The Takedown(92)

I tried again. “Jessie and I spoke on the bus ride back from Philly.”

I’d sent her a txt that said,

moi Sorry I = psycho. But I know it’s not you who’s been doing this. I know who is. Mind running over some things with me? Know this isn’t great for you either. Truce?

She’d called me—voice called me—immediately.

“Jessie said she never posted those videos. That she doesn’t even own @JessieRosenthal. All her profiles are under @DarkEnchantress. I’m guessing it was you who organized that flash mob via Regrets Only? It was you who was in the locker room at the Y?”

Ailey rocked forward a little, nodded. “Catching the fight was just a lucky coincidence. I was going to surprise Ellie and walk her home. And then I heard Ellie say that Jessie was her best friend. And I knew. It was happening again.”

“What was happening again, Ailes?” Audra asked.

“I was losing her. Ellie this time, I mean. Once again, I was falling out of my best friend’s graces.”

It felt like the entire dining room was one giant screen and we were watching Ailey’s avatar. There wasn’t an ounce of emotion in her voice. I never expected Ailey to put up much of a fight, but I also wasn’t expecting this toneless, dronelike honesty. Audra and I were transfixed.

“Ellie clarified and said Jessie was only one of her best friends,” I said as gently as possible.

“I guess that makes everything okay, then, does it?” Ailey tilted her head to regard me. “Do you even know what true friendship is, Kyle? I don’t think so. Every time I was around Fawn, she was doodling your brother’s name—you’re welcome for sharing those, B-T-W. Mac’s out slurping it up with other girls, letting me be all handsy with him in the hall. Even Audra—sorry, Senpai—she knew I took those pics of you with Mr. E. We were shooting B&P when I saw you check in at those apartments. We even searched the building together, squealed when Mr. E.’s name was listed as a resident. It was her idea to drive all the way out there. Audra sat next to me as I snapped away.”

Audra shook herself a little, surprised to be dragged into it. She cleared her throat, took a sip of water. Reluctantly her eyes left Ailey and met mine.

“I was concerned,” she said. “I thought you might be in trouble.”

I snorted. “You’d never drive half an hour to anywhere, especially somewhere like Brighton Beach, out of concern. Oh my gosh, Audy, you never did believe me, did you? You were trying to bust me.”

“Sharma said there was no way someone could make that video.” Audra sounded as exhausted as I felt. “I didn’t see how it couldn’t be you. Even when you ‘found’ the source video, next second it mysteriously disappeared? I believed someone was after you. But, no, I didn’t for one second believe that wasn’t you. And then when Ailey said you were at Mr. E.’s, I thought catching you in a secret might make you less high and mighty when I told you mine. Guess I was wrong.”

For once she wasn’t being nasty. All our fury had been burned away by Ailey’s bizarre monotone speech. So I nodded, like, Fair enough. Audra’s expression became less pinched. We almost reconciled right then. I could imagine after Ailey went home we’d go upstairs to rehash this very fight, but then something occurred to me.

“Wait. So then you knew it was Ailey. She took those Mr. E. pics Sunday night and posted them on the Student Activities board under AnyLies. That was on Monday. You’ve known for almost three days now.”

Audra’s lips pressed together. She fiddled with one of her ridiculous diamond studs.

“I’ve had real-life creeps stalking me because of all of this, Audra. Every organization I’m a part of dropped me from their contacts. All the parents I babysit for think I’m a tramp.” My anger was full-on back. “Ailey submitted my college apps, Audra, and you knew.”

“This isn’t about her!”

Ailey pounded a fist on the table. I’d never seen her look so furious. Not when Coach DiPietro suspended her from a swim meet in the sixth grade because she was too competitive. Not when Moon Li called her hair a gutter weave in eighth grade. Both those times Ailey was angry. Now, she looked…crazed.

“Audra knew I was AnyLies because I told her. I told her how satisfying it was to watch you get your comeuppance. I didn’t do this so I could buy a car. I did it to completely humiliate you. Guess I’m not the only one who doesn’t change her passwords. Hiii, Harvard.”

“You ruined my life because I too abruptly stopped being your friend years ago?”

Ailey gave a tiny laugh. Tears welled in her eyes. Her voice quavered, finally carrying some emotion in it. I’d never wanted to hurt someone so much in my entire life.

“I did it,” Ailey snapped, “so you could see how it feels. Knowing that the people you thought loved you best—Mac, Fawn, Sharma, your brother, Audra—aren’t at all who you think they are. Or did you all just ‘grow apart’ this past week?” Ailey snorted. “We ‘grew apart,’ Kyle? You ‘too abruptly’ stopped being my friend? We were best friends for nine years—nine years—and do you know after Audra came up to you in the cafeteria freshman year, you never called me, not even once, ever again?”

Audra gasped, like this was the most shocking fact of today.