At home, I'm all but surprised to find a chicken coup in the backyard. Olive comes out holding a container of water. I swear, she's the craziest little girl I've ever encountered. Chickens? Really?

I head in and start studying as a punishment for not revising for the test yesterday. When Danatha calls about an hour later, I take my phone and throw myself on the bed, sniffing Fondue. She asks me to come hang out at the park with her and JD.

When I get there, they're busy talking too damn much, affording me the opportunity to gobble down more than my fair share of their snacks. Soon enough though, my phone starts ringing. It's Aden.

"I fantasized about you for most of my afternoon." I say, sitting against a tree, after reassuring him that I wasn't ill yesterday.

"Uh-huh."

His voice seems so quiet and distant.

"You were there. You lived here in Cleveland with me. I was showing off my hot boyfriend to my other friends at school. We were walking around my neighbourhood holding hands, then sitting here, under my favourite sycamore tree in the park.

"I envy Danatha and JD sometimes. I feel weird saying it, but it's true."

I look over at them. Danatha is lying on JD's lap and laughing at something he's saying. The beautiful blooms fly all around them, pulled by the wind. They look so happy - so together.

"Anyway, I snuck you into my room and we made out during my study breaks. You even met Olive by mistake."

"McKay."

"I'm having a bad day." I cut, ignoring how tired he sounds. I'm tired too. "Can't you just listen to me, please?

"You met Olive by mistake and my mother wondered about the male cologne on my bedspread when she came in. We ate donuts at the café on my street and bought ice-cream from one of the passing trucks, then got some pizza near Sybil's place."

"Look, I'm not having a great day either and this is the last thing I want to hear. I wanted to hear your voice and laugh at your corny jokes, so my day would brighten; not hear how much I disappoint you."

"I'm sorry to say it, Aden but that's not fair. The gift is that I speak to you in the first place; not how I speak to you, remember?"

He quietens for a moment.

"I should be grateful then."

"That's what we agreed upon."

"I think I should go. I don't think this is doing me any good and-"

"Excuse me?! Hey, Aden! What are we doing here? Do you even know how relationships work? How the most basic of friendships function? It's not doing you good? Why is that important? It's doing me good to get this off my chest." I yell into the receiver, sitting up.

"Don't you think you're being a bit selfish?"

"I don't, for the simple fact that friends listen. Friends know it's not about them. I know you're in a bad mood, but these fifteen minutes are an escape - not a haven where all your wishes come true. Grow the fuck up!"

I've said something I already regret. I face palm, trying to calm down as I catch both Danatha and JD glancing my way.

"I don't want to fight."

"That's not what it sounds like from this side of the line."

"It hurts you because you can't fulfil those things, even though you would like to?"

"Yes."

"But you never even let me finish the story. I'll skip to the end where I was going to remind you that it was a dumb fantasy. It was a world where you had no family, no personality or responsibilities - you had no talent, for goodness' sake.

"It was a world where you only existed to be mine. It's childish and stupid, and just the kind of thing I would dream up on a day like this when I want a bigger dose of you." I end breathlessly.

"The equivalent of watching corny rom-coms or reading trashy romance novels?"

I almost want to cry with relief. He gets it.

"You can't be angry with me - at least I hope not."

"I'm not. I misunderstood."

"But even if it wasn't justified in the end, you should have been able to listen - as my boyfriend - or even as my friend. I'm allowed to say senseless things to you."

"You're right. It was senseless." He laughs, unphased.

"You need practice in the boyfriend department. And I need to know what's bothering you."

"It's just one of those days where I feel suffocated, I guess. Jude is being Jude and I can't stand him in times like these."

Oh, yeah. There's no week that Aden doesn't have a day like this because of Jude Llanelli.

"He's mad that you don't even have to try to get attention."

"I don't give a fuck. It's doing my head in."

"You're sweet for caring." I say wryly.

"He's not exactly advocating my well-being. Torture was not part of the contract."

"Stoop lower and lower you shall be, my friend."

"Your friend?" his tone is amused.

"My baby." I smirk.

"Your obsession."

"A delicious one." I hesitate. "When do you suppose it will transition into more - like love?"

"When we're mature enough to."

"So, in the next incarnation?"

Aden instantly laughs.

"Look, be sure to become a teacher because, you know, teachers can teach anywhere."

"I would say be sure to not be in high school but-"

"Oh, if you weren't talented, you would be down here with the rest of us."

"You mean if I weren't one of the few chosen for exploitation?"

"Come on, don't see it like that."

"You should see our contracts."

"Trust me, the money they take won't even enhance their quality of life. Meanwhile, you get a whole lot of experience, you live your dream and give joy to so many."

"You're way too optimistic." I know he's remembering the day we met like I am. "Pollyanna. Proud owner of the two-cent discount store." he chuckles.

"Oh, please, you love it. In any case, you should focus on what you're getting out of it. Everything else is cabbage in the coleslaw."

"Noise you mean?" he teases.

"Potayto, potahto."

"You can't pull idioms out of thin air."

"Was that an idiom? I didn't even know. Nancy always says it."

"I'm worried. Are you passing English?"

"Hardy har-har!" I copy the captain from the kids' movie I watched with Olive the other night.

