The morning after the livestream crash, St. Camilla Academy was a powder keg ready to explode.
Keira's phone buzzed nonstop, but she ignored every message except one: a new text from the anonymous sender.
"You can't stop the truth from coming out."
Her hands trembled, but she refused to show weakness. She shoved the phone into her pocket and marched toward her first class, determined to control the chaos, not be controlled by it.
The hallway was flooded with whispers and sideways glances. Some students avoided her like she carried a curse. Others stared with morbid curiosity.
In homeroom, Ms. Carmichael stood by the door, eyes sharp and serious.
"Keira, a word," she said, motioning her aside.
Keira followed into the empty classroom. The door shut softly behind her.
"We need to talk about the livestream," Ms. Carmichael began, her voice low but firm. "The school board is worried. Your episodes are stirring up a lot of unrest. Several parents have called to complain about the exposure of students' private lives."
Keira's jaw tightened. "Is this about protecting the exes or protecting the school's image?"
Ms. Carmichael sighed. "Both. The board wants you to reconsider your participation. They say this could get dangerous—for you and everyone involved."
Keira looked her in the eyes. "Danger is exactly why I'm doing this."
The bell rang before Ms. Carmichael could respond, and Keira stepped out, heart pounding.
Her thoughts spiraled back to Ethan.
The golden boy. The one who had everything to lose—and everything to hide.
At lunch, she spotted him again, surrounded by his loyal clique. His easy smile was a mask, but she saw the flicker of something darker beneath.
Summoning courage, she walked straight to their table.
"Ethan," she said, voice steady.
He looked up, surprise flashing across his face before it was replaced by guarded amusement. "Keira. Didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm not here for pleasantries," she replied. "You're one of my exes on the show. We need to talk."
His smile faded, replaced by a chill she hadn't seen before.
"Watch your tone. You're stirring up things better left buried."
Keira's eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's time those things saw the light."
That evening, Keira sat in her room, replaying the day's confrontations. Her laptop pinged—a message from Lucas, the charming actor from episode one.
"You're making a mistake. Let it go before it ruins you."
She didn't reply.
Instead, she opened the files she'd collected—a secret journal she'd found hidden in her locker last year, pages filled with cryptic notes, names, dates.
Among them was a phrase scrawled repeatedly:
"The disappearance wasn't an accident."
Her fingers trembled as she stared at the words.
Could it be true?
The next day, a new challenge arrived: Keira was called to the principal's office.
As she entered, the principal's stern gaze pinned her to the spot.
"Keira, I'm warning you," he said coldly, "stop this livestream. You're endangering yourself and others."
She met his glare without flinching. "I'm not stopping. The truth needs to come out."
He leaned forward. "Truth? Or vengeance?"
Before she could answer, the door burst open.
"Principal Harding, we found something," a breathless voice said.
All eyes turned to the assistant who held a phone, displaying a viral video clip.
On screen: a shadowy figure lurking near the auditorium during the last livestream—the same shadow caught by the camera before the feed crashed.
Gasps filled the room.
Keira's heart froze.
That afternoon, as the school buzzed with rumors and fear, Keira received an unexpected visitor.
At her locker stood Maya, her childhood best friend—the only person who hadn't turned away.
"Keira, this is getting dangerous. You need backup," Maya said urgently. "I want to help."
Keira studied her. Trust was a luxury she had little left.
"Why now?" she asked.
"Because I believe you. And because there's more going on than you realize."
Together, they started piecing together clues—texts, secret meetings, odd disappearances.
But Keira's world tilted again when a message arrived on the livestream's official chat:
"Not all exes are enemies. Not all friends are allies. Choose wisely."
The warning hung in the air, heavy and chilling.
That night, Keira lay awake, shadows playing tricks on her walls. Her phone lit up with a call from an unknown number.
"Who is this?" she whispered.
No answer.
Then a voice, barely audible:
"Stop digging, Keira. Or the next confession will be your last."
The line went dead.
Her pulse thundered in her ears.
The next day brought the worst news yet: Lucas was missing.
His locker untouched, no calls, no social media activity.
Panic seized the school.
Keira's own phone buzzed relentlessly—texts accusing her of causing his disappearance.
But inside, she knew the truth was darker and closer than anyone guessed.
As the day ended, Keira stood once again at the flagpole, staring at the empty auditorium door.
The shadows she chased were no longer just secrets—they were threats.
Her revenge had spiraled into a dangerous game, and she was the pawn.
But Keira Alonzo never played to lose.
The game was on.