To Good to be True

The next morning, Alex opened his eyes and blinked into the early sunlight that fell slantwise through the gap in the curtains onto his face. Normally, he would have turned over, pulled the blanket over his head, and hoped for just a few more minutes of rest. But today was different. He felt… awake. Even a little curious about the day ahead. He sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and noticed that his shoulders felt more relaxed. Maybe it was because the previous day had gone so smoothly? No embarrassment, no mockery, no disaster.

He ran a hand through his hair, got up, and reached for his clothes. As he got dressed, he thought briefly about Tessa, about the drama surrounding the photos, and about the relief he’d felt once it was all over. He was surprised that he actually wanted to go to school. Maybe it was because he was starting to get a sense of how things worked there and because he finally didn’t expect everything to feel so ****. And who knew, maybe he’d talk to Tessa again today and see how she was doing after that embarrassing photo situation.

As he walked down the stairs, he heard a quiet clinking coming from below. In the kitchen stood Miriam, dressed even more elegantly than usual, but her posture seemed tense. She wore another striking outfit—a tailored blazer, discreet yet obviously expensive jewelry. Her makeup was flawless, yet when Alex entered, he noticed something flicker in her gaze as she looked at him.

“Good morning,” he said, trying to sound as normal as possible. He reached for a glass to pour himself some juice, pretending not to notice that she was watching him closely.

Miriam straightened up, as if trying to hide her nervousness. “Morning.” Her voice sounded deliberately casual, but her eyes darted restlessly over his face, as if searching for a reaction, a telltale twitch, a clue about yesterday’s mystery.

Alex sat down at the kitchen table and took a sip of his juice. “Everything okay?” he finally asked when Miriam’s silence became too noticeable. He’d rarely seen her like this, as if she might burst from unspoken questions at any moment.

She cleared her throat. “Of course everything’s okay. Why do you ask?” Her eyes were slightly widened, and he thought he heard a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

He shrugged. “You look… tense.” He offered a crooked smile, showing her he didn’t intend to corner her. “But if you say everything’s fine, then I guess it is.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and laughed a bit too loudly. “I just slept badly,” she evaded, rubbing her arm. “Too many thoughts, you know how it is sometimes.” But her eyes lingered on his backpack, as if expecting a photo to tumble out at any second, revealing the truth.

Alex noticed but said nothing. He didn’t want to push. He had no idea what made her so nervous, but he suspected it had something to do with the picture. Maybe she couldn’t believe things had gone smoothly. Or maybe she’d hoped to see him react differently. He wasn’t sure, but it didn’t particularly worry him. He had nothing to hide.

He took another sip of his juice and cleared his throat. “Well… I should get going, or I’ll miss the bus.” He stood up and gave her a friendly nod. “Hope your day’s better than your night.”

Miriam gave a curt nod. “Yes… thanks. Have a good day at school.”

He left the kitchen, feeling her gaze follow him. On his way to the front door, he wondered briefly if she would bring it up again later. Probably. She didn’t seem like someone who would just let it go.

For now, though, he wouldn’t let it spoil his mood. The sun was shining, the air was fresh, and he felt surprisingly light. Not even the upcoming bus ride full of noisy students bothered him today. He was curious to see how the day would go—and somehow also curious about when and how Miriam would try again to satisfy her curiosity.

While he pulled the front door closed behind him, Miriam remained in the kitchen, her gaze still fixed on the spot where he had just stood. She wasn’t used to being left in the dark. But the longer she thought about it, the more certain she became that she wasn’t going to give up. Eventually, she would find out what really happened yesterday—and why Alex seemed so grateful, although she had expected something completely different.

Alex climbed onto the crowded bus and squeezed past the jostling students. He recognized a few by sight; most paid him no attention. As usual, it was loud and stuffy, but today it bothered him less somehow. He let his gaze wander through the bus until he finally spotted Tessa, leaning against the window in one of the double seats at the back.

She seemed different from yesterday—much more relaxed, almost pleased. Her legs were casually stretched out, and instead of folding her arms defiantly across her chest, she tapped her fingers lightly on her knee as if she had a tune stuck in her head. She was gazing out the window, but when Alex approached, she turned her head to him.

“Hey,” he said as he sat down beside her. “How’s it going?” He was curious how she felt now. Yesterday, after the embarrassing photos in class, she had almost been boiling with rage. And today?

