Chapter 6: The Friend Who Knew Too Much
I stared at Chloe’s name until the letters stopped looking real.
Chloe.
My best friend since sophomore year.
The person who had helped me choose the blue dress.
The person who sat beside me during late-night study sessions.
The person who told me, “Your graduation is going to be the best day of your life.””
My fingers went cold.
Dad saw my face.
“What happened?””
I showed him the email.
He read it.
Then looked at me.
“Are you sure?””
I hated that question.
Not because he didn’t believe me.
Because I had asked myself the same thing.
Was I surrounded by people who secretly hated me?
Was every smile hiding something?
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
Dad sat beside me.
“Then we find out.””
The next morning, I asked Chloe to meet me.
She chose a small coffee shop near campus.
The same place where we used to study before exams.
When she walked in, she smiled.
Then she saw my face.
The smile disappeared.
“Aaliyah?””
“Sit down.””
She slowly sat.
“What’s wrong?””
I placed my phone on the table.
The email.
The evidence.
Her name.
She looked at it.
And she stopped pretending.
“You know.””
It wasn’t a question.
My heart sank.
“Why?””
Chloe looked around the coffee shop.
“Aaliyah…”
“Why?””
She lowered her voice.
“I didn’t do what you think.””
“You accessed my account.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to fix something.””
I stared at her.
“By destroying my graduation?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I didn’t know Mia was going to submit it.””
“Mia?””
The name came out of my mouth like a warning.
Chloe closed her eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I leaned back.
“Start from the beginning.””
She was silent for a long time.
Then she spoke.
“Mia contacted me three months ago.””
Of course she did.
“She said she needed help.””
“With what?””
Chloe looked ashamed.
“She wanted to prove that you weren’t as perfect as everyone thought.””
I laughed quietly.
“There it is again.””
“What?””
“The idea that my mistakes are the only thing that makes other people comfortable.””
Chloe looked down.
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
“I was angry too.””
I froze.
“At me?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“At everyone.””
I didn’t understand.
“She told me things.””
“What things?””
“That your family treated me like I was nothing.””
My face changed.
“Your family?””
Chloe nodded.
“I know it sounds stupid.””
“It does.””
She flinched.
But I continued.
“Because I thought you were my family.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was jealous.””
The word sat between us.
Ugly.
Honest.
“I watched you get everything.””
I shook my head.
“I worked for everything.””
“I know.””
“Then why?””
She looked away.
“Because sometimes watching someone work hard makes you feel worse about not doing the same.””
I had no answer.
Because that was exactly what Mia had felt.
And maybe what Chloe had felt.
Different people.
Same wound.
Different choices.
“Did you help Mia ruin my dress?””
“No.””
“Did you know she planned it?””
“No.””
“Did you help her with the university report?””
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
Even though I expected it.
“What happens now?””
Chloe started crying.
“I don’t know.””
I stood.
“I do.””
She looked up.
“I’m done protecting people from the consequences of hurting me.””
When I got home, Dad was waiting.
He had been talking to the university.
“They’re clearing your record.””
I nodded.
“That’s good.””
But my voice didn’t sound happy.
Dad noticed.
“Chloe?””
I nodded.
He closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at him.
“For what?””
“For choosing silence for so long.””
I sat down.
“I keep hearing that.””
“Because it’s true.””
He looked at the floor.
“I thought if I ignored small problems, they would disappear.””
“And they didn’t.””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“They grew.””
That night, Vanessa packed a suitcase.
I watched from the stairs.
“Mia is coming with me,” she announced.
Dad stood in the hallway.
“No.””
Vanessa stopped.
“What?””
“Mia stays.””
“She needs me.””
“She needs accountability.””
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“You’re choosing her over us?””
Dad looked at me.
Then at Mia.
Then back at Vanessa.
“No.””
His voice was steady.
“I’m choosing what’s right.””
Vanessa left without another word.
Mia watched the door close.
Then she whispered:
“She really left.””
I looked at her.
“Yes.””
For once, Mia didn’t blame me.
She just looked sad.
A week later, I thought the worst was behind us.
I was wrong.
Because when I returned home from campus, I found an envelope waiting on the kitchen table.
My name was written across it.
Not Dad’s handwriting.
Not Mia’s.
Not Vanessa’s.
Someone else.
Inside was a letter.
May you like
And the first sentence made my blood run cold.
*Aaliyah, your mother didn’t die the way your father told you.*
