My Life Exposed

Consequences

The next morning, I lay in bed and debate if I want to show my face at school today or not. This will be the most humiliating thing I've ever gone through and I'm so scared. I push my fear away, get dressed, and head downstairs for breakfast. Jace, Candace, and Brandi are all sitting at the table waiting for me. "What are you doing here," I ask. Jace says, "We aren't going to let you go through this alone. We're going to be by your side every step of the way." I begin to tear up and say, "You guys are amazing. Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me." I am so grateful to have this kind of support. I begin to feel a lot better about going to school. When we arrive there, Jace grabs my hand as we walk in. I can already hear the laughter and whispering. I can't take this shit anymore, so I stop and make sure everyone hears me when I say, "Yes, I know you have all seen a video of me, thanks to Jade. It happened a really long time ago so just shut up and get over it." Jace looks at me and says, "I'm so proud of you. You can do this." While in our first class, I hear over the intercom, "Mila Anderson, please report to the headmistresses office." I look over at Jace and he says, "Stay calm. It's going to be okay." I grab my stuff and head to the office. I take a seat at the front of her desk and wait for her to speak. Finally, she takes a breath and says, "Mila, I understand how difficult this must be on you right now. I don't have the words to express how sorry I am that this is happening. Now, I know that Jade is responsible for the video. Even though this was not on school property, she will be punished severely, but right now we must talk about something else that is very hard for me to tell you." I look at her and ask, "This is about Yale, isn't it?" "Mila, I am so sorry but Yale has put a hold on your early acceptance due to the video leak." "You have got to be kidding me! This isn't even my fault. I didn't do anything wrong; I didn't even know that I was being filmed!" "I understand, but Yale just doesn't see it that way. It brings bad press to the university." I hold back the tears that threaten to escape and ask, "Is there anything that I can do to fix this?" "Just wait it out. Give me some time to see if I can work on the board. I will keep you posted. I just don't know how much I will be able to do since the police are involved." "The police?" "Mila, Jade released child pornography. Now I don't know what is going to happen, but you should probably talk to your parents more about this. I will keep you posted about Yale." I say thank you and call Michael to pick me up early from school. I send a quick text to Jace, Candace, and Brandi to let them know that I can't handle anymore today. By the time I get home, I see a police car in the driveway. I walk in and see my father, Tracy, and Jade sitting in the living room speaking with two officers. My father is surprised to see me. "Mila, what are you doing home, sweetie," he asks. "I had a talk with the headmistress and decided it was best that I come home for the day. Yale put my early acceptance on hold because of the video." I look at Jade and she's quiet as a mouse. The police tell us that she will be booked and charged with releasing child pornography content on the internet. "We have to take her to the station now." My father asks me to stay home until they get back and I tell him that I will be here. I pull out my phone and see that I have six missed calls from Jace and a few missed text messages from Brandi and Candace. Apparently they are planning to cut school during lunch and come over. When they get here, I tell them about Yale and Jade and the police. "Well, she's getting what she deserves," Jace says. "Yeah, but my future is questionable now." "Don't say that," he says, "Yale will see this is not your fault and they will still accept you. They'd be crazy not to. I'll talk to my parents and see if they can talk to the dean at Yale." "I appreciate that Jace, but I can't have your parents bail me out of this mess. They probably think differently of me now since the video." "No, they don't. I talked to them this morning and they are on your side. Everyone knows that Jade is a disgusting human for doing what she did. I know they will do whatever they can to help you; they already told me they would." "Thank you, Jace. I really am glad you're all here. I don't know what I would do without you," I tell my friends. "Well, get used to us being around," Brandi says. My father and Tracy walk through the door without Jade and I ask what happened. My father takes off his jacket, tosses it over the couch and says, "She has to be processed and then we'll have to go back and pay her bail to get her out." "Dad, I am so sorry for everything. I just want you to know that I didn't call the police on her." Tracy speaks up and says, "Mila, don't for one second blame yourself for this. None of this is your fault. This is 100% Jade's fault and as much as she should spend a few nights in jail we are working with the DA and she will most likely get off with probation and one year of community service. I told her to stop the nonsense long ago before anything bad happened and now she has to deal with the consequences. So please Mila, do not blame yourself." To hear Tracy say that to me makes me feel so much better. I know Tracy didn't like me at first, but now it feels like she is finally accepting me as part of this family. My father's phone rings and it's the police station saying that Jade has been booked and is ready to be bailed out. My father puts his coat back on and they head out the door. Jace asks if I'm hungry. "Yeah, I'm kind of hungry," I say. "Let's order sushi and we can watch a good movie," he says. I agree that it sounds like a great plan and tell Candace and Brandi to invite Noah and John over as well. "Like a triple date," I say as I look at Jace. "Yeah," he says, "like a triple date." We all look over the menu and order over $100 worth of sushi and then we try to decide what movie we should watch. "So, what's going on," John asks when he arrives. "Well," Jace says, "Mila is having a crappy day so we're here to cheer her up." John and Noah both tell me how sorry they are about what happened and let me know that they are on my side. Just as we are about to start the movie, the doorbell rings and I open it to see Sarah and Matthew. "Jade isn't here," I tell them. "Well good thing we're not here to see Jade," Matthew says. "We feel horrible about what happened to you," Sarah says, "I told Jade not to do it. I actually begged her not to do it. She's changed, I mean she's always been mean but not like this. I've decided that I don't want to be friends with someone that is capable of doing something like this to someone. Matthew told me that he met you and that you are a really nice girl and that you didn't deserve this. We just wanted to come over and see if you were okay or needed anything." "That is very sweet of you, but I'm okay. Hey, we ordered a buffet of sushi and we're about to watch a movie; you're more than welcome to join us," I tell them. They come inside and met with everyone. Candace sees Sarah and asks, "Are you looking for Jade?" "No, I'm done with Jade. She's crossed a line this time. Ever since Mila has gotten here, Jade has just been changing into a toxic person and I can't take it anymore. She's just not the same person she used to be. I was hoping to get to know Mila better; she seems like a kind person and I need that in my life. In all honesty, I don't have any other friends. Jade has made me isolate everyone just to be a part of her group. I don't have anyone else, except Matthew." I look at her and say, "Well Sarah, you're more than welcome to join our group. You and Matthew both." "Thank you," she says. "Well, everyone deserves a second chance. Matthew has said some really great things about you," I tell her. She blushes as the doorbell rings again and the sushi finally arrives. About halfway through the movie, my family returns. Jade looks around and says, "Sarah, what are you doing here?" "I'm sorry Jade, but I just cant be friends with someone so cruel. I've decided to stand up to you for once and make new friends," Sarah says. "Really? You're just going to stop being my friend and start being Mila's friend?" "She's a good person, Jade. I told you not to send out that video and now you're paying for it. I just don't even recognize you anymore. Our friendship is over. Don't worry though because you still have Kelly and Taylor." Jade's mouth is left hanging open as she runs upstairs to her room. We all look at each other for a moment and resume watching the movie. It feels so nice to be surrounded by people that care about me; laughing and having fun. I love that I finally have a great group of friends. Jace pulls me into him and we sit that way for the rest of the movie. The movie ends and as everyone begins to leave, Jade walks back down and says, "Well, Mila, I hope you're happy. You've taken away everything from me; my boyfriend, my best friend, and now you've gotten me rejected from Yale. Now I have one year of community service with probation." Sarah stands between us and says, "Jade, none of this is Mila's fault. You did all of this to yourself. She hasn't done a damn thing to you and you did everything in your power to destroy her but all you did was destroy yourself. So please, just shut up and take responsibility for your own actions and go the hell away."