Hey, welcome back. You were the most preppy cheerleader in our school. Everyone loved you..even me. Welcome to your tape, Ariana Grande.
••••••
*1 day after, Jade committed suicide*
My alarm blasted throughout my room making me wake up.
"Ugh, why does school have to start so early?" I asked myself as I turned the alarm clock off on my phone, sitting up looking around my room.
I got out under my warm blankets and now I'm cold.
I walk over to my closet and pick out my outfit. I have a reputation for being preppy, just because I'm one of the cheerleaders. But honestly, the real me deep down on the inside is a shy girl, who loves to sing.
I finally figured out what I'm going to wear.
I laid out my clothes on my bed and went to go get in the shower.
•••••
I just got out of the shower and wrapped the towel around my body trying not to be cold, but failing.
I walked back into my bedroom and dried off. After I dried off I put my clothes on. I'm wearing black leggings, white with black strips shirt, and a pink cardigan over it.
•••••
I got to school and everyone is silent. Wow, something is wrong.
"Hey, Selena, um what's going on?" I asked Selena as soon as I saw her.
She looked at me with sad-looking eyes.
"Well?" I asked her getting impatient. Doesn't she know I can't make out what she is thinking?
"Didn't you hear?" She asked mumbling.
"No," I said.
"Oh, Jade Thirlwall...is...dead."
"Wait what?" I asked trying to process it all.
"You heard me." She said looking down.
"B-but how?" I asked.
"Suicide," Selena said.
"Oh" is all I could say, remembering what I did to embarrass her a little bit.
Well, I have a spam account on Instagram and someone sent me an embarrassing photo of her so I posted it to my account that has 6 thousand followers. It went a little something like this.
*1 week before Jade committed suicide*
"Ari, I have a photo for you," Kylie said to me.
"Ok, what is it?"
She showed me the picture and I died laughing. I had to post it.
It was of Jade laughing while she had food in her mouth. You could see everything she is eating. I don't know if it is embarrassing or disgusting. Either way, I'm posting it.
"Omg guys look at this. I can't decide if it's embarrassing or disgusting, let me know in the comments." I proofread my caption and posted the photo.
"Thanks, Kylie," I said to her
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She said to me and walked away.
I instantly got likes and comments. Most people were saying "both", "ew", "what a slob", "yikes, how does she even have a boyfriend", and "🤢🤮".
*Present time*
I came out of my trains of thought. Now I'm thinking why in the hell did I do that? I feel so stupid and embarrassed that I actually listened to Kylie and posted it. Sure it was freaking hilarious and a part of me still wants to laugh at the photo. I know it's wrong to laugh especially now but it takes me back to a happier time.
•••••
I stared down at this brown boring box that had my name on it.
I opened it and I saw 14 tapes and a tape set along with headphones.
I put in what I'm guessing is the first tape because it says 'introduction'. I study it trying to figure out if this is some kind of sick joke or what.
I put the tape in the tape set and pressed play.
Hey, it's Jade, Jade Thirlwall.
That's right. It's me, live, and in stereo. Get a snack. Settle in. Because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to this tape you're one of the reasons why. I'm not saying which tape brings you into the story. If you received this lovely little box, your name will pop up. I promise.
I'm already confused. So I guess this is actually Jade talking?
••••••
I just got finished listening to the first tape and now I get it. I know what I did, I don't even have to listen to my tape to find out, but I guess I should.
I woke up the next day doing my normal morning routine.
After I got dressed I grab the tapes, tape set, and my own earbuds, stuffed them down in my bag and I headed out the door to catch the school bus.
Once I got on the bus I got in a seat all to myself and stretched my legs across the seat.
I opened my bag and took out tape 2 and my earbuds and pressed play.
•••••
By the time I got off the bus, I was on tape 3, Jed Elliot's.
Gosh, I didn't know Kylie was such a bitch to her. I mean I knew she bullied her but not that bad.
I went to my locker not making any eye contact with anyone, focusing on Jed's tape.
••••
By the end of lunch, I was on tape five. And I have yet come to my tape.
"Hey girl!" Zendaya said to me during free time.
"Oh, hey," I said back smiling hoping she will go away so I can finish this tape.
"Whatcha got there?" She asked me.
"Just a tape," I said back to her.
"Oh, can I listen?" She asked me. I was afraid she would ask me that.
I paused for a moment before speaking "um no not right now."
"Oh." Is all she said.
"Maybe later. It's complicated." I said
"No, I get it, it's fine, really." She said back.
The bell started ringing.
Damn it I didn't get to listen to tape five thanks, Zendaya.
The rest of my classes went by in a blur, I think I actually fell asleep in history. Oops.
Anyways now I'm back on the bus and I can listen to the rest of the tapes.
I go back to my normal seat on the bus only to find someone sitting in my seat.
I didn't feel like arguing so I just rolled my eyes and sat in front of my normal seat. I sighed and pressed play on the tape player.
Hey, welcome back. You were the most preppy cheerleader in our school. Everyone loved you..even me. Welcome to your tape, Ariana Grande.
Oh, this is my tape. The moment I've been waiting for.
Yes, that's right, I liked you. Not in a sexual way, but in a friendly way. Even after what you did to me, I still wanted to be your friend.
Wait she wanted to be friends? I didn't even know it. I was so caught up in cheerleading I didn't even give her a chance.
Ariana, I tried to come up to you and talk to you. Hell, I even tried to talk to Cher, Selena, and Zendaya just to try and get through to you, but it didn't work. Now I wonder what you would be like if you weren't a cheerleader. Anyways a week ago you posted an embarrassing photo of me laughing and eating food. I wondered how you even got that stupid photo...I still wonder. That was a photo when I was actually happy in my life and I was enjoying myself, but you had to go and take that away from me, but yet I still wanted to be your friend. What hurt me the most was the comments it got and how much attention the picture itself got. People laughed at me and called me names. People I don't even know came up to me on the streets laughing. On the fucking streets Ariana! Now not only was I getting bullied at school but random people were making fun of me that I didn't even know. Fuck you, Ariana. Being bullied at school hurt but getting bullied out of school hurt so fucking worse. Outside of school was the only thing that got me through the eight hours of hell. And you ruined that for me. Thanks to that god dang picture. I hope you are happy and got what you wanted because I sure ain't. But yet deep down inside me I still wanted to be your friend. Don't try to delete it now, because it will be on the internet forever now, thanks to you. Have a happy rest of your life and one more thing you should really think about what you post from now on Ariana because you never know who it could kill...
"You ok Ariana?" Charlie asked me. I didn't even know he was across from me.
"Yes. Why?"
"You have tears streaming down your face."
"Oh, it's nothing don't worry about it," I said hoping he would just drop it.
He looked at me for a moment before he mumbled "whatever" and looked down at his phone as if our conversation never even happened.
•••••
I got home at my normal time and immediately ran up to my bedroom and slammed the door shut and went to my bedroom and screamed into my pillow.
Now I'm asking myself why I actually listened to Kylie and posted that photo. I'm such an idiot.
I laid on my bed staring up at the ceiling still thinking about my tape. I feel my eyes becoming droopy and before I know it I have fallen asleep.