Chapter 5: The Recording

I didn't upload Counselor Bennett's recording immediately.

That would have been satisfying.

It also would have been stupid.

In my previous life, I had reacted to everything after it happened.

This time, I wanted evidence before emotion.

I went home, locked the apartment door, and called my mother.

She answered on the second ring.

“Imogen? How was your first day back? Does your stomach still hurt?”

My throat tightened.

For one terrible second, I couldn't speak.

I remembered her crying beside my body.

I remembered the oak tree.

“Mom.”

“What happened?”

Her voice changed instantly.

“Nothing.”

“Don't lie to me.”

I laughed weakly.

She always knew.

I sat on the edge of the bed.

“There's a rumor at school.”

I told her everything except the previous life.

Greer's post.

The photograph.

The fake visitor record.

The writing on my desk.

Counselor Bennett.

My mother went silent.

Last time, I had hidden most of it from her until things became unbearable.

I thought I was protecting her.

Instead, I had left her helpless when the truth finally exploded.

Not again.

“I'm coming tomorrow,” she said.

Fear shot through me.

“No.”

“Imogen—”

“Mom, listen to me. Please.”

I closed my eyes.

“Don't come alone and don't beg anyone. I'm handling this properly.”

She was quiet.

“You sound different.”

I opened my eyes.

“Maybe I am.”

“Are you scared?”

Yes.

I was terrified.

Not of Greer.

Of history repeating itself.

“A little.”

“Then I'm still your mother.”

Tears burned my eyes.

“I know.”

We agreed she would come only if the school scheduled a formal meeting.

After hanging up, I copied every screenshot into three folders.

One on my laptop.

One in cloud storage.

One attached to an email draft.

I saved the counselor recording too.

Then I opened the school handbook.

Last time, I hadn't even known what rules Greer had broken.

Now I searched carefully.

Cyberbullying.

Harassment.

Sexual harassment through rumor or insinuation.

Retaliation.

Student privacy.

I highlighted everything.

At 8:14 p.m., an email arrived from the principal's office.

Subject: Meeting Request.

They wanted me, my parent or guardian, Counselor Bennett, Mrs. Hart, and Greer with her parents in the conference room tomorrow afternoon.

I smiled.

Perfect.

Then another notification appeared.

The school forum.

Greer had posted again.

This time there was no photograph.

Just text.

“I tried to resolve this privately, but certain people are determined to attack me. I never said anyone had an abortion. People made their own assumptions. Now private information about my family is being spread as revenge.”

The comments filled quickly.

Some supported her.

Others weren't convinced.

I didn't reply.

Five minutes later, she added:

“Bullying works both ways.”

I stared at that sentence.

Last time, she had watched me get destroyed and called it a joke.

Now, after one day of being questioned, she was calling herself a victim.

I took a screenshot.

Then my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“You think you're clever?”

Another message followed.

“Leave Greer alone.”

Then:

“Tomorrow won't be fun for you.”

I saved everything.

I didn't respond.

At school the next morning, Mason and two basketball players were standing near the front entrance.

My body remembered them before my mind did.

The school gate.

The laughter.

The word they shouted at me.

My palms went cold.

Mason looked at me.

Then at the phone in my hand.

He said nothing.

I walked past.

Not today.

But I knew what happened next in my previous life.

And this time, I had already changed the route.