✾

The endless daily routine starts today again just as it does every day — my cell-phone's alarm screaming as I fumble to get it to stop. And once I do, I pick myself up out of bed and try to think of what makes today different than all of the other days. And once again, nothing comes to mind.

While brushing my teeth, I check my phone because I have plenty of messages. I open them, expecting to see that they're all from Sophie, but they're not. They're from Amelia.

I take a deep breath, reading the messages over and over again before suddenly becoming sick. I rinse off my toothbrush and put it away, slamming the door of the medicine cabinet shut and typing my reply. I sit outside with my dog to try and cool off but I am livid with Logan.

Amelia, Logan lied to you. I would never get back together with him even if my life depended on it. I didn't sleep with him, just the idea makes me sick. I would never do that to you, either. I'm sorry he told you that but he's a liar. He tried to do it but I got away from him, and he probably can't handle the damage to his ego and lied. Don't believe him because it's not the truth.

I don't get a response too soon, but I ignore my phone and the drama even as I go to school. I keep my head down and do my best to act like the abrasive gossiping isn't hanging over my head — What if Amelia has already started to spread rumors about Friday night? But hopefully I'm just being dramatic. No one would actually care about a nobody in the shadows like me, right?

✾

I take in a deep breath, standing before his doorstep with spiders crawling up my veins. I keep my hands in my sleeves, feeling abnormally nervous about this. I'm not supposed to be here, it's a Thursday. But I need someone to talk to, and Sophie can't because she has a lot of homework to catch up on. I eventually gather the courage to knock on the door, and after a few moments it opens.

"Hello, Princess," Pierce greets me. "What brings you here?"

I step inside and he closes the door. Ruby is sitting on the couch and she runs up to me with excitement.

"I... need some advice," I go to start, "But—"

"My birthday is tomorrow!" Ruby squeals. "And it'll be right here, with my brother. And I'll finally be eight years old! And Pierce says we'll have cake! And it's even on a Friday. It'll be so different from last year and I want you to come too!"

"Sure thing, kiddo," I laugh. She just smiles and nods with enthusiasm before sitting back down on the couch and humming a song to herself.

"Anyway, advice on what?" Pierce asks curiously.

"Amelia sent me a long message this morning. I responded but she never replied. Here, I'll show you the conversation." Pulling up the chat on Messenger, I hand him my phone and watch his hazel eyes glaze over the words.

He hands me back the phone but it dings before he gets the chance to speak, meaning I got a new message. Surprised, I take the phone from him to see if it was Amelia. It wasn't, though. It was Logan. "Speak of the devil," I mutter.

"What?"

"It's Logan. I think I blocked him when we broke up but figured we'd never talk again anyway and unblocked him. I guess I was wrong."

In a moment of fury, I ground my teeth and shake my head at him. "God," I groan bitterly, "I can't believe I used to like him! His spelling sucks and his personality sucks, and even his insults suck. How old is he, five? And to drag other people into it after telling him I— God, what a piece of garbage!" Even the first six messages I send are me correcting his spelling because I just can't help it.

*Pierce

*cheating

*obviously

*disgusting

*nobody

*kiss-up

First off, we're not dating and never were. Second off, don't drag him into it because he has nothing to do with your little antics. Third, I'm not the one who goes around sleeping with everyone when I'm dating other people behind their back. That's just you, Logan. I know it would make hating me a lot easier but the truth is the truth. And lastly, you won't get away with spreading those rumors about me. You know EXACTLY what happened on Friday and I'm not here to stroke anyone's ego.

"What did he say?" Pierce asks. I show him what he said and my reply and he shakes his head.

"Nobody should talk to anyone like that, especially you," he mumbles. Frankly, it's a little scary, because he has a different look in his eyes that I haven't seen before. I'd even go as far as to say his hazel eyes can be comforting, but this is when he had the kind of look that took away any question why anyone would think he's a bad boy.

"It's fine," I add confidently, and I'm not actually confident, but it's so he calms down. "Because I'm going to handle it."

"He shouldn't be messaging you this sh*t," he looks at me. He hands me the phone. "And it's not fine. He tried to r*pe you, Iris, then he told everyone you were a sl*t and you cheated on him. After telling them he did have sex with you. Then he threatened a friend of yours so that in the end you'll feel guilty and succumb to his bullsh*t."

"What happened?" Ruby asks tentatively from behind us.

"Nothing, Ruby, it's alright. Don't worry about it," Pierce tells her. Then he turns to me. "You might not see all of this, and you might not remember what he did to you, but I haven't forgot. And once again, it's not okay. He can't get away with it. If—"

"Stop," I command him with a firm voice, even shocking myself. "I understand everything he did to me. I haven't tried excusing anything he's done because I can recognize that it's not right. Maybe I sound like some ignorant pacifist to you but this — getting worked up and violent over it all — isn't going to solve a thing. Put on your head and listen to me."

He sighs, softening and nodding with understanding.

"I'm not letting him get away with anything," I continue. "But this isn't any of your drama, so don't get involved in it. I came here only for advice. You honestly just have bigger problems." Pierce and I look at Ruby at the same time, who's drawing a picture, still humming a song.

I turn turn back to him. "You have an apartment to try and afford, grades to maintain, and a sister to take care of. Don't jack up your priorities because of someone like Logan."

He nods again, and the silence settles in the air for a little bit before Pierce speaks up.

"If I were you," he says calmly, "I would make it known what he did to you. See if Amelia has some security cameras in that house to get some proof. Get him to admit it in the messages. Tell some adult, one that would take it seriously. And then we sabotage his sorry *ss by sending Amelia the screenshots, once he admits it, and let her take care of the rumors before it spreads like wildfire."

"And let her take care of the dirty work?"

"After what he did I'm sure she'd be glad to do it."

✾

very