So High School | T. Swift x OC

fifteen

TW: mentions of past abusive ex

Eliot woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly on the nightstand. He rubbed his eyes and reached for it, barely awake. His heart sank as he saw the flood of notifications from Twitter, text messages, and missed calls. Groggy and confused, he opened Twitter and was immediately hit with a wave of anxiety.

His timeline was filled with photos of him kissing another woman. The captions and comments were brutal, filled with accusations of cheating and betrayal. His heart raced as he scrolled through the images, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. The woman in the photos was his ex from 2022, and the pictures were clearly taken out of context.

Eliot felt his breath quicken, and the familiar sensation of a panic attack started to creep in. He dropped his phone on the bed and tried to steady his breathing, his mind racing. He hadn't cheated on Taylor; he knew that. His family knew that. But Taylor and the rest of the world didn't.

He forced himself to pick up the phone again and started reading through the messages. There were texts from his cousins, friends, and even some colleagues. They all asked the same question: What the hell is going on?

He scrolled to the messages from Taylor, his heart sinking further with each one. Her last message had been from the previous night, a simple "Hey, just checking in. Hope everything's okay. Miss you." Now, he understood why she hadn't responded. She must have seen the photos and jumped to conclusions. Who wouldn't?

Eliot's hands shook as he dialled his cousin Izzie's number. He needed to talk to someone, to explain what was happening and figure out what to do next.

"Izzie, it's Eliot," he said, his voice shaky. "You've seen the photos, right?"

"Yeah, man, I've seen them," Izzie replied. "I know you didn't cheat. We all know that. But you've got to clear this up, and fast."

Eliot nodded, even though Izzie couldn't see him. "I know, but I don't even know where to start. Taylor hasn't responded to any of my texts, and I'm pretty sure this is why."

Izzie's voice was calm and reassuring. "We'll figure it out. Let's start by getting the facts straight. When were those photos taken?"

Eliot thought back, he didn't need to try that hard to remember. "May, 2022. We went for a walk down the beach with her friends. They kept taking pictures of us but wouldn't give me any to post on Instagram."

Izzie sighed. "Okay, that makes sense. But we need to get this out there. Do you want me to help you draft a statement?"

"Yes, please," Eliot said, feeling a small measure of relief.

Eliot sat at the kitchen table, head in his hands, while Izzie stood nearby, scrolling through the storm of tweets and messages. The accusations and betrayal in those posts were too much for him to handle alone, and Izzie's presence was a small comfort amid the chaos. The pictures of him kissing his ex from 2022 had set the internet ablaze, and he needed to clear his name.

"Taylor must think the worst of me right now. I can't just let this stand," Eliot said, his voice tinged with desperation. "I have to do something. I can't let her ruin yet another good thing in my life."

Izzie nodded, her expression serious. "We will, Eliot. We need to explain everything clearly and calmly. The truth will come out, but we have to be the ones to tell it."

Eliot took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "You're right. Let's do this."

They both sat down at the table, Izzie with her laptop and Eliot with his phone. The air was thick with tension as they began to craft the statement. Every word had to be chosen carefully, every detail had to be accurate. This wasn't just about clearing his name—it was about saving his relationship with Taylor and preserving his dignity.