"I should go. They're waiting for me."

I'm surprised to find a smile on my face.

"I really do feel better for speaking to you."

"Yeah, me too. I was hoping I would."

"Have a good show." I offer up.

I re-join JD and Danatha, reassuring them with a quick smile that all is well. Just as I begin to relax, content to watch the sun disappear behind the trees, my phone rings.

"Hey," I answer Sybil.

"Please come to my house."

I immediately frown, catching Danatha's attention.

"What's going on?"

"I..." she sniffles. "Check your messages."

I hang up and search for her texts.

"Sybil's crying." I inform Danatha prompting her to come closer.

I open the screenshot Sybil sent to me and cringe. It's an Instagram post on the school's main meme page. It's some old picture of Sybil, but her hair is missing. Shit. She's been photoshopped onto what seems to be a movie poster.

The sequel to Billy Boy: coming soon to theatres! #Sybil #Billy #BillyBoy #RealBoy

"Fuck," mutters Danatha.

"What is this?"

"It's that movie Tonya and I went to watch last year in the second week of summer break. They're calling her a boy again."

Danatha pulls out her phone and searches for the post on her own Instagram. It has over a hundred likes.

"Holy..." continues Danatha as she scrolls through the comments. It's awful.

HaleyG: she always gave me those vibes lololol

Devinator: hahaha

Kate_IRL: this hoity toity bitch is always acting like she's better than everyone #littleboy

Da Vinci X: seriously? It's 2019. Why is this still a thing? Smdh

Thatgirlbea: she really does look like Blake Jenner XD

"Fuck, we have to go. John-"

"It's cool." He nods, understanding it's an emergency.

We run out of the park and hurry into a cab. The ride seems to last forever.

"Who would do this? It's so random!" I grimace.

"You still ask? This has Cassidy written all over it!"

"Cassidy? She's been quiet for ages. Didn't she just get back from that exchange program to... uhm... What was it?"

"France, and does that bitch ever need to be provoked into anything?"

I nod.

It's true. Cassidy and Amanda are the most popular and bitchiest girls in Dalton. They're obsessed with making fun of Sybil. Sure, she's hardly their only victim, but it's ridiculous how much they're invested in what Sybil looks like. When we arrive at the Dillard residence, I call her.

"Hey, where are you?"

"At home." she says, her voice hoarse.

Fuck. Sybil is the last person who deserves this. There is no one sweeter than her in that God forsaken hellhole of a school.

"We're outside."

She appears at the door a few moments later, her eyes red. Danatha and I fly into mother hen mode. She takes Sybil to the bathroom as I rummage around for a tissue box before heading upstairs to Sybil's room.

Ditching any unnecessary pillows, I arrange her bed to accommodate all three of us and her adored Tweedy plush doll. Once that's done, I attempt to call Tonya, but it goes straight to voicemail. Typical Tonya - gone when she's needed most. She won't even show up for her best friend. That's the kind of person she is.

Danatha brings Sybil into the room, her face fresh from washing. I pat the spot in front of me and we form a triangle on the bed, with Sybil facing the two of us.

"You okay?" I tread lightly.

She nods, mute.

"It's okay - no, it's more than okay - if you're not." Danatha promises her.

"I know."

Sybil pulls Tweedy to sit between her crossed legs and squeezes her yellow companion repeatedly.

"What do you want to do?"

"Nothing really."

"We just want to help. Can we do that?"

"Yes."

She's still not looking up. I turn to Danatha for help.

"You can talk to us, Dill. We're here to listen. You can rant for as long as you want."

"I feel so drained. I want to ignore it, but it's so hard to ignore the truth."

"It's not-!"

Danatha's hand goes on mine to stop me.

"Yes?" she encourages Sybil to continue.

"I know it's wrong-"

"No, everything you're feeling is completely valid. Anyone would react the same way."

"It's so cruel. I don't know why anyone would post that; much less to the school page. Everyone I've ever known is on there and now they all feel entitled to make fun of me. I don't get it. Why does she hate me so much?

"I'm going to tell her off tomorrow." she vows.

All I have is pity for my friend. This isn't the first time she's threatened to confront Cassidy. I really hope that this time she doesn't do different. I'm sure it'll only make things worse. It might even inspire Cassidy to make more memes or do worse things to hurt her.

I call my mom and ask her to spend the night with Sybil. Nancy accepts after calling Mrs Dillard to check that it's cool to do that so last minute. Danatha goes home since there isn't space for three people to sleep in Sybil's bed.

It's only after dinner that I check the message Danatha sent me a few minutes after leaving the house. I frown at the link. It's a story involving Aden Arrington and one Brighid Temani. My heart sinks when the page loads to show a pale auburn-haired girl. It says they're dating. I've heard her name before, but I know nothing about her. I need to google her. I'm sure it's not true. I've read many articles like this over the past few months, but there's never any proof. I mostly laugh at them, because I know that I'm the real girlfriend.

Her description says she's a social media influencer known for makeup tutorials. I open the topmost article about her. It recounts her dating history with several pop stars and apparently, Aden is her most recent catch. Yeah, it's fake. But when I scroll down, my throat constricts. I instantly recognise Aden in those blurry photos - photos of him and Brighid walking down a street - holding hands.