Concrete, so rough round the edge, Faith could feel the pool’s rim through her sneakers’ soles. Toes over the edge, she wavered. The day started like any other. Owen had eaten the last Pop Tart. Again Howie barfed in the laundry room and Faith nearly missed the school bus. She was reading and rereading her composition on To Kill The Mockingbird and didn’t notice the whispers.

Hurrying to Mrs. Evans’ class Faith saw Steve and Lindy pointing at her. Faith waved and they turned away. In fact everyone in the crowded hallway seemed to avoid her eyes. Walking into AP Bio Faith checked if she had jam on her tee shirt.

“How could you have done that to Stevie? Spill the tea, sister,” Molly whispered when Faith sat down at their lab bench.

Faith gave her best friend a blank stare. Molly rolled her eyes. Mrs. Evans’ gave them that look and both girls opened their textbooks. Under the cover of the four chambered heart Molly showed Faith the post. It was a video of Faith pretending to be a newscaster spewing disgusting anti-gay slurs about Steve and another classmate Gareth. In the video Faith said the two boys were hooking up in the choir band closet. Faith had known Steve since kindergarten. They weren’t super close now but she knew Steve was gay; she knew he had a crush on Gareth, the star basketball player was hot as hell. And Faith knew she hadn’t made this video, hadn’t spoken those words.

“Faith Reed, report to Vice Principal Cannon’s office. Faith Reed, report to Vice Principal Cannon’s office.”

On numb legs Faith headed from the classroom. Every eye was turned on her. Billy Martin snickered. Ruby whispered Faith was a troll. Faith’s eyes burned. The rest of the day slid down a cliff. Vice-Principal Cannon didn’t even listen to Faith’s side of things. Instead he droned on and on about the school’s safe internet policy. This had to be some kind of deep fake AI thing.

By third period Faith heard that Gareth had punched Steve and Gareth had been suspended under the zero violence policy. During fourth period Faith saw Steve’s parents picking Steve up from the side of the school. His face swollen, both eyes already blackening, Steve stared at her as he climbed into the back of his parents’ SUV and was driven away.

Her head buried in a book, Faith sat alone during lunch. Molly texted Faith to keep her head up and that she knew Faith would never say those things. Becky and Megs called Faith some kind of Nazi. Steve just texted her the word, “why?” Her phone wouldn’t stop vibrating from the texts and comments. Finally Faith couldn’t take one more glare. Behind the exercise mats, she hid in the gym equipment area.

Now she was on the edge of the pool. The pool room was locked but she knew the door’s key pad number. Coach Williams was a 49ers fan, so 1849 was easy enough. Faith took a half inch step closer over the edge. Somehow half the school had been given her phone number. The school had called her dad at work and a meeting had already been scheduled. She could already see the disappointment in his face. She’d seen it enough. Who could have gotten access to her account? Who knew her well enough to destroy her? Chlorine wafted up stinging her nose running into her tears. Faith wavered.