[ Have Julian | None | 250b ]
Julian approaches you hesitantly.
JULIAN: Hey, Addison, I’ve got a problem. It’s my little sister, Hope.
ADDISON: I didn’t know you had a little sister.
JULIAN: Yeah, well, unlike me, she’s smart. She goes to that fancy-schmancy, magnet school… you know, Statton School for the Humanities?
ADDISON: Yeah… I’ve heard of it.
JULIAN: Well, she’s a freshman there, and she used to really like it. She was always going on and on about the classes and her friends. But lately, she seems out of it. She’s really quiet when I ask her about school. I think something’s up. Can you help me talk to her?
ADDISON: Of course I can.
JULIAN: Great! She gets off school soon. Let’s head to my house.
[ Addison, Julian | 20m | 500c ]
At Julian’s house…
JULIAN: Hey, Hope, this is my friend, Addison. Addison, this is my sister Hope.
ADDISON: Hi, Hope.
HOPE: Hey…
ADDISON: Uh… Julian says you’re having some trouble at school.
HOPE: Oh, no! No trouble. Everything’s fine. Julian doesn’t know what he’s talking about…
Her phone buzzes just then. You catch her biting her lip as she shoves it further into her pocket.
ADDISON: Er, uh, okay, well…
HOPE: Is that all?
You look at Julian over her shoulder, and he tilts his head at Hope and mouths ‘Do something’ at you. You sigh.
ADDISON: Well, I’m sure everything is as great as you say. But hey, uh, listen, Julian and I are going to go, uh… bowling! We’re going bowling. And we really want you to come with us!
HOPE: Oh… okay, I guess.
At the bowling alley…
ADDISON: All right, Hope! Another strike!
JULIAN: That’s my sis!
HOPE: Yeah!
JULIAN: This is the happiest I’ve seen you in weeks.
HOPE: Yeah, well… you guys are pretty cool.
JULIAN: So are you going to tell us what’s going on at school now?
HOPE: Geez, Julian!
JULIAN: What? I can’t be worried for my little sister? If you have a problem, Hope, I can fix it for you…
HOPE: Back off. I don’t want to talk about it, least of all with you!
JULIAN: But--
ADDISON: Hey, Julian, I think it’s your turn… maybe you want to save this conversation for later?
JULIAN: Fine, but only because it seems like a good idea to throw something right now!
You sit next to Hope while Julian takes a bowling ball from the feeder. Hope shakes her head.
HOPE: I love Julian, but he’s never met a problem he didn’t want to punch… and this problem isn’t going to be that easy to solve.
ADDISON: Maybe you’d be more comfortable talking about it with me?
Hope’s phone buzzes, and she glances at the incoming texts. She grimaces.
HOPE: Maybe.
ADDISON: Come on, the game’s over. I’ll buy you a milkshake at the snack bar.
[ Spend 100 coins | None | 50b ]
At the bowling alley snack bar, you and Hope hop onto 50s-style vinyl barstools.
HOPE: Thanks for the shake. Look, I know Julian’s worried about me, but he really doesn’t have to be.
Her phone buzzes again, and when she reads what’s on her screen, her eyes fill with tears.
ADDISON: Hope, what’s really going on? You can’t tell me this is ‘nothing’.
HOPE: Well, some people at my school have been texting my phone and posting on my school page saying some really, um, mean things… But I swear I can handle it. Please don’t tell Julian.
JULIAN: Addison doesn’t have to tell me anything.
HOPE: Julian! You were eavesdropping?
JULIAN: Yes! Er, no! I was getting a coincidental snack! And so what? No one gets away with hurting my sister. You just point me at the guy, and I’ll take care of him.
HOPE: Well, first, it’s a GIRL who’s been sending them, and second, like I said before, I REALLY don’t want to talk about it with you!
Hope shoves away from the counter and walks off.
ADDISON: So… should we follow Hope?
JULIAN: If I know my sister, she needs a little time to cool off.
ADDISON: Okay…
JULIAN: I still can’t believe she’s been hiding this for weeks! Why didn’t she say anything? What did she tell you?
ADDISON: Well, I don’t really know what’s going on. She’s not exactly talking. Unless you want to steal her phone--
JULIAN: Yes!
ADDISON: ...which we’re NOT going to do because we want Hope to realize that we’re on her side…
JULIAN: Fine…
ADDISON: ...then we need to find another way to figure out what happened to her. Do you know what she meant when she said people were posting to her school page? Have people been posting stuff to her on Facebook?
