Daniel listened carefully.
Then he said,
"Send me the information."
He ended the call.
"What happened?" Emily asked.
Daniel looked at her.
"Someone has been spreading a false story about you."
"What kind of story?"
"They're claiming you attacked Ryan."
Emily's eyes widened.
"But I didn't."
"I know."
"There's video."
"I know."
Daniel picked up his phone.
"The person who posted it edited the video."
Emily stood up.
"Why?"
"We don't know."
The next morning, the school was even more chaotic.
A second video had appeared online.
It showed only the final moments of the cafeteria incident.
Without the beginning, it appeared as though Emily had confronted Ryan aggressively.
The comments were divided.
Some people defended her.
Others accused her of pretending to be innocent.
Emily stood in the hallway reading the comments.
Her hands began to shake.
Lily noticed.
"Don't read those."
Emily couldn't stop.
One comment said:
"She thinks she's better than everyone."
Another said:
"Her father probably got her championship."
Another accused Daniel of manipulating competitions.
Emily felt tears forming in her eyes.
She locked her phone.
"I hate this."
Lily put a hand on her shoulder.
"You don't have to listen to them."
"But they don't even know me."
"I know."
Then Ryan appeared.
He had seen the video too.
He looked angry.
"Emily."
She turned.
Ryan held up his phone.
"That's not what happened."
"I know."
"No. I mean everyone needs to know."
Ryan walked toward the administration office.
Emily followed.
Inside, he showed the principal the original video.
"I recorded part of it."
The principal looked at him.
"You did?"
Ryan nodded.
"I didn't upload it."
He played the recording.
The video clearly showed Ryan blocking Emily's path first.
It showed him knocking the tray down.
It showed him grabbing her arm.
It also showed Emily telling him to let go.
The edited video had removed all of that.
The principal looked serious.
"This changes things."
Ryan looked at Emily.
"I'm sorry."
Emily nodded.
"Thank you."
But Ryan wasn't finished.
"I also know who edited the second video."
Everyone turned toward him.
"Who?"
Ryan hesitated.
Then he said a name.
Jason Reed.
Jason was another popular student.
He had been one of Ryan's closest friends.
The principal immediately called him into the office.
Jason entered looking confident.
"What?"
The principal placed the phone on the table.
"Did you edit this video?"
Jason looked at the screen.
"No."
Ryan stepped forward.
"Don't lie."
Jason looked at him.
"You believe her now?"
Ryan shook his head.
"No."
He pointed at the video.
"I believe what I saw."
Jason laughed.
"You were there too."
"I was."
"And you made her lunch fall."
Ryan's face tightened.
"I know."
Jason crossed his arms.
"So what's the problem?"
Ryan looked directly at him.
"The problem is that you lied."
Jason became silent.
The principal asked,
"Why did you edit the video?"
Jason finally answered.