The Blackmail Dilemma

Dare Me To Delete

August rode with me to Stacie's house. I parked a few houses from hers, then sat there with the engine running. Janessa had agreed to fake the conversation. Stacie had no idea that I was about to betray her. She had no idea I was outside her house.

A part of me was ready. Excitement bubbled in the pit of my stomach. For the first time since the incident, I felt like I was in control of my life. Stacie's secret would be in my hands, and she wouldn't even known it.

"I'm proud of you," August said.

I turned to him. "Proud of what?"

"That you're standing up for yourself. I have no idea what hold those people have on you, but you're doing something about it."

I got out of the car before I could respond. To be honest, I had no idea how to respond to that. How do you explain to the only friend you really have that you've been blackmailed for months? How do you go to the beginning of a secret that haunts you in your sleep?

We walk down the sidewalk in silence, and I lock the vehicle behind me. The white, one-story house loomed ahead. No vehicles lined the driveway, which lead to a small pothole on the street. One window was broken, but wood had been hastily nailed over it. The lawn iwas neat and perfectly mowed, and a lone pear tree sat next to the driveway. I'd been to that house many times. Before the incident, Nina, Stacie and I had sleepovers, baked cakes, and studied for tests.

Come to think of it, I wasn't not sure they were the best friends ever before everything happened. I thought of the conversations that died when I walked in the room. I thought of the lives Stacie tried to ruin. I thought of the boys Nina dated and threw out, some of them coming to me for answers.

There was no breaking in. I walked straight up to the door, grabbed the key under the mat, and unlocked it. August followed behind me, and I lead him through a hallway off the door and into the last room on the right. The smell of fruity perfume hit my nose, and my steps echod against the hardwood floor. A lone desktop computer sat in the corner of the room on a wooden desk. Her small, twin-sized bed took up the majority of the right wall. A square window sat across from me, the blinds letting in just enough light to see.

"So, is it safe to sit on her bed, or is she like your friend, Nina?"

I gasped, spinning around to stare at him. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "It's safe."

He walked over to the bed and flopped back onto it. Glancing around the familiar room, my stomach churned with unease. I turned back to August, who craned his neck to look around the room. He looked comfortable. Too comfortable for what we were doing.

"You know, you don't have to help me with this," I said quietly. "You don't have to be involved with this."

He pushed himself upright with a single hand. "I made my choice. I want you to trust me."

I breathed one word. "Why?"

"Because, when I look at you, I see someone who isn't okay. Someone who needs another person to see that. Plus, I had nothing better to do."

Turning away, I walked towards the computer. My hands shook as I powered it on, waiting for it to boot up. I bit my lip as August's words crashed into me like a wave. He was right. He was right, and he knew it. I just couldn't admit that I needed help.

Not before. But, now, I'd have the power.

As soon as the computer turned on, I leaned over the desk and glared at the welcome screen. I forgot she kept it locked with a password she refused to tell me. I knew Nina knew it. I'd watched her log onto this computer before when Stacie asked her to.

Never me. I was never good enough for them.

"You need any help?"

I jumped, stumbling over the leg of her chair and nearly falling. Somehow, I managed to steady myself by gripping the desk for dear life. My heart raced in my chest. I was so stupid. So, so stupid.

"You need help?" He reiterated.

"She has a password, and I have no idea what it is."

I watched as he took a seat in the chair, spinning around a single time while cracking his knuckles. Then, his fingers flew across the keyboard. I had no idea what he was doing. All I could do was sit there and stare while he stared at the screen with intense focus. His brown eyes were narrowed in concentration.

After a few minutes, he smiled and pushed himself away from the computer. As I walked closer, I realized I was staring at her desktop. Dumbfounded, I stared at him for a moment.

"Did you just hack her computer?"

He shrugged. "Did I?"

"How-"

"Less talking, more doing whatever it is you need to do."

I gulped. "Thank you. I never knew- never thought you could-"

He waved a hand. "Not many people know I'm good with computers. I don't go around telling people I can hack stuff."

"How'd you even get into it?"

Something shifted in his features. He gulped in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Back home- back in Australia..." he shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "It was a skill that came in handy."

I just nodded, afraid I'd upset him. I couldn't tell him much about myself, but here I was, pressing him for information. My attention was redirected to the computer. I couldn't believe he'd done it. I couldn't believe I was this close to showing Stacie a taste of her own medicine. It felt oddly exhilarating.

August made no move to leave the chair, so I just leaned over the keyboard. My eyes scanned the screen for anything that could hold blackmail material. Nothing. There were about ten folders on her desktop, and all of them seemed to be for the school paper. Except one, titled 'homework'. I clicked on it and gasped. There were quit a few subfolders.

One was titled 'Janessa Kovanak'.

I clicked it. My breath caught in my throat.

There were several photos. A slightly overweight but filled out girl had her back turned to the camera. Her dark hair reached her waist. She stood in front of a door.

The next, a familiar face opened the door. A male teacher whose class I had freshman year. The next few images disturbed me deeply. Bile rose to my throat and I placed a hand in front of my mouth.

"Holy shit," August whispered.

I'd forgotten he was there with me.

"She's banging the art teacher!"I shouted.

"Shh!" August hissed. "Do you want to be caught?"

I backed away from the computer and pulled out my phone.

"Delete them."

"What?"

"Look, that girl, Janessa-" I stopped myself. How much did I want to tell him? Could I really trust him?

"She what?" He asked.

I took a leap of faith. I wasn't sure if I was stupid or brave. "She has something on Stacie. If I delete this, then she'll give it to me."

He stared at me for a moment. Like really stared at me. Then, with a slow nod, he started deleting them. I recorded the whole thing as evidence for Janessa, leaving his face out of the video.

If Stacie was going to leak this to the whole school, then what was she trying to protect?

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Yayyy, I finally wrote! I've been kinda blocked lately, which sucks since school starts soon. I have orientation tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Thoughts?

-Sarah