Page 34 of The Fall of Iris Henley
“Yeah,” Noelle mutters. “It’s, uh, it’s escalated.”
I notice for the first time she’s still dressed. Was she still awake, in her room playing video games or watching movies? Or did she just fall asleep in her clothes?
“Yeah, but Mom…” I start.
She doesn’t let me get further than that.
“You know that your principal called me today? Something about property destruction?” she demands.
“How is that my fault?” I hate the note of petulance in my voice, but I can’t help it. “Someone vandalized my locker. I’m the victim here.”
“Iris Henley.” Her eyes narrow sharply. “We have done everything to help make you a success. We protected you from the media circus last year. So why are you stirring up trouble now?”
I recoil. “Mom. You don’t believe any of this stuff, do you? You don’t think I had anything to do with Rocky and Lynette.”
I hate the pleading note in my voice but I can’t help it. I need to know.
Her lips go tight. This is the only time I see vestiges of her preacher daddy. She may not be religious, but she’s got a judgmental streak.
“Of course not. But I told you in the spring, Iris, you have got to keep your head down. You’ve got to make sure no one can say even one bad word about you, you understand? What happened to…” She hesitates. She hasn’t actually said Rocky or Lynette’s name since they died. “What happened was sad,obviously. But you have to stay above reproach if you don’t want to be tarred with the same brush.”
“But I didn’t do anything!”
She gives a little shrug to that. “You did something to get their attention, Iris. I don’t know what. But you’d better figure it out.”
On my way upstairs I stop on the landing. I can hear Dad snoring away in his bedroom. What a blessed life the man leads. Sure, his wife loathes him, his children don’t respect him. But he is utterly unbothered by anything.
Right now, that sounds like a luxury.
Back in my room I climb back into bed and pick up my phone. Max has messaged me.
MAX
WTF?
ME
Idiots shot up our mailbox. It’s okay. But somehow my mom’s made it out to be my fault.
MAX
Sure, that scans. Are you ok?
ME
Yeah. Thanks for asking.
But no. I’m not okay, and of course he knows it. All the rage and chaos of the Sekrit posts have officially escaped containment. It’s in the real world, now, and there’s no undoing that.
The real question is where it will end.
CHAPTER 20
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 12:27PM
VARDA HIGH
At school the vibe has definitely shifted.
