The Color of Hope

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Saturday, October 2





Charley was dead tired. With so much going on, this wasn’t the time for a Saturday morning volleyball game. She’d been up half the night dealing with the fiasco her grandfather started—which he said she started because of her relationship with Marcus. The scene with the police officer alone consumed much time.

“Mr. Willoughby, I think it’d be best if you come down of your own volition,” the officer had said. “I know you don’t want me to do it by force.”

“You would slap handcuffs on an old man? You’ll lose your job,” Skip said.

“Actually, sir, I don’t think I will. The sheriff is the one who told me to bring you in.”

“Jack and I go way back,” Skip said. “He knows there’s nothing to these charges. I don’t know why you all are wasting my time.”

“It’s merely procedure, sir,” he said. “We can’t ignore the report that was made.”

Her grandpa finally went, seeing the benefit of doing so in his own car, and was ultimately let go after being charged with a misdemeanor. An hour of argument at home followed, in which her grandfather denied Marcus’s version of events—“I didn’t stick the gun in his face; I just showed him I had one on me”—and alternatively argued he had a right to do what he needed to do to protect his family.

Charley had awakened bleary-eyed, further upset because Marcus’s phone kept going straight to voice mail and he hadn’t answered her texts. They had a ritual of texting before bed and first thing in the morning. But today she was looking for more than a good-morning ritual. She wanted him to know she had no hard feelings about involving the police. She even agreed with it now. The whole thing was a mess, but she hoped they could weather it together.

And then there was Ben. What was going on with him and Sam? She didn’t even know they were in contact with one another. And had she known, she would’ve told Sam to stay away from him. She’d knocked on his door before she left at eight thirty this morning, but he was still sleep. Stephanie wasn’t answering her phone either. She’d have to wait until after the volleyball match to find out what happened.

“Awesome, Mary!” Charley said. “Keep it going!”

The Hope Springs crowd cheered as Mary served her third straight ace, putting the team up by thirteen. They were only two points away from winning the final match. Charley had benched most of her starters and put some of her backup in the game to give them some playing time. Mary was proving herself in the opportunity.

Mary served again, and the libero on the opposing team got this one, passing it to the setter, who set it to the middle hitter, who spiked it against Hope Springs. The opposing team cheered the point and got ready to serve.

“That’s all right!” Charley walked along the sideline, clapping to keep them—and herself—energized. “Side-out, girls, side-out!”

One of the players passed Kelsey a phone. Kelsey stared intently at it, growing visibly upset. Tia pulled out a phone and looked at hers. And seconds later the entire bench was gathered around, looking animated and horrified.

Charley walked over. “Girls, you know my policy. No phones during the game. No tweeting, texting, or Facebooking.”

Tia looked up. “Coach, this is some serious stuff right here.”

“Put the phones away,” Charley said.

The crowd cheered a long series of volleys that ended with the point for Hope Springs.

Charley pumped her fist. “Game point! Come on, Hope Springs!”

She looked back at the bench. None of them were paying attention to the game, engrossed still in those phones. She called over, “Fine. From here on out, you will give every phone to me prior to the start of the game.”

Hope Springs won the final point easily, and the entire team got up to shake hands with the visiting team.

Charley shook hands with the visiting coaches and shared a few words with them, encouraging their players as well. When she turned back around, almost every team member had a phone in hand. In the bleachers, the opposing fans were filing out. But the scene among Hope Springs students was beginning to mirror the one on the bench, as they were either riveted to a phone in hand or gathered around the phone of another.

But only one person was crying—Kelsey.

Charley strode over to her. “Kelsey, come with me to the athletic office.”

Phone clutched in her hand, Kelsey walked alongside, and all eyes seemed to follow.

Charley turned to her the moment she stepped in the office and closed the door. “What is going on that’s captured everyone’s attention? And why are you upset?”

Kelsey cut her eyes away. “Ask your brother.”

“Ben has something to do with this? Is this about another fight between you two?”

Kelsey flicked a tear, her predominant emotion clearly anger. “He’s still mad about me going out with Roger, which was because he went out with someone else.” She pulled something up on her phone. “So now he put this on my Facebook wall, for all of our friends to see.”

Charley took the phone. Ben had indeed posted on her wall. It said, This is what payback looks like, you slut. By the way, enjoyed her much more than you.

