29
Long-Time Friends

It’s Thursday, five minutes before first period. I still haven’t heard a word from Bijou, and Nomura is trying to convince me that that’s not entirely Ira’s fault. Which is obviously insane.

“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Nomura says. “And ever since you met Bijou, you’ve been a real jerk to him.”

“I’m the jerk?” I ask. “He’s the one who shot that stupid video. And posted it.” And ruined my life, I almost add. “He’s also the one who hasn’t been showing up to school. If that doesn’t scream ‘guilty,’ what does?”

“Let me put it this way. For the past few weeks, you’ve been treating Ira the way Rocky and Trevor treat the rest of us.”

“Come on, you’re exaggerating. It hasn’t been that bad.”

“Remember ‘Friendship can walk the plank, matey’?” Nomura asks.

“Hold on,” I say. “That was a joke.”

“You have to admit, though, you’ve been treating Ira differently since Bijou showed up.”

“Only because he has lost his mind,” I say. “The video proves it. And so do these.” I pull out the three anonymous notes.

Nomura pushes his glasses up against his nose. His pupils bounce back and forth like tennis balls, scanning the text. “Oh boy,” he says.

“It has to be Ira, right?”

“Um, not necessarily. What makes you say that?”

“The only other logical possibility is Trevor and Rocky. I thought it was them at first. But they didn’t post the video; Ira did. Plus, have you ever known them to do anything anonymous? They’re not exactly known for their shyness and secrecy.”

“So you think Ira’s been waging a silent war against you for the last month?”

“Yeah, and what gets me is you, my best friend, seem to think I deserve it.”

Nomura grimaces. “Look, only somebody with a serious imbalance would do this. And if it does actually turn out to be Ira, yeah, this is unforgivable. All I’m saying is, it didn’t come completely out of nowhere.”

As we leave the bathroom, Nomura and I still in full heated discussion, I nearly run over Mrs. Eagleton, the headmistress. “Mr. Schrader, we need to chat,” she says. Eagleton looks as grisly and humorless as a prison warden. Not someone you want to encounter in normal circumstances, and definitely not somebody you want to “chat” with after the publication of a viral video in which you look like a member of the KKK.

“Come on, Alex,” she says. “Follow me.”

“But I’ve got to get to English. I have a paper due.” Hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.

“Well, you’ll have to make it up, then. Mrs. Terraciano will understand.” Eagleton’s already walking toward her office. “Well, come on, Mr. Schrader. I don’t have all day.”