Chapter 6: The Locker Room
For three seconds, nobody breathed.
The phone in Principal Reynolds' hand vibrated again.
A new message appeared.
*You should have listened, Miles.*
Mrs. Harris stared at the screen.
Then at her son.
“Miles,” she whispered, “who is texting you?””
“I don't know.””
The phone vibrated again.
*Ask him about Friday.*
Miles stepped backward.
“I don't know who that is.””
Principal Reynolds locked the screen.
“Everyone stays here.””
He turned toward the security officer.
“Mr. Carter, lock down the boys' locker room and bring the device to IT. Nobody touches anything else.””
Mr. Carter nodded.
“I already cleared the area.””
“Good.””
Mrs. Harris grabbed Miles' arm.
“What happened Friday?””
Miles looked at her.
“Nothing.””
The answer came too quickly.
Mrs. Harris tightened her grip.
“Don't do that again.””
“Do what?””
“Lie to me.””
“I’m not lying.””
“You just said you met Tyler behind the gym.””
“I did.””
“And now someone tells you to ask about Friday.””
“I don't know what they mean.””
Ariana stepped closer.
“Maybe I do.””
Everyone looked at her.
She stared at Miles.
“Friday was the day my locker was opened.””
Miles went pale.
“What?””
“I came back from gym class, and my locker was open.””
Principal Reynolds frowned.
“You never reported that.””
“I thought I'd forgotten to lock it.””
“What was missing?””
“Nothing.””
Ariana folded her arms.
“But something had been moved.””
“What?””
“My notebook.””
Mrs. Harris looked at Miles.
“Was there anything in it?””
Ariana shook her head.
“No.””
Miles suddenly spoke.
“Yes.””
Ariana turned.
“What?””
“I saw it.””
“Where?””
“Behind the gym.””
Her eyes widened.
“You had my notebook?””
“No. Tyler did.””
Principal Reynolds stepped forward.
“Start from the beginning.””
Miles swallowed.
“Friday, Tyler told me to meet him behind the gym. He had Ariana's notebook.””
Ariana's face hardened.
“How did he get it?””
“I don't know.””
“What did he want?””
Miles hesitated.
“He said he found something.””
“What?””
“A list.””
“What list?””
Miles looked at Principal Reynolds.
“Students.””
Ariana's expression changed.
“What kind of list?””
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
“I saw names.””
“Whose names?””
“I don't remember.””
Ariana stepped closer.
“Was mine on it?””
Miles didn't answer.
That was enough.
Ariana's eyes filled.
“My name was on it.””
“I think so.””
“You think?””
“I saw your initials.””
Principal Reynolds rubbed his forehead.
“Why didn't you tell us this before?””
“Because Tyler told me not to.””
“And you listened.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Miles looked toward his mother.
“Because Tyler had something on me.””
Mrs. Harris' voice softened despite herself.
“What?””
Miles shook his head.
“I can't.””
“You can.””
“No.””
“Miles.””
“He said he'd show everyone.””
“Show them what?””
Miles' eyes dropped.
“A video.””
The room went silent again.
Mrs. Harris' voice became almost inaudible.
“What video?””
Miles didn't answer.
Principal Reynolds moved toward the desk.
“What was on it?””
Miles' breathing quickened.
“It was me.””
“Doing what?””
“I don't know.””
Mrs. Harris stared.
“What do you mean, you don't know?””
“I was there, but I don't remember being recorded.””
Ariana looked at him.
“When was it taken?””
“Friday.””
“Behind the gym?””
Miles nodded.
“Someone recorded us.””
Principal Reynolds' face tightened.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
The phone vibrated in his hand again.
He looked down.
Another message.
*You're getting close.*
Then another.
*Ask Miles what happened after school.*
Mrs. Harris turned toward her son.
“What happened after school?””
Miles shook his head.
“I went home.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
“Who picked you up?””
“My dad.””
Mrs. Harris frowned.
“I picked you up Friday.””
Miles froze.
She stared at him.
“You weren't with your father.””
“I…”
“You were with me.””
“I forgot.””
“You forgot who drove you home?””
Miles' face crumpled.
“No.””
Mrs. Harris stepped closer.
“You're hiding something.””
Miles looked at Ariana.
Then at the principal.
Finally, he whispered:
“Mom, I didn't go straight home.””
“Where did you go?””
“I went to Tyler's house.””
Ariana's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because he said we needed to delete everything.””
“Did you?””
Miles nodded.
“We deleted the group chat.””
Jordan suddenly stood.
“No, we didn't.””
Miles looked at him.
“What?””
Jordan pulled out his own phone.
“I never deleted it.””
Principal Reynolds held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.””
Jordan did.
The principal opened the chat.
His eyes widened.
“There's a backup.””
Miles stepped forward.
“What?””
Jordan pointed.
“Everything's still there.””
Messages.
Images.
Videos.
Names.
Dates.
And then one file appeared at the bottom of the screen.
It had been uploaded Friday night.
The filename was simple.
*MILES_FINAL.mp4*
Mrs. Harris stared at it.
“What is that?””
Nobody answered.
Principal Reynolds pressed play.
The video began.
The camera showed the back of the school.
Miles stood beside Tyler.
They were talking.
Then someone off-camera laughed.
Miles looked toward the sound.
Ariana's locker appeared in the background.
Then the camera moved closer.
A voice whispered from behind it.
“Go ahead, Miles.””
Miles on the screen shook his head.
“No.””
Tyler laughed.
“You already did it once.””
The video froze.
Principal Reynolds stopped playback.
Mrs. Harris turned toward her son.
“What did you do?””
May you like
Miles' face was wet with tears.
“I didn't
