Part 5: Carla’s Own Video
Carla left prom early.
She didn’t wait for Noah or me.
She didn’t even take the handbag she had set beneath the refreshment table. One of the teachers found it later and turned it in to the office.
That night, a student posted a video of the announcement online.
By morning, it had been shared thousands of times.
But the most damaging video wasn’t recorded by a student.
It was Carla’s.
She had been broadcasting live to several friends, hoping to capture my humiliation. Instead, her phone had recorded her mocking the dress, whispering to parents, and claiming everyone would laugh at me.
It also recorded Principal Matthews confronting her.
Carla deleted the video, but someone had already saved it.
By Monday, people all over town knew the story of the boy who had sewn a prom dress from his late mother’s jeans.
They also knew about the stepmother who had called it pathetic.
Carla was furious.
“You made me look like a monster!” she shouted when we returned home after school.
“I didn’t record you,” I said.
“You told everyone about the money.”
“I told the truth.”
She pointed toward the stairs.
“You are both grounded.”
“For what?” Noah asked.
“For humiliating me.”
Noah stepped forward.
“You did that yourself.”
Carla raised her hand.
She didn’t strike him, but the movement was enough.
I moved between them.
“Don’t.”
For a moment, none of us moved.
Then the doorbell rang.
Our school counselor, Ms. Ramirez, was standing on the porch with my aunt Jenna.
Aunt Jenna was Dad’s younger sister.
We hadn’t seen her since his funeral.
Carla had told us Jenna believed we needed space. Jenna had been told that we refused to speak with her.
Neither story was true.
“I saw the video,” Aunt Jenna said. “Then Ms. Ramirez called me.”
Carla tried to close the door.
Ms. Ramirez stopped her.
“We need to discuss the children’s living situation and the financial concerns Lily raised.”
“There are no financial concerns.”
“There will be,” Aunt Jenna replied.