A forty-seven second video was attached. Charley clicked Play and saw Ben on top of some girl, with sensual music added for effect. She pushed Stop.

“I’m not watching that foul video.” Charley gave her the phone and paced the room, so angry she didn’t know where to start. “How is this even allowed on Facebook?”

“It’s not,” Kelsey said. “People post all kinds of stuff that’s not allowed. If it gets reported, it might get deleted. But thousands of people have seen it by then.” She sighed her disgust. “I can’t believe he called me a slut for everybody to see.”

Charley looked at her. “That’s not nearly the worst part of this. He took video of himself and some girl—who knows if she knew she was being taped—and posted it.” She held out her hand. “Give me your phone again.”

Charley clicked through several Facebook screens until she’d reported the post and the Facebook user in violation of the rules, Ben.

“Wait a minute,” Charley said suddenly. “Why didn’t you delete this the minute you found it? Then other people wouldn’t have seen it.”

“He posted it to a dozen other walls—and people are sharing it like crazy.” She huffed. “And when I find out who that girl is . . . probably Alisa. He was flirting with her at the after-game party last night.”

Charley gave her back her phone. “I have to go.”

Her sights were set on home, but seeing numerous students in the gym, still milling around phones, she reacted.

“Listen up.” Her voice echoed. “You’re looking at and gossiping about real people with real lives and real feelings. If you’ve posted that video to your own page, I’m asking you to do the right thing and delete it. Now. Don’t spread it around.”

If one person listened, she’d be shocked. Still, it needed to be said.

Charley burst through the door at home and doubled up the steps to Ben’s room. She’d seen his car outside, but the room was empty.

She stopped in the upstairs hall. “Ben! Where are you?”

“What?” he called. “I’m in the kitchen.”

She’d hurried right past him. Hastening back down, Charley entered the kitchen, where her mom and Ben were eating lunch—Ben only somewhat. He seemed more preoccupied with the laptop on the table in front of him than with the sandwich off to the side.

“Checking comments on your vile post?” Charley asked.

Ben sat back, looking satisfied. “I hear the whole gym was captivated. Sorry if I distracted your players.”

“This is sick and slimy even for you, Ben.”

Her mom looked up. “What’s this about?”

“Ben posted a video of himself and some girl having sex. On Facebook. All the high schoolers were looking at it at the game.”

Her mother put down the newspaper. “You did what? I don’t even know what to—Ben, what on earth would possess you to do such a thing?”

Ben didn’t respond, so Charley responded for him.

“He was mad at Kelsey and called it payback.”

“Delete that video right now,” Dottie said.

Ben sighed. “Mom, you don’t know how Facebook works. Wouldn’t matter if I deleted it. I only posted it an hour ago, and hundreds of people already shared it.”

“What does that mean, ‘shared it’?” Dottie asked.

“Means they posted it too, so all their friends could see. It’s gone viral.”

Dottie stared in disbelief. “Do you know what you’ve done to your reputation?”

“Who cares about his reputation?” Charley said. “This probably improves his reputation among his twisted friends. I’m worried about the girl in the video.”

It dawned on Charley that Sam was at the house just last night, but no way could she be the one in the video. As surprising as it was to see her with Ben, Sam would never have had sex with him, Charley was sure. But there were plenty others he’d been out with and could easily have sneaked to his room.

She turned to Ben. “Did you give any thought to the girl? You’ve ruined her life.”

“Have not.” Ben was dismissive. “You can’t even tell who she is.”

“Still,” Charley said. “Viral or not, I think you need to delete every post that you personally put out there.”

“Absolutely,” Dottie said. “Take them down right now.”

Ben gave in with a groan as he turned back to his laptop. A couple of clicks later he did a double take. “Oh crap!”

“What?”

“That stupid geek, Leonard.” Ben was reading. “He’s got a comment on the video. Says he took a screen shot, enlarged it, and figured out who she is.”

“Oh no . . .” Charley felt sick. “Tell me Leonard didn’t post her name.”

Ben nodded slowly. “He did. And by the look of all the follow-up posts, now that’s going viral.”

“Do I know her? Is she a Hope Springs High student?”

Ben stared at the screen. “It’s Sam.”