Ch. 19: Damage Control

A Chapter by Tina Bee

When warnings aren't heeded who else can Myra blame, but herself?

I awoke around two PM to my ringer going off like crazy.

I picked my phone up.

"Holy s**t!" I said sitting straight up.

Someone had sent me 100 text messages, 6 picture messages, and 14 missed calls.

I started downloading the pictures and I looked at my clock. Today was Sunday which meant mom would be sleeping in for sure.

The first picture was dark and of what I could make out it had to be Ricky's car. The next picture was of Ricky and I kissing in his front seat. The next was of us at The Burger Stand and the next three were of us talking and then the kiss before he drove me home. The worst part of the picture was it showed him going up my dress. How someone had gotten that close I'd never know.

I looked at the number that had sent them to me. I was shocked to see it was from Daisy. I was getting more and more pissed by the second, but I held my cool while I read the first of the 100 text messages.

"Always knew you were a boyfriend stealing s**t" it was from Destiny.

"Looks like Rick got lucky last night" it was from one of Kevin's guy friend's.

"Nice and easy just like you mother" that text was from a number I didn't know.

I didn't bother reading the rest. I hit Daisy's number she picked up on the second ring.

"I know you're calling about the pictures" was the first thing Daisy said.

"You followed us last night?" I asked.

"No they were forwarded to me in the middle of the night. When I got up I saw them and was like 'oh my God' so I sent them to" Daisy said.

"Who sent them to you?" I asked.

"I don't know and before you say you don't believe me the message I got was from some weird address and it was forwarded to a bunch of people not just me" Daisy said.

"Who else got those pictures?" I asked.

"Almost the whole school" Daisy said.

"Oh my God" I said with my voice cracking.

"Not trying to be a b***h, but I told you it wasn't a good idea to go out with him" Daisy said.

"I'll call you back" I said and hung up.

I called Greg. He didn't answer so I left him a message.

I got up and went to the bathroom. I heard people talking downstairs, but I was way too infuriated to see who they were. I brushed my teeth, hair, and put on some chap stick. I felt like crap.

As I was coming out I saw Mike. He looked really mad.

"You were with that Santos kid last night, huh?" Mike asked.

"Yea, but I had permission from mom" I said.

"Do you know that there are pictures out there of the two of you?" Mike asked.

"What pictures?" I asked lying to see what he knew.

"I erased them from my phone when I saw them, but everyone was sent a copy. My phones been ringing off the hook all morning. Myra how could you?" Mike asked looking like he was going to cry.

"I didn't do anything. Obviously someone followed us and took those pictures" I said.

"Word is that Laura and her sister followed you and Santos around last night. Myra, Laura is his GIRLFRIEND!" Mike said.

"They're on a break" I said.

"The hell they are. He was with her before he picked you up" Mike said.

"You don't know that!" I screamed with tears welling up in my eyes.

"She's telling everyone that you ran from her at the mall when she saw you buying that dress you had on last night" Mike said.

"I wasn't running. Sonny had called me and I was going to meet him for a ride home" I said.

"Bullshit. Sonny told me he had to stop Laura from tearing you into shreds" Mike said.

"Just leave me alone!" I said and went into my room, slammed the door, and locked it.

The tears were flowing when my phone rang. It was Greg's ring tone.

"Hello?" I said.

"I got your message. I just woke up. What's wrong?" Greg asked.

"Do you mind coming over? This isn't something I want to discuss over the phone" I asked.

"Yea sure just give me fifteen minutes" Greg said.

"Ring the doorbell and tell whoever answers that you're here to see me. Call me if they start hassling you" I said.

"I will. See you" Greg said hanging up.

I went to my closet and pulled out some shorts and a tank top. I looked in my mirror and then quickly looked away. The image of myself sickened me. I got dressed quickly, unlocked my door, and then climbed into bed just as I heard a slight knock.

"Greggy" I said.

"Hey" Greg said.

Today he wore a grey T-shirt with some blue jean shorts. He had on tennis shoes and his hair was gelled back.

"Thanks for coming so quickly. Close my door and lock it please" I said and he did.

Greg took a seat at my vanity table. He looked extremely awkward. I so wanted to discuss what happened the other day, but I was in crisis mode.

"So what's up?" Greg asked me while looking at my stuffed animals carefully placed at my window sill.

"It's bad. I've done something bad. I know I could've listened, but I was too damn stubborn. My mom says my dad was a stubborn man so maybe I get that from him" I rambled.

