Autumn Falls by Bella Thorne Read Free Book Online Page B

whatever she was going to do. I even wrote it to Dad in the journal. Careful what you wish for, right?
    I close the link to get rid of my hideous face. I log back on to the school website, but instead of the portal I click on the disciplinary policy and scroll down to “harassment.”The punishment ranges from detention to an alternative disciplinary school.
    So if all goes well, when Mrs. Dorio finds out Reenzie posted the picture, she’ll be in a far bigger world of hurt than I could ever put her in.
    I send Jenna the link with my log-in information and the word
REVENGE
all in caps. Somehow I get to sleep that night, and I wake up to my phone ringing.
    “Hello?”
    “Reality check.” It’s Jenna. “Yes, it’s a horrible picture, and Reenzie is a horrible human being for posting it. But seriously? You’re not naked, you’re not doing anything illegal, you just look kind of dopey. Right now, she gets caught, she’s in trouble. You go for revenge, you’re the one in trouble and your life gets completely messed up. She’s not worth it.”
    “I know.” For whatever reason, I’m not as upset as I was last night. “You’re right. I’ll let it go.”
    “Not let it go,” Jenna corrects me, “complain about it. Then let the people handle it who are supposed to handle it.”
    “Agreed. Love you.”
    “Love you more.”
    I don’t say anything to Mom or Erick about the picture, though I know I’m depriving my loving brother. He’d click on the screen and think it was Christmas all over again.
    When I meet J.J. at our corner on the way to school, he opens his mouth but nothing comes out.
    “I’ve seen it,” I tell him, saving him the trouble.
    “So … you okay?”
    “Now I am,” I say, and realize that it’s not a lie, that I actually
do
feel okay. “Last night, not so much. The stupidest part is Reenzie’s doing this because of
Sean
. It’s not like he and I are even together.”
    “Tell her that.”
    I roll my eyes. “Pretty sure she knows.”
    “Make it clear,” J.J. says. “Come right out and tell Reenzie you’re not at all into Sean. Tell her you have no desire to go out with him and wouldn’t even if he asked you. Then maybe she’ll get it and leave you alone.”
    “Okay,” I say slowly, “but then what if he did ask me out and I wanted to say yes?”
    “Would you?”
    “Maybe. I like Sean. I mean, I
could
like Sean. I don’t really know him well enough to say.”
    We get to school, and the whispers and laughs start the minute we walk in the door. Not just sophomores either; apparently everyone got the memo to check out the portal.
    People have too much time on their hands.
    “We need to bring her down,” Amalita says, shaking her head when she sees me. “And don’t worry, I’ve watched every episode of
Pretty Little Liars
. I have ideas.”
    “No revenge,” I say. “Let the school get her in trouble.”
    “What if they don’t catch her?” Amalita asks. “Her brother’s at MIT. Computer nerd. Supersmart. What if he made sure she can’t get caught?”
    I’m at my locker now, and there’s an envelope sticking out between the slats. I open it, then flash it at Amalita and J.J.
    “Mrs. Dorio wants to see me,” I say smugly. “First nail in Reenzie’s coffin.”
    “Nailing her in a coffin’s on my list too,” Amalita says. “Think about it.”
    What I think is that I never want Amalita on my bad side.
    I feel good walking into Mrs. Dorio’s office. I remember my first day, the way she reeled off all the expellable offenses as though she was just dying to put the smackdown on some wayward student. She’s probably loving this. Most likely she already knows Reenzie did it and just wants me to help build the case against her.
    She shuts the door behind me and leans against the front of her desk. “So tell me,” she says, “is this something you did to get attention?”
    “What?” Her question’s so ridiculous I feel like that should be answer enough, but