“Did you have this done?” demanded DJ, suddenly suspicious.

“No.” Eliza sighed. “Like I already said, this is way below me. I would never stoop to something as nasty and creepy as this.”

“Well, I honestly don’t believe that’s Taylor’s site.”

“No, of course not.”

“Who did it then?”

“Rhiannon would be suspect,” said Eliza. “Except that I’m pretty sure she’s next in line for sainthood.”

“Rhiannon would never do something like that.”

“Unless she has another side.” Eliza smiled. “Some religious people are like that. They act all holy and good, and then when no one is looking they—”

“Shut up,” said DJ.

“Well.” Eliza looked truly offended now.

“Sorry,” said DJ. “But Rhiannon is not like that.”

Eliza shrugged. “People are full of surprises, DJ. The sooner you figure that out, the smarter you’ll be.”

“Whatever.” DJ pulled out their assignment sheet and tried to act like she was researching—anything to keep her mind off the nasty business with Taylor. Who had done it? An enemy from California? And how did Conner find out about it? Furthermore, and perhaps more worrisome, did he look at those photos too? What was wrong with people? DJ wondered as she scanned the image of an old newspaper. Why would someone go to such lengths to hurt someone else?

17

TAYLOR WASN’T ANY WHERE TO be seen at lunchtime. Not that DJ blamed her. She couldn’t even imagine how she would react if something like this had happened to her. Naturally, it was the hot topic at their table.

“Were those photos really of her?” asked Bradford with a seriously freaked expression.

“We wanted to ask you the same thing,” teased Harry. “You’ve probably seen more of Taylor than anyone here.”

“Shut up,” said Bradford.

“Where’s Rhiannon anyway?” asked Kriti. “I haven’t seen her since this morning.”

“Do you think Rhiannon could have done this?” asked Harry.

“No way,” said DJ.

“Absolutely not,” added Bradford. “Rhiannon is not that kind of a girl.”

“I’d have to agree,” said Conner. “That is totally out of character for her.”

“Who then?” asked Bradford, glancing around the table with suspicion.

DJ noticed that Casey was being unusually quiet during lunch. And she couldn’t help but remember how Casey had been extra protective of Rhiannon lately, almost acting as if Taylor had offended her as much as she had hurt Rhiannon.

“How did everyone find out about the website?” asked DJ.

“Good question,” said Eliza. “I found out from you, DJ.”

“And I got the address from Conner.”

“Harry showed me the site in chem class,” said Conner.

“I saw it there too,” admitted Kriti with a severe frown. “Not that I wanted to see it. But the whole class was looking while Mr. Skinner was out.”

“How did you find out about it, Harry?” demanded Eliza.

“The same way most of the guys in school found it,” he said. “In the restroom. Someone taped a poster on the wall.”

“A poster?” DJ tried to imagine this.

“Not a poster-poster. It was just a piece of white paper with a photo of Taylor, obviously taken from the website. Then at the bottom were these tear-off pieces for the address so that it would be easy to find online. It reminded me of those posters you see on bulletin boards, like someone selling a car or looking for a roommate.

“This person is slick,” said Eliza.

“You mean sick,” said DJ.

They continued to kick it around and speculate, but no conclusions were made. And no accusations either, although DJ was getting more and more suspicious of Casey.

“How do we get it shut down?” asked DJ as they started to leave.

“Why bother?” asked Harry. “I’m sure the whole school has seen it by now anyway.”

“Because it’s wrong,” said DJ.

“It is wrong,” added Kriti. “Not to mention cruel.”

“That’s right.”

“But it’s not really your problem,” said Casey, probably the first thing she’d said during the lunch hour.

“Not my problem?” demanded DJ. “Taylor happens to be my roommate. I’d say that it’s a little bit my problem.”

“Has she been coming onto you?” teased Harry.

“No,” said DJ, now flustered. “But she’s hurting.”

“Yeah, right,” said Casey. “That girl has a heart of stone.”

“She was crying today,” said DJ, “when she saw the photos.”

“Really?” Kriti actually sounded concerned now.

“She was,” admitted Eliza. “It surprised me too.”

“Well, maybe it’s about time she got some of her own medicine,” said Casey.

“I can’t believe you, Casey,” said DJ. “I’d think you’d know how it feels to be hurt like that. I’d think you’d have a little more empathy.”

Casey shrugged. “You know what Eliza said—what goes around comes around.”

DJ just shook her head as she stared at her old friend. Then she turned away from the group and headed straight toward the office. Taylor might be mean and selfish, but she didn’t deserve this. No one did.

“I’d like to see Mrs. Seibert,” she told the receptionist.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but this is an emergency.”

“Let me see if she’s back from lunch.”

DJ had to wait about five minutes, but she was eventually allowed in the counselor’s office. She quickly explained her dilemma, and Mrs. Seibert took careful notes and finally, using her own computer, checked out the website.

“Oh my!”

“Yeah, pretty disgusting, isn’t it?”

“Let me make some calls,” she said quickly. “We’ll see what it takes to shut that thing down, and then I’ll get some legal advice.” She picked up the phone and then turned to DJ. “Do you know who might’ve done this?”

DJ considered the question and then just shook her head. She knew she couldn’t accuse Casey. She honestly didn’t have a shred of evidence; it was only a hunch. Hopefully, she was wrong. But even if she discovered that Casey was the creator of this mean hoax, DJ didn’t know if she could turn her in.

“Thank you for coming forward with this information,” said Mrs. Seibert as DJ stood. “I’ve heard of incidents like this before, but never in our school. I guess it’s about time we created a harassment policy that covers the Internet.”

DJ nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

“Pick up a note from the receptionist to excuse you for being late to class.”

“Thanks.”

By the time DJ got to drama class they were in the midst of auditions. Eliza was onstage and doing a pretty good job of singing “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair.” Not surprisingly, Taylor was nowhere to be seen. DJ had already tried Taylor’s cell phone, which went straight to messaging. DJ took a seat in the back of the auditorium, wondering if there was something more she should do. Was there someone else she should contact? Her grandmother perhaps? But what good would that do? Maybe it was best to simply wait for this whole thing to blow over.

“How are you doing?” whispered Rhiannon as she slipped into the seat next to DJ.

DJ shrugged. “Frustrated.”

“You mean because of the thing about Taylor and the photos?”

“Have you seen it?”

“Barely. I could hardly stand to look.”

“I just got through telling the counselor. They’re going to try to get it shut down.”

“Taylor didn’t really post those herself, did she?” asked Rhiannon.

“No, of course not. She might be selfish and thoughtless, but she’s not an idiot.”

“I actually feel sorry for her.”

“Me too.”

“Do you think she’s coming for auditions?”

“I think she’s got other things on her mind.”

“Mr. Harper suggested I try out for the role of Liat, but I think it’s only because I’m short.”