Tessa grinned, brushed a strand of hair from her face, and nodded. “Better than ever.” Her eyes gleamed mischievously, almost triumphantly. “I had a little talk with Isabella last night—if you can call it a ‘talk.’” She made air quotes.

Alex raised his eyebrows questioningly. “Oh? And… how did it go?”

Tessa snorted softly. “Let’s just say she’s learned that I’m not so easily played with.” A satisfied look crossed her face. “I made it pretty clear what I think of her making me look stupid in front of the whole class. And you know what? I think she finally realized her trick backfired.”

Alex couldn’t help smiling. He could imagine Tessa giving Isabella a piece of her mind. “So you got back at her?”

Tessa shrugged, as if she didn’t want to give too much away, but enough to stir Alex’s imagination. “Let’s put it this way: next time she’ll think twice before trying to humiliate me again. Without going into details—there were some strong words exchanged, and I had some information she preferred not to have broadcast. Nothing illegal, but enough to make her see that she’s not the only one who knows how to make people uncomfortable.”

For a moment they were silent, the bus rattling around them, other students chattering. Then Alex grinned broadly. “I’m glad you’re not letting her get you down. Yesterday you looked really furious.”

“I was,” Tessa admitted openly. “But I’m not the kind of person who stays angry longer than necessary. If you have an annoying sister, you have to learn to stand up for yourself. And I bet she won’t try that again.” She glanced at Alex. “And you? Everything okay, I assume? You looked pretty relieved after your photo was shown yesterday.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I was really surprised by how harmless it ended up being. I’d expected the worst. And then it was just… nice.”

Tessa giggled briefly. “Looks like you got lucky. I hope nobody tries something behind your back. You looked like you hit the jackpot when you went home, huh?”

Alex thought for a moment about Miriam, her puzzled expression, her strange looks. “Yeah, something like that,” he said vaguely. “But that’s another story. The main thing is I don’t have to make a fool of myself in front of the whole class.”

Tessa patted him on the shoulder in a friendly way. “See? It’s not so bad here after all.” Then she looked out the window again as the bus took a curve. “I’ve got a feeling today’s going to be a better day.”

Alex leaned back, let the noise around him fade, and felt the same odd sense of optimism he’d had that morning. Tessa had recovered from yesterday, Isabella had learned her lesson, and he was curious about what the day would bring. Maybe Tessa was right. Maybe today really would be a good day.

When the bus arrived at the school, Alex and Tessa parted ways shortly after getting off. While Tessa strolled casually toward her locker, Alex walked down the hallway, lost in thought, until he stopped at his own. His morning had started so well, and he felt unexpectedly confident. But that feeling wouldn’t last long.

He quickly entered the combination, and the door swung open. In the next moment, his blood ran cold. On the bottom of his locker lay a bright pink envelope surrounded by glittery stickers. Next to it was a photo—a childhood image of himself dressed in a pink princess gown, seated at a little tea table. Next to him, his mother, smiling while they had a tea party. He vaguely remembered such a day, but the existence of a photo felt like a nightmare now.

With trembling hands, he picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was a brightly printed card, covered in curlicue, childish writing:

Hello Princess! Do you really want everyone to know how you spend your free time with Mommy? If not, send me your contact details—address, email address, and phone number—to: [email protected]

Your royal court awaits!

Alex’s heart raced. He looked around hastily, but nobody seemed to be watching. Still, he felt as if his classmates’ eyes were already on him, whispering, laughing. The thought that this embarrassing photo was in the hands of some stranger who wanted to **** him made his stomach drop.

He grabbed the envelope and the photo again, stuffed them into his backpack, and slammed the locker door shut. He had to do something—immediately. Normally, he would have thought it through, but right now his mind was blank. He couldn’t risk that image spreading around. Just the thought of what Tessa or others would think made sweat bead on his forehead.

Hurrying through the hall, he turned into a side corridor where few students lingered. With sweaty hands and shallow breath, he pulled out his smartphone. Without thinking twice, he typed in the email address: [email protected]. Then he wrote the required data—his address, his email, his phone number—and pressed send.

Only after the quiet “ping” confirmed the message was sent did he inhale deeply. He felt awful, humiliated, and ****, but right now it seemed like his only option. Inwardly he hoped—begged—that this would satisfy the blackmailer and keep the photo from circulating.

As his knees went weak and he leaned against the wall, he wondered if he had just made a terrible mistake. But there was no turning back now. He’d done as asked. Now all he could do was wait and hope this nightmare would end before something even worse happened.

