“She trusted me,” Owen said. “I didn’t want to betray that.”
“You’re not her parent.”
“I know. I just thought I could fix the immediate problem and give her time to tell you herself.”
Karen stepped in.
“I couldn’t agree to keep this from you. I’m responsible for Greta while she’s here, and you needed to know.”
Then she added,
“There’s something else. I contacted the mother of the main girl involved. She’s on her way.”
Ten minutes later, another woman walked into the office.
She was already angry.
But the first thing she said surprised me.
“I’ve seen what my daughter sent Greta. It was cruel. I’m not defending it.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
Then she looked at me.
“But have you seen what your daughter sent?”
My stomach dropped.
“What are you talking about?”
She pulled out her phone.
On the screen was an embarrassing photograph of her daughter.
Beneath it was a cruel caption.
And at the top was a group chat involving several classmates.
The message had been sent from Greta’s account.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
