The Internet Stalker

Chapter two

Hot flashes criss crossed around Tao's skin. Her eyes concentrated on the word "nudes" Tao remembered what happened three years ago....
Her girlfriend at the time had begged her to send them. She said no initially, but that night she had a few drinks, and sent them while she was drunk. She woke up in a room full of passed out strangers, and when she opened her phone, she not only found videos of that party, but pictures she didn't remember taking, or sending. She immediately deleted them, but for a while they circled around. She thought they were finally gone. Apparently she spoke to soon.
Now she had to make some group chat, which she'd gladly do to keep her nudes from getting out again. She just didn't know why, but she wouldn't dare ask questions.

Once she had made it, she stared at the screen as the number that called her said "why am I here?" She knew they were just playing with everyone. She watched as others began to ask the same questions, and eventually they needed introducing themselves. She said her name was Coca, a play-on of her last name, Copea. She felt a little clouded talking to strangers as if they new each other. Of course, that's how you make friends, so it's not so bad.

The next day, Tao slept in. She couldn't find a reason to wake up, so she didn't. Her mom called the school and told them she was sick. She could afford to miss a few lessons anyways. Her day was spent sleeping, eating, and doing things she actually enjoyed, like painting. She got paint all over her loose overalls and yellow sweater, but she didn't care. It made them more colourful. She painted huge canvases with bright colours, red, yellow, orange, pink, rich blues and deep purples. She moved her brush in the way the brush wanted. She bent to it's will.

Eventually she had to clean up, to continue another day. As she was doing so, she got a text. It was from that group chat she made yesterday. It read,
Acacia: "Do you guys know what's going on?"
Alice: "in regards to this group chat? No idea."
HW: "you think we're the contestants of some weird new game show?"
Josh: "I mean it could be? That would be pretty random though"
Tao bit her lip. She wanted to tell them what was going on but, what if that person decided she did something wrong and leaked her nudes. She didn't think she could go through all that again, it was hard enough the first time.
Coca: "If we were contestants of a game show shouldn't we know the rules?"
HW:"yeah, probably"
Alice: "Who cares, lets just make the most of this and be friends!"
Josh: "I like that idea!"
Acacia: "So we've decided to just ignore stranger danger alerts and everything weird about this situation?"
Alice: "Pretty much yeah"
Acacia: "I'm down"
Coca: "Okay, I guess"
Tao was retreating back into her shell. These people sounded very loud and outgoing. She was very quiet, and not very open to a lot of things. She didn't really want to stay, but she didn't have any choice.
Josh: "I think we should get to know each other, Alice, Acacia, Coca, What's your type hmm?"
HW: "Wha-"
Acacia: "Why should I tell you?"
Josh: "Haha, we are getting to know each other aren't we?"
Alice: "None of that, Josh"
Josh: "What about you Coca? What's you're type?"
Tao felt her face heat up. She didn't really have a type, did she?
Coca: "I don't have one"
Josh: "Of course you do! Everyone has a type! For me, I love all woman, Woman is my type"
Alice: "Very noble of you"
HW: "I am so confused"
Acacia: "Lol, Josh, that's very open"
Josh: "But of course, I am nothing but a gentleman"
Alice: "You mean player?"
HW: "Lol"
Acacia: "To true"
Josh: "Hey!"
Tao sighed. Apparently her new friends liked to play around. She kind of thought it was funny.
HW: "What do you guys like to do?"
Alice: "I like to play games with people, people are fun!"
Acacia: "I really like antiques, so I spend a lot of time searching the web for stuff like that"
Josh: "I just like hanging with friends, and of course memes, are, amazing"
Coca: "I like to paint, and I spend my time making art"
HW: "You guys sound fun, I like to read comics on my computer, and I also create websites and stuff"
Josh: "Like, for fun?"
HW: "Yeah, but mostly as commissions"
Alice: "That's so cool! I could never"
HW: "Haha, it's easy once u get the basics down, no biggy"
Acacia: "Don't be modest, it's really cool"
Coca: "yeah"
Josh: "Man, that's dope"
Tao laughed. She'd never heard someone say dope before. This guy is really, something.
HW: "Lol thanks. I gtg, I've got some stuff to do"
Acacia: "Me too actually, byeee"
Alice: "Awe, bye guys"
Josh: "I should go to, Bye Alice, Coca!"
Coca: "Bye"
Alice: "Bye! Coca are you leaving too?"
Coca: "yeah, I guess so"
Alice: "Ok then, bye everyone!"
Tao turned off her phone. She got to know some new people, but why? Why would Alice demand her to make the group chat? She had so many questions for her, but no way to ask them.
"Tao! Come here for a second!" Shouted Tao's sister.
Tao stood up and walked downstairs, where she found her sister holding a package.
"This came in the mail like, just now. It has your name on it," Her sister said, reading the box. "Did you make an internet friend or something?"
The air grew thick. Tao held her breath. She nodded and took the package. She ran up the stairs and into her room, where she closed the door and carefully set the package on the ground. She stood away from it, staring at the floor. She spaced out, her mind was running overtime, and she was so jumbled she couldn't think at all.
Bring
She jumped. Her phone started ringing. Tao hastily went to shut it off, but the call was from Unknown. She stared at the ID, wishing for it to go away.
This was to much. How did they know where she lived? Why did they send the package, why was this happening? Her phone went silent, but just as Tao released her breath her screen lit up with text messages, all from Unknown. They were all saying "Answer me!"
Tao opened the texts, and quickly typed, "why did you send this package?" Her breath sped up as she read the reply.
"Open it and find out"
She looked at the package, which seemed innocent, but she knew it wasn't good. She took her scissors from her desk, and kneeled infront of the box. Her hands were shaking as she peeled back the wrapping. Her chest tightened as she opened the top. Her eyes misted over as she looked at what was inside.
There were developed pictures of her, pictures from that night three years ago. She picked them up, and threw them in the garbage. Her breathing was unsteady and rigid, she felt like she was going to be sick.
Her phone started pinging again. Tao looked at the messages, and saw that Unknown was telling her that there was one more thing in the box, and to look thoroughly through the package. Tao looked at the box again, and started to shift the packaging around, looking for anything. She felt her finger tip brush against a piece of paper, and grabbed hold of it. She pulled it out and looked at it.
There was writing in some sort of loose ink, and the letters dripped onto her hands. The paper was perfect, not a fold in sight, and the penmanship was beautiful and smooth. The only thing that seemed to scare Tao was the words themselves.
It was a reminder that Unknown does what they want, and to play by the rules. It was a warning that said if Tao did something Unknown doesn't like, they'll expose her, and her life will be hell again.
Tao slowly read the words. Her tears mixed with the running ink, staining the paper with anguish.
Don't tell anyone