Well, Ashley had somehow resurrected it.
Julie leaned forward and clutched the edge of the desk until her knuckles were white, concentrating on counting. One, two—Ashley must have BCC’d the recipients; who were they?—three, four—Was it the whole school?—five, six, seven—Or could it have just been sent to Julie herself, to remind her how much she was in Ashley’s power?
“Julie?” Parker asked across the room.
Julie let out a small, wounded sob. Parker kicked off the covers and hurried over. “What’s going on?”
Julie wordlessly stepped aside from the email. Parker’s gaze slid over it fast. “That bitch,” she snarled.
“I don’t understand,” Julie said weakly. She kept counting. Twenty-six, twenty-seven. It wasn’t helping at all. “Why? Why would she do that?”
Parker paced around Julie’s room, seeming suddenly on edge, as if the space weren’t big enough to contain her. “She is everything that’s wrong with the world. You can’t trust anyone except your real friends.”
But Julie was only half listening. She fumbled for her phone, pressing Ashley’s number, with shaking hands.
Ashley picked up on the first ring. “Hey, dirty girl,” she sang. “Did you like my email?”
“What the hell, Ashley?” Julie raged. “Who did you send it to?”
“Oh, you know. Everyone.”
Julie leaned over, sure she was going to throw up. She thought of everyone, reading that article. Seeing the picture of her. Putting it all together. Aha! they would think. This is why Julie never has anyone over! “But, why?” she sobbed into the phone. “I never did anything to you!”
“Exactly,” Ashley said amiably. “You never did anything to me—or for me. You were happy to just sit there and let your friends make fun of me. And let’s be honest—you haven’t exactly been nice lately. Well, now it’s your turn to feel what it’s like on the outside. See you at school!” She paused. “Oh, and say hi to your mom for me! Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll grow up to be just like her!” And with that, she hung up.
Julie stared at the phone in her hand. Tears streamed down her face. Suddenly, her laptop let out another ping. It was another note from Ashley. This is what Carson thinks of you now, read the subject line.
The only thing in the message was a photograph. Julie brought her face closer to the laptop. It was a picture of Carson . . . and Ashley. They were standing in front of the Rachel the Piggy Bank at the Pike Place Fish Market, and the same sun that shone outside Julie’s window beamed over them. Carson had a disgusted look on his face, and he made a thumbs-down gesture with one hand. Ashley was holding his other hand. They were standing very, very close together.
Julie let out a squeak. Well, that settled that.
Parker sat next to her, squeezing her shoulder tight. Julie blinked, trying to imagine the shape the rest of the school year would take, but all she could see was a gaping black hole. Parker really was all she had now. No more friends. Definitely no Carson.
No anything.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
AN HOUR LATER, AVA PULLED into the parking lot of the police station. She pulled down the mirror and glanced at her reflection: minimal makeup, just a touch of mascara, and clear lip gloss, her hair in a low ponytail. Her men’s large Huskies T-shirt hung loose over her Lululemon yoga pants. Her skin was still crawling at the memory of the striptease she’d performed for Mr. Granger—the striptease her friends had seen, that Alex had probably even seen. She wanted to look nothing like she had the night before.
She grabbed her phone and dialed Alex’s number again. The phone rang and rang, then went to voice mail. A lump formed in Ava’s throat. Was he sitting next to it, staring as her name flashed on the screen? “Please let me explain,” she said after the voice mail beep. “It wasn’t what you think, okay? I love you.”
But all her protests sounded so weak and pathetic. What was Alex supposed to think? She hadn’t even buttoned her dress when she came flying out of Granger’s house. Was this the price she had to pay to prove her innocence?
Frustrated, she got out of the car and slammed the door behind her. The sky was dull and gray, the air heavy with rain. Inside, the station was quiet, with just a few officers at their desks. There was no receptionist at the front, and no sign of Ava’s friends. She pulled out her phone and sent a group text: I’m here. Hurry!