Chapter 9: Asking for Too Much

I remembered that breakup post on the campus forum.

[Did Caleb Brooks and Aubrey Shea break up today]

It had followed me since the first day we dated.

Caleb was the computer science star, always winning competitions, the campus golden boy.

And me—“try-hard,” “pathetic,” “out of your league”…

Besides the nasty words, my info was doxxed, unflattering photos and candid shots posted everywhere.

Walking down the street, people would point. In class, I’d hear the click of someone’s phone camera from the back row.

This post nearly gave me anxiety.

Red-eyed, I begged Caleb: “Can you help me delete that post?”

What did he say then?

“No.”

“If I hack the site and delete someone else’s post without permission, is that right? Aubrey, I didn’t study computer science for this. If I’m caught, I’ll take the fall.”

“I also advise you not to call the cops. If the police get involved, it’ll hurt the school’s reputation. You think you’ll be okay?”

“But…”

“If you really want it gone, there’s one way.”

“What?” I grabbed his sleeve, desperate.

“Break up with me.”

He said the only way to make the post disappear was to break up. Said helping me delete it would violate his principles.

But now, for her, he’d hack the whole website.

Sometimes I wondered if it was ever about principles, or just about who he really cared for. The digital world he ruled wasn’t built to protect me, only her.