Class had just begun, and Alex sat in the back row, his hands clenched around his pen. The teacher wrote something on the board, and Isabella stood poised at the front of the room, ready to give her presentation on some historical topic. Her tone was, as always, slightly overconfident, but Alex hardly noticed today.

In his mind, everything revolved around the looming scandal. Hardly had he sent the demanded contact information when his phone, silent in his pocket, had vibrated—another response. But he dared not read it right now, not while everyone sat around him. He had to stay calm and avoid attracting attention.

His heart pounded like crazy. Who was behind this? He’d first suspected Isabella—who else would stage such a mean **** attempt? But she now stood there calmly lecturing about a historical battle. She couldn’t be doing this at the same time. So someone else was involved. Someone who knew how to put him under pressure. Someone who knew about his childhood photos. Someone who might be laughing at him this very moment while he sat here helplessly.

He swallowed hard, feeling his pulse in his fingertips. In front of him sat Tessa, her head slightly turned as if she sensed his unease. For a moment, their eyes met, and he saw her own narrow in concern. He **** his features to remain calm, shook his head just a fraction to say, “Everything’s okay.” But they hadn’t known each other long enough for her to be sure he really was fine.

Isabella continued her presentation, the class remained relatively quiet. Now and then, the teacher’s gaze swept the room to ensure everyone was paying attention. Alex tried to give nothing away. If he stared nervously at his phone now, everyone would notice. He had to wait, no matter how hard it was.

His thoughts raced. He had done what was asked. What if the blackmailer wanted more now? What if the next task was even more impossible? And above all: Who could it be if not Isabella?

Tessa glanced at him again. This time he avoided her eyes, staring at his notebook, where he’d written nothing. His breathing was shallow, but he **** himself to inhale through his nose and exhale through his mouth slowly.

The room was stuffy, the overhead projector hummed, and Isabella’s voice faded into background noise. Alex desperately hoped no one noticed his sweaty palms or his **** attempt at looking uninterested.

When Isabella moved toward her conclusion, the bell did not ring—but Alex wished it would. He wanted out of this room, he wanted to check his phone in peace and find some clarity. Yet he had to wait, fight down his anxiety.

And as he struggled to ignore his racing heart, one question lodged itself deeper in his mind: If not Isabella—then who?

Alex hunched over his tray in the cafeteria, sitting at one of the back tables. He appeared to be focused on his food, but he was actually glancing sideways at his phone. He waited until the conversations around him blended into a general murmur and no one paid attention to him. With clammy fingers, he unlocked his phone and opened the message that had been gnawing at him since first period.

The email was brazen, playfully overdone, and yet terrifying:

Hello again, Princess, I never thought you’d complete your first task so quickly. But with your sweet choice of attire back then, I guess it’s no surprise. Since you’re so eager, I have more for you: Attached to this email is a program you will install on both your PC and your phone. If you don’t have a webcam, buy one at the mall by tonight. Further instructions will follow. And you know what happens if you don’t comply, Princess.

Until tonight.

Alex’s stomach clenched. A program to install? A webcam to buy? His head pounded. What kind of sick plan was this? Obviously, the blackmailer wasn’t satisfied with just having his contact info. Now they wanted to monitor him, to control him like a puppet on strings.

As Alex finished reading and tried to steady his breathing, he heard that familiar, slightly ironic voice behind him: “That’s my seat, remember?” He spun around—Tessa, of course. He hadn’t even noticed whose seat he’d taken.

In his shock, Alex jumped up so fast that his chair toppled over with a loud crash. Several students turned to look; some snickered. Tessa frowned, surprised by his overreaction.

“Hey, everything okay?” she asked, setting down her backpack before taking her usual seat. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

Alex **** a strained smile. He rubbed the back of his neck, then quickly tucked his phone away. “All good. I was just… um… totally engrossed in Candy Crush and you startled me when you showed up,” he lied as casually as he could.

Tessa raised an eyebrow and curled her lip. “Candy Crush? Seriously? That’s not a real game, more like something bored housewives play!” She laughed softly—not malicious, more amused. “You really need to try something better. I’ll show you some real games later, so you know what good entertainment looks like.”

Alex shrugged, sat down again, and stared at his food without much appetite. He was relieved that Tessa mocked his terrible taste in games instead of probing deeper into why he was so jumpy. Her teasing was much better than any curious questions that would have **** him to explain himself.

So he let her laughter and her teasing words wash over him. It was better that she thought he was just a hopeless casual gamer than for her to find out about his blackmailer problem. At least for now.