Bring me down? ‘Mai, you contacted Paddington’s Books and got me fired. Surely that shows you intended to ruin my life?’
‘No,’ she says firmly. ‘It wasn’t me. I promise you, I didn’t call Paddington’s. By that stage, I’d pulled out of the entire mess. I’m really sorry, Harper. It was only supposed to be a joke, us gamers gaming the system for a few weeks and then we’d wrap it up and share how we did it, to show it was possible. When the book hit the top of the bestseller charts, the group were suddenly divided. It was making real money, lots of money, and even though we were spending most of it on ads, my friends got caught up in the thrill of it. They decided to do whatever was necessary to keep it in top spot, in the hopes it would eventually profit without the need to continue to outlay huge sums on marketing spend. You were collateral damage, Harper. I tried to stop my friends, I did. But it was too late. For what it’s worth, you weren’t the only one who was suspicious. My friends are all techy and managed to bury or remove any negative talk about it on social media. Especially on Reddit. And we paid for all the positive posts.’
‘This is why you had a falling out with all your gamer friends?’ Lily asks.
‘Yeah. It was never meant to ruin Harper’s life. Just shake it up a bit and they, we, went too far. I’m truly so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking, I really don’t.’
I try my best to ignore how contrite she sounds. I want to hold on to my anger. ‘There was never any legal team?’ As soon as I ask, it clicks.
‘No, that email was generated using AI too, so it would sound legit.’
Whoa. I didn’t even think to check the firm was real. Why would I? I wanted to run away screaming from the threat of it all. ‘And the doxxing?’
‘Not real either. Fake accounts that commented that you’d been doxxed.’ So that’s why she didn’t feel any concern hosting a Snapchat pal party. There was never any threat from incels.
‘What do you expect me to do about this?’ I ask.
‘Expose the whole thing. I’ll admit my part in it, even if that means The Mums will hand out a punishment worse than death. I deserve it.’
The dramatics of her young age shines though. ‘I hardly think it’s as bad as what I’ve been through.’ But then I reconsider. If none of this had happened I wouldn’t have found my way here to the island. I wouldn’t have found Xavier and whatever the heck might happen with that. The beautiful island bookshop. Old man Turt. The merry band of kooky expats. Mariola’s steady friendship. Freedom. My last chance… became a second chance. And so can I forgive Mai, and give her another chance, like Gus did for me? It’s an impossible choice. I’m quietly seething that she’d be so stupid but I’m also mindful of her age, and this tech-obsessed world that we live in where a stupid idea to cheat to the publishing system went too far.
‘No, it’s not as bad as what you’ve been through, Harper. Lily is right, I did it because I’m so envious of you, when I should have just told you how much I admired you. How you built your page from nothing inspired me. It’s what convinced me to try Twitch streaming. And your friendship with Lily is like this precious tangible thing and I wanted that so badly.’
She’s made some stupid choices but haven’t we all done that? I’m just thankful that my youth wasn’t documented with a phone in our hand, camera at the ready, endless possibilities at the touch of a button. Egged on by other teenagers who are too clever for their own good. ‘I hope you learn from this, Mai. And find some better friends. That’s the hard part. Knowing who to keep and who to cast away if you ever want a friend as good as Lily. I don’t know what else I can say.’ She’s still Lily’s cousin and right now I’m too stunned to think straight. Or to absolve her.
‘Harper,’ Lily says. She’s just barely containing her rage. ‘This is unforgiveable. I’m going to call The Mums now. This is too big for me to handle without backup. Is that OK by you?’
‘More than OK.’ If I know the Zhous like I think I do, they will dole out a punishment far worse than I ever could. ‘And Mai, you’re the one that can speak up online about this. Not me. You make it right. This is on you.’
‘I will, I promise I will.’
‘I cannot believe this.’ Lily lets out a frustrated sigh.
‘Let’s talk a bit later, yeah?’
As I go to hang up the call, all I hear is the sound of Mai sobbing and it pains me to hear such anguish in her voice, but I take heart, knowing her family will sort it out in the meantime. Just like they always do. Together.
48
I can’t find Mariola so I send her a text to see where she is. I’m ruminating about all that’s happened today and find myself pushing it from my mind because it feels too big to process right now.
Part of me realises that if my life didn’t implode I would never have made it to the island. Was it meant to be? I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way, as I’m sure Mai is now learning too, since the Zhous have been called and are no doubt going to dole out some sort of punishment laced with tough love, lots of lamentations and a good sprinkling of hugs. In the scheme of things, yeah, Mai did something really stupid, but it’s not as bad as what Gus and his wife are facing, so that helps put things in perspective. The tendrils of forgiveness start unspooling in my heart.
At Kiosk Coco Loco, I order a light dinner – prawn and papaya salad that I’ve grown to love. Who wouldn’t when the seafood around here is caught fresh daily?
When my order is ready, I make my way back to the staff area and am surprised to find Xavier waiting by my door, shuffling from foot to foot like he’s… nervous. But I thought the man didn’t do nervous?
‘Got ants in your pants?’ I ask and then promptly want to die. Why would I say that?
He grins. ‘You could say that. Since you arrived, Harper, I find myself constantly at a loss for words, for my own sanity, for these strange set of circumstances I find myself in. I’ve never met anyone quite like you before, the kind of person who shakes up the world around them.’
I blink. ‘OK, let me sift through all of that so I can decide if that is a compliment or a criticism.’
His lips twitch with a smile. ‘It’s a compliment.’
‘Well, thanks. I often wonder about my sanity too.’
‘What I meant by that is – you frustrate me to the point I don’t know which way is up or down.’