JULIAN: No… Hope’s school has its own site called the Statton School Gossip Board. Every student has their own personal page, and I think you can send messages to each other publicly. But it’s hard to access. You have to be a student at their school.
ADDISON: Maybe we can get to the site and figure out what people are saying to Hope there?
JULIAN: Yeah, let’s see if anyone in the computer lab can help us.
[ A Classmate except Julian, A Nerd except Addison (Joss, Bailey) | 40m | 700c ]
In the school computer lab…
JULIAN: Thanks, Joss and Bailey… I really appreciate you doing this.
BAILEY: No prob. I have a friend who goes to Statton, and he gave me access. This is as easy as reciting pi!
Bailey pulls up the Statton School Gossip Board site and does a search for Julian’s sister. Hope’s face pops up on the screen along with a wall of posts where other students have been publicly messaging her. You start reading the messages… and gasp.
ADDISON: Julian! Look at this!
You and Julian crowd around the computer screen where Hope’s page on the Statton School Gossip Board is up. Bailey scrolls through a bunch of nasty and insulting messages students have been posting to Hope’s page.
BAILEY: ‘Do the world a favor and disappear. No one wants you around.’
JULIAN: ‘Ugliest girl at school, hands-down.’
ADDISON: ‘Hope, everyone knows what you did, you stupid--’ ...okay, I’m not finishing that sentence. That’s a lot of expletives all in a row!
JULIAN: Isn’t anyone monitoring this stupid site? Take it down, take it all down!
BAILEY: I’m sorry, Julian. I don’t know how. I don’t have that kind of power.
ADDISON: Julian, this is bad. Really bad.
JULIAN: I know! I can’t believe she was hiding this from me! No one talks about her like that! I’m going to… I’m going to… beat everyone at that school to a pulp! I’m going to… I don’t know what I’m going to do! Why would anyone do this? What is wrong with these people?
ADDISON: I don’t know… Julian, I think it’s time to get the story out of Hope.
JULIAN: Good. I’m coming with you.
ADDISON: It might be best if you don’t. Se seems pretty sensitive about talking to you. I’m going to bring someone who might understand her situation a little better, okay?
JULIAN: Fine… I’ll sit out. But if I can do anything, ANYTHING at all, you find me.
ADDISON: Of course.
[ Addison, A Girl Classmate (Indiana) | 1h | 800c ]
At Julian and Hope’s house, you and Indiana find Hope sitting on the living room couch, crying. When she looks up, she sniffles and tries to wipe away her tears.
HOPE: Uh, hey, guys… what are you doing here?
ADDISON: Hey, Hope. Listen, we saw the posts that people have been putting up on the Gossip Board.
HOPE: You… you did?!
INDIANA: Do you want to talk about it?
ADDISON: We’re very good at listening.
HOPE: Okay… I just… I… just need a minute.
ADDISON: It’s okay, Hope. Take your time.
Hope takes a shaky breath.
HOPE: It started a couple weeks ago at a beach party. I don’t normally go to parties, but everyone at Statton was invited, and I knew this guy, Asher, would be there. He’s so cute! I’ve had a crush on him for forever… He started talking to me, and I was so excited! But I knew he was dating this girl named Chelsea, so I didn’t want to start anything. But when I asked about her, he told me not to worry about it, so I thought they broke up or something. We really hit it off though, and then we kissed, and everything was so magical!
INDIANA: And then?
HOPE: Well, I thought maybe he’d ask me out, and we could be together, but… Someone took a picture of the kiss and posted it on the Gossip Board. Chelsea saw it, and she was SO mad. It turns out, they are still dating. And now Chelsea hates me. She and Asher are really popular, and a bunch of her friends keep texting me and posting mean things about me on the site. It’s been a couple weeks already, and the messages don’t stop. I can’t make it stop.
Hope starts tearing up, and you put an arm around her comfortingly. Indiana pats her back and hands her a tissue.
INDIANA: It’s okay… just let it all out…
Hope blows her nose and sniffles.
ADDISON: Hope, have you talked to your parents about this?
HOPE: No way! Are you kidding? It already took a lot of convincing to get them to let me go to this school! And I love the program I’m in… Besides, they won’t understand anything that’s going on… all they’re going to do is take away my phone or my internet, and then what?
