The Brave and Beautiful

Love, 236

David's POV
School was a mess. Like, everyone seemed to be staring at me. I looked in the mirror that was in my locker, and saw some intense bedhead, and bags under my eyes. I looked like I hadn't slept in years.
Hope, Adam and Izzy didn't look so hot either. When I walked In the classroom I saw Hope covered in bruises and scratches. Adam looked worried, and looked as though everyone around him was his enemy. Izzy looked sad and scared.
Then I noticed Jullia.
Her eyes were puffy. Was she crying?! I decided to ignore that and take a seat. Ms. Lee started to do a very boring math lecture, and my fatigue started to take over.
I fell fast asleep.
*
My dream was a flashback, but on drugs.
I was a small version of myself. Floating in mid-air. I was in my room, and it was as it was last night. I knew I was dreaming. I knew I could wake myself up if I wanted to, but I didn't want to listen to a math lecture, even if that meant getting in trouble. I knew where this dream was going to take me though.

Suddenly my body started to fly forward, then down my stairs. I went past my front door, and I could see Hope's house out the windows. Then, I was face to face with myself. A larger version of myself. Exactly how I was last night.
I was getting creeped out.
Then the doorbell rang.

The larger version of me... The not-dream version, went to the door and opened it. There, behind the door, was Nick.

"Dude, can I come in." He said.

"Sure." I said, confused. "What are you doing here. It's like, 10:30. Didn't you just come back from the airport!"

"I thought I'd stop by to check on the progress!" Nick said.

"Isn't it a bit late for that" I whispered, fearing I'd wake up my parents.

"Never to late!" Nick said happily. Then, I remembered something. Hope was planning on seeing Nick at the airport. She seemed serious about it, but would she go through with it?!

"Nick, did you by any chance see hope at the airport?" I asked.

"No, why?" He asked in return. Relief washed over me.

"No reason." Nick then looked me up and down.

"You're lieing. You haven't done it lately." He said, disappointed.

"Nick, it's terrible and it makes me feel all shaky." I said. He just laughed.

"Goodbye, David." He said. And with that, he turned around and left.

My dream body followed me up the stairs, and watched me climb into bed. This was my least favourite part of last night. My phone went
*ding*
Right on my nightstand. I saw myself reach for it. I wish I could stop myself, but I couldn't move. I read over my big-versions shoulder. The text said:

Unknown: Oh, David. The sooner you start to throw UP, the sooner you start to slim DOWN
. You do remember this, don't you... -236

Then, below there was a link. I clicked on it and it took me to a picture of myself, many years back. There was only one way to describe me in that picture... Fat. I remember thinking... How did this person get this picture of me. And do they intend to use it!

I didn't sleep that night.
*
Cate's voice snapped me back into reality.
"DAVID... Wake up. Ms.Lee almost noticed you!!" she whispered. Cate sat next to me, and was a great friend. She looked a lot like Izzy. But sometimes she liked to cause drama. I'm lucky she didn't make a big deal about me falling asleep.
She had blonde hair, and blue eyes. She was short, but intimidating in I way I couldn't explain.

"Thanks for waking me!" I said. I looked around at everyone and realized that 236 could be in this very room.

That's what terrified me most.
***
Hope's POV
David was literally asleep.

I looked across the room, and he was sleeping. He did look tired. But that's not the point.
I needed to make sure people didn't notice my scratches and bruises from the car crash. I'm pretty sure that Izzy saw them, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions. Would she really get me in trouble. Whatever. Images of last night kept flashing through my brain. When I hit the car into the tree, I was incredibly lucky. Only the side really got the full force, so the car was left with a really big scratch on the side. But... Like, really big! And, I was also lucky because when I crashed, I was only 20 minutes away from my house. All I needed to do was get the car from the bottom of the hill, to the top, then drive the other way. But I knew that I defineltely couldn't get to the airport in time, and I was officially scared to drive. So, after 15 minutes, I finally managed to get to the top of the hill. Sometimes I would have to get out and push, but it was successful. I remember feeling pain in my arms, and on my forehead. But I didn't think much of it.

This part of last night, I remember clearly. Before I began to drive, I got a text.

*ding*

I looked at my phone and saw this:

Unknown: Don't text and drive, sweety!! :) -236
***
Adam's POV
Izzy looked sad, and confused, and it made me feel guilty. Maybe I shouldn't have been pressing her about my secret. And maybe that my break up with her made her feel bad. But she wasn't staring off into the distance, or looking at me like she usually does when she thinks about boys. She was staring at Jullia. Puffy-eyed, sad faced Jullia. What was going on with her. Ms.Lee continued with her lecture, so I decided to evaluate the class some more.
David was asleep. He might've even been snoring!
And Hope looked like she was in emense pain.
As for me, I knew what I looked like right now. I didn't need to see my broken reflection to know that I looked like an alcoholic after St.Patricks day. I was just so dazed, and unsure of who might be my enemy at the moment. Last night, I remember recieving a text from an unknown number. But the person on the other end seemed to label them self as '236!'
It was all so suspicious!
The text said:

Unknown: Hey, Adam! It would be a true catastrophe if your secret got out! -236

I knew what I had to do. I didn't want this '236' person to tell people themselves, or use it to blackmail me. But, there was one person that 236 could be. And if it was them I was gonna be furious!

Once class was over, I stomped my way to Izzy, and pulled her aside.

"Is this some sort of JOKE!?" I yelled.

"What are you talking about?" Izzy said. She seemed sincerely confused.

"The '236' thing" I said, which triggered a gasp from Izzy. "What?"

"You got a text from 236 too! I've gotten 2!! Do you know who it is?!"

"NOPE! I wish I did. So, was 236 saying personal stuff about you that you barely told anyone?!" I asked.

"YES! Maybe there are other people who are getting these texts too!" Izzy screamed, feeling like she was on to something.

"Should we tell anyone?" I asked.

"No, they'll reveal or secrets! But, if you ever get the chance, look at people's texts on their phone!"

"Noted!"

"Okay, we will talk more about this later!" Izzy said as she saw everyone file into the next classroom. "Promise?"

"Promise." I said.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't Izzy. But, I knew that I couldn't have 236 use this secret against me. There was only one thing to do. Tell everyone what I've been hiding...