.”
“I do now, but back then, I wasn’t sure of myself. All I knew was that I was either ignored or left behind. No one stuck around, and here was one more person who wasn’t real. He’d violated my privacy and was going to reveal an intimate moment with the rest of the world. I wanted to be on reality TV, but not like that.”
“Of course not. No one wants that. What did you do?”
“I threatened to go to his boss, and he backed down. I insisted that he erase the video on his phone, but I was afraid there was another copy somewhere and it might show up one day.” It was the reason I’d laid low.
“You think this is Jace?” She nodded toward my phone.
“Possibly, but I might be paranoid.”
