“They figured it out first. Almost instantly.” She waves her hand dismissively as if her words aren’t piercing my already bruised heart. “Started with the camera angle. Didn’t take them that long.”
My fists clench and unclench as she continues. “Christin enlisted Aio since her work-study job was in the computer lab. They traced the digital trail. IP addresses used to access my account in different locations around campus. Burner email.Confirmed the posting time to when I was surrounded since I’d just had jungle juice tossed at me. They enlisted Christin’s photography teacher to validate there was no way for anyone to have taken that photo with consent.” Her eyes narrow. “You should never underestimate how scary women are when someone hurts one of their own.”
I wince even as she continues, “It led straight back to Brielle and to her using my school email address to create an account on DormLust.”
My stomach drops even as I ask. “What happened?”
“For a while? Nothing. I was too busy dealing with my life being destroyed. Unfortunately, that meant the statute of limitations for going after Brielle for criminal behavior passed.”
I flinch. “Then the texts I brought…”
“Are meaningless other than for your own validation.” She inhales.
“Why is everyone so protective of you?”
Her eyes hold mine. “Because to finish my internship here, I had to show the Willow Creek school board everything.”
Christ. I rub my hands over my face. “Did you have them taken down?”
“I tried—” she starts.
My voice raises an octave as I interrupt, “Tried? They didn’t do it?”
“Easy for you to carenow.” Because I can’t offer any sort of defense, Amy plows on, “I sent DormLust all of the proof. Screenshots. Expert statements. Formal takedown requests. Over and over again.”
I already know where this is going from some of the Kings being in the tabloids. Nausea churns my stomach so hard, I wonder if I’m going to vomit.
She confirms my worst fears. “They refused. Said it didn’t violate their policies. That it was ‘user-generated content.’ Theyhid behind their terms of service and an electronically signed consent form that originated from OPU. Claimed I was just a kid regretting my mistake in uploading the photo.”
Rage replaces regret temporarily. “What did you do?”
She looks at me then, really looks at me, like she wants me to understand the weight of what came next. “I sued them.”
The words knock the air out of my lungs. “You sued—” I run a hand through my hair. “Amy, that must have been?—”
“Hell?” she finishes. Then shrugs. “Nothing worse than what I already went through.”
I wince. “I wish?—”
“I wasn’t alone. I had my girls. Plus my family helped me find the perfect lawyer. Vicious. The kind of barracuda who enjoys taking on large corporations to make them bleed.”
Every word is making me more disgusted with myself.I should have believed her.
Regret is clarity that has arrived years too late.
“Eventually, I won—at least I consider it a victory. DormLust settled out of court, but part of that settlement was they took everything down. Paid damages. Drafted a letter for me in the event this comes up in my future because we all know the internet forgets nothing. I donated every cent to the Willow Creek school system.”
Awe overwhelms my profound shame. “You did all that. I had no idea.”
“Why would you? You abandoned me for your career.” Her statement is factual but it doesn’t make it any less accurate.
“I believed—” My voice cracks, and I stop. I don’t get to explain myself.
“I know what you thought—you and most of campus. That’s why I never went back to walk after I graduated.”
“I wondered if you were going to come.”
“Why should I celebrate a major milestone in my life with people who were still whispering about me?”
