Viral by Alex Van Tol Page B

me.
    â€œYou get seven years for sexual assault, Josh,” I say. “I’m almost sure you weren’t planning on spending any time in the can after graduation. Aren’t you gunning for that nice theater program in New York?” He grows still. His eyes lock on mine, huge and bloodshot. “What you did to Lindsay could destroy her reputation at this school,” I continue. “Not only that, but it’s against the law. I’m ready to go to the police with this, and Lindsay is totally prepared to press charges. Plenty of people saw you guys leaving that room at the party.”
    I’m bluffing with this last bit, but Josh won’t know any different.
    â€œSo,” I say. “You wanna hear what I think you should do?”
    He nods. He might have whimpered too, but I can’t be sure.
    â€œGood. Here’s what I think you should do. I think that video should just die a quiet death. Without you ever breathing a word about who’s in it. Stop spreading it. And most importantly, don’t even think of doing that to a girl ever again. That shit wrecks people’s lives, Josh.” I give his head another smack against the truck. “You feeling me?”
    Josh groans again. Nods.
    â€œYou’re not going to make me go to the cops on this, Josh, are you?”
    Whack .
    Josh shakes his head.
    â€œAtta boy.” I stare at him for a long moment. Then I give him an extra little push and let go. Suddenly free, Josh grabs his jaw with both hands and moans.
    I stand up, resisting a childish urge to kick him.
    Instead I turn and walk away without looking back.

Chapter Sixteen
    I swing my leg over my bike and start to pedal.
    My head is buzzing with all this stuff. My world has been turned upside down in a matter of days. Lindsay has pretty much confessed that she’s into me—and has been for just as long as I’ve been into her. But she’s so messed up. She’s angry and out of control. Her life is in a monster spiral. She’s got naked pictures of herself being spread all around the Internet.
    And I’ve just beat the crap out of the guy who’s responsible.
    Everything looks very different than it did a week ago. Life is weird like that.
    I decide I’ll head to Lindsay’s house. I’ll tell her something she’ll want to hear: that Josh has promised never to let it slip about it being her in the video. She’ll be relieved not to have to go to the police— even though I would prefer that she did. I want him to pay for what he did.
    Although I guess I did make him pay just now. Just a little bit. I’m looking forward to telling Lindsay about my little meet-up with Josh.
    As I rip along the streets, another more important thought hits me: I still haven’t told her anything about how I really feel. About her. I’ve been meaning to, but I just haven’t found the right time. She has yet to hear the words from me that she’s probably needing to hear right about now.
    That she’s been needing to hear for, like, months.
    As far as I know, Lindsay has no idea that I’m in love with her.
    I pedal faster. As I race toward her house, I imagine how great everything is going to be when I finally tell her how I feel.
    When I get to her place, I knock. It feels weird. Before things fell apart, I used to just go straight inside.
    No one comes.
    I wait for a few more seconds and knock again. Still no answer. I glance at my phone. It’s 4:18 pm. Lindsay’s dad is still at work. Her mother is probably out shopping. Lorraine loves her afternoons at the mall.
    I open the front door.
    â€œLinds?” I call. I know she’s home. Her car is in the driveway.
    No answer. Maybe she’s on the computer downstairs. I go and look, but she’s not there.
    Maybe she’s got the laptop in her bedroom.
    That’s where I find her. But she’s not on the laptop. She’s in bed, asleep. Wow, she must be