Blamed

Chapter 1: The Lie

Sage sat in her bedroom, the poem she had written lying open before her. Her thoughts swirled like a storm, every line of her poem echoing in her mind. How did it come to this? The words she had penned felt like a desperate cry for help, yet they seemed so far removed from the reality she once knew.

It all began innocuously enough. Sage and her boyfriend, Riley, had been together for nearly two years. Their relationship, while not without its ups and downs, had always been solid. That was until the lie spread like wildfire. The rumor that she had cheated on Riley with her best friend, Ronnie, hit her like a ton of bricks. Ronnie, who was happily dating Renee, was just as blindsided as she was.

The accusations were everywhere. In school hallways, on social media, even whispered amongst friends. Each iteration of the lie grew more elaborate, more damaging. Sage felt trapped, the walls of her world closing in on her. She tried to deny it, to defend herself, but the more she protested, the less anyone seemed to believe her.

Her friends turned away, and even Riley, the one person she thought she could rely on, began to doubt her. The betrayal cut deep, and Sage found herself isolated, her once vibrant world now bleak and lonely. It was as if everyone had rewritten the narrative of her life, casting her as the villain in a story she never asked to be part of.

She felt the weight of every lie, every whispered accusation, bearing down on her. No one seemed to care about the truth. No one believed her. She was alone, with no one to turn to.

Her bedroom had become both her sanctuary and her prison. The once comforting space now felt suffocating, the walls closing in like the relentless rumors outside. She barely left her room anymore, each step outside met with hostile glares or awkward silences. The loneliness gnawed at her, a constant reminder of her fall from grace.

Nights were the worst. The quiet gave way to her racing thoughts, memories of happier times juxtaposed with the harsh reality of her current situation. She would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying every interaction, every conversation, wondering where it had all gone wrong. The thought of facing another day filled her with dread.

School had become unbearable. Teachers looked at her with a mixture of pity and suspicion. Her classmates' whispers followed her like shadows. Even the few who hadn't openly turned against her were distant, unsure of how to approach her. It was as if she had become a ghost, a mere shadow of the person she once was.

Her grades began to slip, the once diligent student now struggling to focus on assignments and exams. Every time she tried to concentrate, her mind would wander back to the hurtful words, the sneering faces. She avoided the cafeteria, opting instead to eat alone in a corner of the library, where she could at least find some semblance of peace among the silent rows of books.

One afternoon, Sage mustered the courage to approach Ronnie. She found him at his locker, his expression guarded but not unkind. "Ronnie," she began, her voice trembling, "we need to talk."

He looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion and concern. "I know, Sage," he replied softly. "This whole thing is ridiculous. Renee and I know you didn't do it. But it's hard to convince everyone else."

Sage felt a small flicker of relief. At least Ronnie and Renee believed her. But the damage had been done, and undoing it seemed impossible. "I just don't understand how it got so out of hand," she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ronnie sighed, leaning against his locker. "People love drama, and the truth doesn't sell as well as a good lie. I'm really sorry this happened, Sage. I wish there was more I could do."

As Sage walked away, she felt a pang of gratitude for Ronnie's support but also a deep sense of despair. Even with a few allies, the tide of public opinion was overwhelmingly against her. The hallways felt like a minefield, each step potentially triggering another explosion of gossip.

At home, things were no better. Her parents were concerned but didn't fully grasp the extent of her torment. "It's just high school drama, Sage," her mother would say, trying to comfort her. "It'll blow over."

But Sage knew better. The lie had taken on a life of its own, feeding on the whispers and growing stronger with each passing day. She found herself withdrawing more and more, the vibrant, outgoing girl she once was now replaced by a shell of her former self.

Her only solace came in the form of her older sister, Grace, and her brother, Daniel. Grace, with her empathetic nature, seemed to sense the depth of Sage's pain. She would sit with her for hours, offering a listening ear and a comforting presence. Daniel, always the protective brother, promised to find out who started the rumor and make them pay. Their support was a lifeline, but even they couldn't shield her from the relentless onslaught of lies.

One night, after yet another day of whispered taunts and suspicious glances, Sage reached her breaking point. She sat in her room, the poem lying before her, and let the tears flow freely. The pain was too much, the isolation unbearable. She felt like she was drowning, with no way to reach the surface.

In a moment of utter hopelessness, she reached for her phone and began typing a message to Grace. "I can't do this anymore," she wrote, her fingers shaking. "I need help."

As she pressed send, a sense of relief washed over her. Admitting her need for help was the first step, a small but significant move towards reclaiming her life. Grace responded almost immediately, her message filled with love and concern. "I'm here for you, Sage. We'll get through this together."

Sage clung to that promise, holding on to the hope that one day, the truth would come to light and the lies would lose their power. For now, she would take it one day at a time, leaning on her family and trying to find strength within herself. The road ahead was long and filled with obstacles, but she was determined to keep moving forward, step by step.