The Blackmail Dilemma

Dare Me To Apoloogize

    That night, I messaged the girl on Instagram, just like Stacie had told me. I was honest with her. Maybe I shouldn't have been. Maybe she wasn't a nice person.  At this point, it didn't even matter. I needed something, anything to hold against Stacie. It was a start. She'd think I blackmailed the girl, and I'd have something to help me out.

    I just hoped I didn't have to post anymore pictures on lockers.

    Hey, I have something to tell you.

    A few moments later, she wrote back. According to her profile, her name was Janessa.

    Um, okay?

    Stacie wants me to blackmail you, but I'm not going to. I just need you to tell me what you know about her to make her act like this.

    I waited patiently, leaning back against the headboard of my bed. I knew it was a long shot. I just couldn't keep living in fear. The person I was wasn't even close to who I needed to be. If I could find something on Stacie, maybe she'd drop my secret. Maybe we'd be even.

    More importantly, how many people did she have blackmail-worthy secrets on? Was Janessa the only person that had something on Stacie for a change?

    I glanced down at my phone, holding my breath. I had a reply.

    You're that girl who's her friend? The one that does all her dirty work?

    Yes.

    It was true. I did all the things she was scared to do herself.

    Why should I help you?

    I blew out a breath. It was time to channel my inner Stacie.

    Because if you don't, I'll leak your secret to the world.

    Who says I won't leak Stacie's?
    This girl was irritating me.

    I don't care about her, just like she doesn't care about me.

    It said she was typing, and I anxiously waited for a response.

    I'll meet you after school tomorrow. If you can get rid of all the evidence of my secret from her possession, I'll give you everything I have on her. Deal?

    I nodded to myself. I had nothing more to lose. Okay. Where do you want to meet?

    The park down the street from the school.

    Okay. See you then.

    §

    I skipped school the next day. It was a stupid, reckless decision I made on a whim. The moment I woke up, I decided I wouldn't face them that day. Besides, if I wanted to get the information out of Stacie's hands, I needed to find a way into her house. She saved everything on her computer.

    My dad left the house that day. Nelson went to school. He called a friend to pick him up, and for once tried to be nice to me. At least, a little bit nicer than before. Now, I sat on my bed at noon, clutching my phone on my lap. I had to get into her room, delete the information, and get to the park. It seemed simple enough laid out, but then I had to remember the specific details. The details of breaking and entering. Of doing something illegal for the first time in my life.

    Speeding was one thing. Technically illegal, a lot of people did it. Lying was morally wrong, but how many people lied? Breaking into someone's house; this was on an entirely new level for me, but I wasn't willing to back down.