The boy next door

Part 19

He let go of me after a mere minute. Turning back, he said, 'You helped me that day. I helped you today. We are even.' And then he walked away. Or so I thought. He turned back once again and said, 'The basketball game and the exams are near. The bet is still on.'

I was still overwhelmed by what the girls did. I needed to make it clear that  it wasnt me in the picture. I thought of the most common method. The principal.

'Can I come in?' I asked as soon as I was in front of her office. 'Oh Hyerin. Yes come in,'she said as I smiled at her and entered. 'I am sure you have seen the pictures going around on twitter on our official page,' I began. 'Yes dear. I believe that is breach of privacy. What can I do?' she asked me. 'Is there any way to take that picture down or replace it?' I asked back at her. 'The web group can. They are a bunch of students put together who handle the social media platform of the school. I believe someone from that group posted it. But you can contact someone to take it down,' she suggested and handed me a paper.

'There. That's Lia's number. Captain of the web group. You can contact her,' she smiled at me constantly. 'Thank you so much,' I said as I left. I called the number and waited for her to pick it up.

'Hello. Leader of the web group this side,' someone from the other line said. I believe that was Lia. 'Hello? I am Hyerin. A student,' I said as she gasped. 'Oh you are the girl who's viral right now?' Yeah that did not help. 'Yes. Can I meet you somewhere. I have something to discuss,' I said. 'Sure. Can you meet me in the web room in ten minutes. I am actually there with the rest of the team. I think I know what you want to talk about. The whole team can help,' she said from the other line. 'Thank you so much. Meeting you there,' I said as I cut the call.

I am sure that I will meet someone who hates me in the web room.

I knocked on the glass door of the web room. I could figure that there were five people inside the room. 'Oh hi. Please come in,' Lia said as she opened the door. I hummed a "thank you" to her and entered the room. Sure enough, my presumptions were right. On the editor's desk sat, Amanda, the well known bully. Of course, she did it. 

'Hyerin. This is Dian, Yu-ah, Jess, Amanda and me, Lia,' Lia introduced. 'Yeah thanks,' I said and glanced at Amanda. She seemed confused and shocked at the same time. Maybe they did not expect me to be here. 'What did you want to talk about Hyerin?' Lia asked. 'Umm. Can we talk in private?' I asked her back. I did not want to discuss my plan in front of Amanda. 'Yeah sure. Follow me,' Lia said as we entered another room. 

'Yep I know, it's Amanda,' Lia said as we both took a seat. 'Wait--you knew?' I asked her. 'No but it was obvious by the way you looked at her. Being the leader of the web group, it will be my duty to teach her a lesson. Leave that to me. What can I do for you?' Lia asked me back. 'Can you replace or delete the picture on Twitter?' I asked her. She thought for a moment. 'I can but it will not mend the damage. How about I take that down and post another real picture of you with a caption worth making viewers believe?' she proposed. I nodded happily and left the room. 

'Hyerin? Where have you been?' Haneul ran towards me. 'Amending my problems,' I rolled my eyes. 'So, the game is in three days from now. But there is another thing. We are having a party at our house tonight for little ol' Felix. He has some "problems" and dad suggested to throw a party. Dad and step witch are going to celebrate their seventeenth anniversary today and are going on a vacation. You will come to the party right?' she asked. 'But I haven't been invited,' I pouted. 'Knowing my step brother, he was probably flirting with you. There is no way he is going to not invite you,' Haneul rolled her eyes.