"What's wrong?" Greg asked.

I took a deep breath and spilled the news to Greg. His face turned from sorrow to rage very quickly.

"None of this is Ricky's fault. Laura just won't let him go and we're just friends anyways. She's acting like a complete nut case over him" I said.

"No this is Rick's fault and Laura is in love with him. That's why she took those pictures. Myra you need to stay away from that guy" Greg said.

"I know and I will. I promise. Last night put everything in perspective for me, but with this new scandal I don't know how bad it's going to get" I said.

"It's going to get pretty bad. I didn't want to tell you this, but I got some texts from a few friends of mine and they were about you" Greg said.

"What?" I asked.

"Yea apparently Laura's cousin is soon to be senior at my school, and she's very popular, anyways she's helping Laura spread those pictures around" Greg confessed.

"Did you see the pictures?" I asked.

"No. I told my friend not to send them to me. He knows how I feel about you and he was giving me a heads up. However even Donald and Steven got those pictures sent to them. Myra this is going to get worse before it gets better" Greg said.

"What am I going to do?" I asked.

"Damage control. You know how celebrities release statements about unpleasant situations well why not blog about it on your Facebook page?" Greg said.

"I hate Facebook" I said.

"I know and you barely log on, but blog about what's happening and just to explain your side. People will read it and maybe it'll stop them from thinking your this evil girl" Greg said.

"You're right!" I said.

"I can help you" Greg said.

"Yea you know more about Facebook than I do. Let me go get my mom's laptop and then we'll do some damage control" I said hopping out of bed.

I went quickly to mom's room downstairs.

Our house had been added on to many times over. Five years ago mom decided to split the upstairs master suite into two room to provide Mike and Sonny with their own rooms. The process had taken eight months and thousands of dollars. To this day the sound of a hammer made me nauseous. Along with splitting the master suite mom added onto the den area downstairs and created a super suite master bedroom. The den was this tucked away area in the first place. Mom had created a hall way and then she had them install these heavy mahogany doors she imported straight from Africa. This meant she heard absolutely no noise from the outside and we heard no noise from inside of here.

As I headed down the stairs Kevin was sitting with a girl on his lap. I was guessing she was his new play thing for the month. He was also with Spencer and some girl who was seated next to another girl who was making kissy faces with Langston.

"Here's the star now" Spencer said.

Everyone turned and looked. Langston cocked a smile and I avoided making eye contact with him.

"And here's the jackass now ready to make stupid comments about something he knows absolutely nothing about. Give up for the dick head everybody! Whew!" I said.

All the girls laughed, but Kevin sat there with his eyes narrowed.

"Oh and you should talk" Spencer said.

"Leave her alone" Kevin jumped in which was highly unusual.

"No she can't talk to me like that" Spencer said.

"Cool it Spence, this is Kevin's place" Langston said.

I rolled my eyes and walked away. Mom's room door was closed so I knocked using the knocker that was attached to the door. Mom came and opened it, but I couldn't see inside.

"Hey I need to borrow the laptop" I said.

"You have it remember? Something about a book report two weeks ago" Mom said.

"Oh yea I forgot. Hey what's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm glad your date went well. We'll talk tonight at dinner. I'm thinking something French. Dress to impress" Mom said and shut the door.

She had a man in there that much I knew. What I didn't know is whether or not she would bring him to dinner.

I passed through the living room again, but they were all gone. That's the thing about this place: everything happens so fast. As I climbed the stairs I heard moaning and a headboard knocking against the wall. That had to be Sonny because neither Kevin nor Mike had headboards on there beds.

I walked quickly to my room where Greg was still sitting at my vanity table.

"Well come to the bed and sit. There isn't enough room for the laptop on my table" I said walking to my closet and getting the laptop out.

I walked back to my bed and flipped open the screen. Mom had the house Wi-Fi'ed so that we had Internet access on all the laptops we owned. It was pretty cheap to keep up with every month.

"Ok first you need to log into you page and then I'll dictate to you what you should type" Greg said.

"Will do" I said.

My Facebook page hadn't been updated since I went to Juvenile Hall with Kimmi. Back then I was such a twit. Lot's of things needed updating, but I decided to blog first. A silly picture of mom was my default. Back then she was my best friend. I had pictures of Daisy and I together playing with make-up and there were even some of Greg and I. I didn't have a lot of pics of my brothers, but they were all on my friends list.

I made it to the 'post a new blog' page and took another deep breath.

"Alright now write the following" Greg said and we started.

prev chapter