Steps of Courage

Chapter 24

One day, I was heading through the halls and I noticed a crowd gathered by a notice board. Curiosity got the better of me, and I approached the crowd to see what was going on. 

"Did you see this?" one student asked. 

"Yeah, it's all over social media too." another says. 

I got closer and my eyes widened at what I saw. It was a huge flier with a picture of me crying on it - I'm not even sure who took the photo but it was in the library so it must have been recent - and with big bold letters underneath it read "KATIE COOPER - SHE HAS SOME SERIOUS ISSUES". The crowd noticed me and murmurs began, alongside some very judgmental stares. 

"No, no, no." I whispered to myself, my cheeks going pink from the staring.

I quickly took the flier down and ran from the crowd with it. 

"Katie?" Aiden exclaimed, coming towards me, "What's going on?"

I handed him the flier, my hands shaking from embarrassment. 

"Was it Bree?" he asked, angrily. 

"Who else would it be?" I asked. 

Aiden threw the flier in the bin and then took my hand. He ran back to the crowd still holding onto my hand and cleared his throat to get their attention. 

"What are you doing?" I whispered, dropping his hand and hiding behind him. 

"Trust me." he whispered back, and I did. 

He cleared his throat again, and this time everyone turned around to him. 

"Katie Cooper... she has some serious issues?" Aiden asked, skeptical. "Do you guys even know the backstory to that photo or who put it there?"

The crowd looked uncertain as they shook their heads. 

"That photo was most likely taken the day that her best friend stabbed her in the back." Aiden said, and I felt even more embarrassed. "I'm sure you all already know what happened there. But what you don't know is that these posters have been put up by none other than Bree Davenport. Bree is the one who has serious issues. And if you guys were going to judge Katie over this, then maybe you do too. Katie has done nothing wrong to any of you, so why would you just instantly think she was a bad person based on a post that someone that ruined her life put up?" 

The crowd looked sheepish and a couple even apologized. Then they all scattered. I hugged Aiden as thanks for standing up for me, and then I went to talk to Bree. I stormed into the quad, and found her on a bench by herself, laughing about something on her phone. 

"Bree, we need to talk." I said, firmly, going up to her. 

She looked up at me with a smug smirk on her face. 

"Look who finally has enough guts to confront me." she said, sarcastically. 

I took a seat beside her - I'm not sure why, I didn't want to be close to her at all - and she gave me a disgusted look. Which I rolled my eyes at. 

"Why are you trying to ruin my life?" I asked. 

She hesitated for a moment, and then let out a little laugh. 

"Your mom put my dad in jail. That's why." she said, bluntly. 

My eyes widened in surprise. 

"My mom... what?" I asked, confused. 

"Yeah, your mom made my family fall apart. So, consider this payback." she said. 

"I'm so sorry about all that... but why take it out on me?" I asked. 

"Because your mom deserves to suffer." she said. 

"Can we please just dislike my mom separately, in peace. No need to torture me over what my sorry excuse of a mother did to you." I said, trying to appeal to her senses.       

Bree stared blankly back at me. 

"I didn't do anything to you, so please leave me alone." I said, softly. 

"Fine." she said, with a big sigh, then she just got up and left - that seemed too easy, I had a feeling that this wasn't over...