After someone stopped her, she screamed and sobbed, demanding to call the Department of Education to report that I'd cheated on the SATs, that I had a rotten character, that they should cancel my scores.
After the education officials set her straight, she only grew more unhinged. She went after my dead parents, posting that they'd killed her husband, that they were criminals, that I was the offspring of criminals and had no right to my SAT results.
I stared at the lies she'd manufactured online, shaking from head to toe.
Years ago, Uncle Alfred James had been driving late at night, exhausted, when his car burst through the guardrail.
My parents happened to be passing. They risked their lives to get out and help.
Then the car exploded a second time. A steel rod drove straight through my father's chest. He died on the spot.
My mother shoved a young Alden clear of the blast and was burned alive.
And now Camila was weeping all over the internet:
“They were the ones who flagged my husband down for a ride, and that's what distracted him and caused the crash!”
“Then they got themselves killed and pinned it on the James family!”
The videos went off like a bomb. Someone livestreamed themselves dispensing "justice," tearing through my parents' grave plot.
My parents' headstone had already been smashed. Their portrait was trampled to pieces.
Red paint was splashed across the stone, and someone had scrawled:
【A life for a life】.
Shaking, I called Alden.
He was silent for a few seconds. Then, low and coaxing:
“Grace, I know this isn't fair to you.”
“But my mom's too worked up right now. Don't take it to heart.”
“The people online are just piling on. It'll blow over in a few days.”
My voice trembled.
“But they smashed my parents' grave!”
Alden said quietly,
“Later on, I'll help you rebuild it.”
Louisa's voice came through from his end. He cupped his hand over the phone fast and said,
“I've got something important going on right now. I'll come be with you once I'm done. Don't be scared, Grace.”
My hand shook as I looked at the post Louisa had just put up.
“I told him I wanted something to remember it by, so he canceled everything to come take graduation photos with me. He does have me in his heart.”
Then Louisa sent me a voice clip. A conversation between her and Alden.
Her voice came through thick with tears.
“Alden, were you this reckless tonight for Grace, or for me? You clearly have feelings for me!”
“If you say it was for Grace, then leave me alone! Go on, leave! Let Max take me away and have me, fine! You don't care about me anyway!”
Alden was silent for a few seconds. Then, like a man who'd given up resisting:
“For you.”
Eyes burning, I screen-recorded it and sent it to Camila.
“He didn't do it for me! Retract everything right now, or I'm calling the police! You don't want your son to have a mother behind bars, do you?”
A minute later, the videos were all gone, and Camila posted a long apology statement.
The next day.
The class group chat blew up. They said Camila had stormed into Louisa's home.
Word was she'd smashed their TV.
Then grabbed Louisa by the hair and dragged her out into the stairwell, calling her a homewrecking slut.
Louisa's forehead was split open and bleeding. Crying, she called Alden.
Alden tore over like a madman and, for the first time, shoved his mother hard away.
Camila hit the floor and stared at her son in disbelief.
“Alden... you'd push me for this little tramp?!”
Alden's face was white, but he still planted himself in front of Louisa.
“Mom, that's enough!”
That night, Alden called me.
“Grace, why did you have to tell my mom I got into that fight for Louisa? How could you frame Louisa just to protect yourself?!”
