Chapter 9 She Was Asking For It
While Briar was out of the picture, two posts about her set the school forum on fire.
One read: [Freshman Animation Star’s Got Model Looks—Is She Snatching Imani’s Campus Queen Title?]
The post was straight-up: just sneaky pics grabbed when Briar showed up for registration.
She was in a plain white tee and faded jeans, with pale skin, a slim build, and legs that go on forever.
The shots were mostly blurry sides or her back, but you could still tell—her face was next-level gorgeous.
The comments? Pure chaos.
[Holy crap! Is she even real?!]
[I’m shook… ugh, my screen’s filthy. Why won’t it lick clean? Oh, my bad, it’s just my drool, lol!]
[This queen’s an art major?! Who said we look like we just left a coal mine? Come catch these hands!]
[Why didn’t I pick animation? A goddess like her? I’m switching majors!]
[+1, facts!]
[I saw her registration—she’s Briar. Even her name’s fire, ugh!]
Someone dropped a link in the comments, though: [Y’all are getting played! Briar’s Imani’s foster sister. Four years back, she beat Imani up bad for no reason. Left her messed up, still struggling today. Her folks sent Briar overseas but still shelled out for her fancy school.]
[Now she’s back and already smacked Imani again! She’s a total psycho! Langston U can’t keep her! ]
That last comment hit like a bomb. Everyone was clicking that link like crazy.
It read: [Freshman Briar’s a Walking Red Flag! Total Psycho! Foster Kid Attacks Her Adoptive Sister, Leaving Her Depressed for Years!]
This post spilled all the tea. Imani’s family? Absolute angels. They took in Briar, a broke orphan, and treated her like their own.
But Briar? Pure venom. Jealous of Imani, she lost it four years ago—shoved her down the stairs, yanked her hair, and slammed her head into the floor.
Imani was in the hospital for over a month and still hasn’t shaken the trauma.
A few days back, Briar strolled into town. Imani, being sweet, offered her a diamond necklace.
Briar’s move? Nearly shoved it down Imani’s throat. Then, in front of their parents, she slapped Imani silly—multiple times.
The post blew up fast. A story this wild flipped everyone’s brains. In hours, it had over a thousand comments.
[No one’s saying it? I will! What kinda monster does this? Briar’s straight-up feral!]
[Farmer-and-viper vibes, anyone?]
[Shoving someone down stairs, smashing their head, forcing a necklace down their throat, slapping them stupid? That’s not drama—that’s a crime! Call the cops!]
[How’s she even here? The school needs to yeet her out, pronto!]
[Gorgeous face, rotten heart. An orphan adopted by a rich family and still acting like this? Hurting their real kid? Trash!]
[I thought Imani was just dramatic with her depression. But this? Damn. Expel Briar now!]
[Kick her out of Langston, like, yesterday!]
Briar wasn’t the type to kill time on the school forum.
So when she got back to campus and noticed everyone giving her weird looks, she was totally out of the loop.
The second she walked into the dorm, the room went quiet, like someone hit mute.
Briar raised an eyebrow. “Hey, what’s with the vibe?”
Those freaked-out stares she’d gotten on the way over had her wondering if her secret was out.
No way.’ She calmed herself down. ‘Limond University isn’t that slick with the gossip, right?’
Mae jumped up first. “Briar, chill, we don’t believe the trash on the forum. We’ve got your back! You’re not like that.”
Jolene nodded hard. “We can tell the RA, get this sorted. Or, like, call the cops! Those rumor-starters are way outta line.”
Rhea, filing her nails at her desk, glanced up. “I can get that post pulled.”
“What post?” Briar asked.
“You know, the one blowing up the forum? Wait, you haven’t seen it?”
Briar grabbed her real phone—not the burner—and logged into Limond University’s forum. One look at the top post, and it clicked.
She shook her head helplessly. ‘Imani’s stirring the pot again. Guess last time didn’t teach her much.’
Mae and Jolene watched her, all worried. “Briar, stay cool,” Mae said. “Lies like that are illegal. We can report it.”
“Not all lies,” Briar said, smirking like she was having fun.
“Huh?” Mae froze.
Briar’s grin got cocky. “The part about me decking her? Totally legit. Bet you didn’t know Imani’s right front tooth is fake, huh?”
Three of them were silent an instant.
The post was wild, like reality-TV-level drama. But when Briar owned it, nobody got mad. Her swagger was just kinda awesome.
Briar looked at their stunned faces and leaned back, smirking. “What? Scared of me now?”
Mae and Jolene shook their heads fast.
Rhea spoke up. “So, why’d you hit her? There’s a reason, right?”
She figured Briar wasn’t some random bully. Mae and Jolene seemed to agree, trusting Briar without needing proof.
Briar flashed a mischievous grin, all teeth. “‘Cause she deserved it.”
Rhea raised an eyebrow. “What’s the plan now?”
Briar shrugged. “Delete the post, maybe give her a round two?”
Mae frowned. “Briar, Imani’s been running things since high school. She’s tight with the student council who control the forum. Good luck getting that post down.”
“Easy peasy,” Briar said with a sly wink.
Their jaws dropped as Briar pulled a sleek silver laptop from her bag and powered it up.
Her fingers flew over the keys, and in two minutes flat, she’d hacked the forum’s admin panel and nuked the post.
“You… how?!” Mae stammered, eyes huge. “Briar, that’s freaking awesome!”
Even Rhea stood up, impressed. “You code or something?”
Briar spun around, winking. “Eh, I mess with it a little.”