ADDISON: But Hope, if it’s gotten this bad, they can help.
HOPE: No. Please, PLEASE don’t say anything. Maybe it’ll blow over. Maybe it’ll be fine.
ADDISON: Hope, you have to do SOMETHING. You can’t let this girl and her friends do this to you. They’re bullying you.
HOPE: I know… I never should’ve kissed Asher. I didn’t even know he and Chelsea were dating at the time, but…
ADDISON: Does Chelsea know that? Maybe if you told her the truth and apologized, she’d stop.
HOPE: I couldn’t do that! She’s… she wouldn’t understand…
ADDISON: It’s a misunderstanding, isn’t it? Sometimes, it’s good to tell people how you feel. I can go with you.
HOPE: Okay… but I don’t know where she is. Chelsea dances after school, but she’s in a specific program. I don’t know where she goes.
ADDISON: I think I know someone who can help us out. Grab your bag, and let’s go.
[ Addison, A Level 5+ Jock (Finley) | 1h30m | 900c ]
You and Hope meet with Finley on campus.
ADDISON: Hey, Finley!
FINLEY: Hey, Addison! I heard you needed help tracking down a dancer.
ADDISON: Do you know Chelsea from Statton School?
FINLEY: I do, actually. I don’t really talk to her much, but she takes lessons at my dance studio. I’m on my way now. Want a ride?
ADDISON: Yes, please.
A short time later, you, Hope, and Finley arrive at the dance studio.
FINLEY: I believe Chelsea’s taking the modern dance course on the second level. You can find her in room 12.
ADDISON: Thanks for all your help, Finley. And for the ride!
FINLEY: No problem!
Finley turns to Hope and pats her shoulder.
FINLEY: Good luck, Hope! Everything’ll be okay.
HOPE: …
You and Hope climb up to the second floor. Hope stops you right before you go into the classroom.
HOPE: I don’t think I can do this. I don’t want to make things any worse, Addison.
ADDISON: You’re not. You’re just going to explain your side of the story and let her know how much she and her friends are affecting you. I’ll be standing right there with you. Okay?
HOPE: Okay… lead the way, I guess.
[ Addison | 2h | 1000c ]
You walk through the doors to find a lofty dance studio with shiny wood floors, bright lights, and mirrored walls. Girls in leotards and soft-soled shoes warm up at the bars on the wall. Hope points out Chelsea in the corner of the room.
HOPE: There she is…
You walk over.
CHELSEA: Hope?! What are YOU doing here?
ADDISON: Hey, I’m a friend of Hope’s. We’d like to talk to you. Do you mind if we step outside?
CHELSEA: …make it quick.
Hope explains the events of the party to Chelsea.
HOPE: ...I didn’t even know that the two of you were dating. Asher told me not to worry about it, so I just assumed you weren’t together. I wouldn’t have kissed him if I’d known… I’m so sorry, Chelsea. I didn’t mean to hurt you.
CHELSEA: Well, you did… but I guess I see your point.
HOPE: You do?
CHELSEA: Yep! All this time I thought you were just a cold-hearted, two-faced, back-stabbing boyfriend-stealer when in reality, you were just MISGUIDED… I guess I didn’t really stop to think about YOUR feelings because I was feeling a little betrayed that you made out with MY boyfriend! I’m SO sorry, Hope. I’ll take all the mean stuff off your Gossip Board wall. Promise.
ADDISON: That’s great!
HOPE: Yes, it really is!
CHELSEA: You are SO welcome. I’ll even get started right now!
An hour later, you drop Hope back off at her house.
HOPE: I can’t believe this nightmare is over! Thanks, Addison, for helping me face my problems head-on.
ADDISON: Of course. Anytime.
HOPE: Do you think the messages are gone? I can’t wait to see for myself…
Hope reaches into her backpack for her laptop… and stops.
HOPE: My laptop. It’s gone!
Hope spends the next few minutes searching through her bedroom and every bag in the house.
ADDISON: Did you take it with you to the studio?
HOPE: Yeah, it was in my backpack. But I don’t know why it would disappear! I only put my bag down for a minute while we were talking to Chelsea…
ADDISON: Why don’t we drive back to the studio? We’ll go look for it together.
[ A Classmate except Julian (Joss) | 2h30m | 500b ]
JOSS: Here we are.
You and Hope walk inside the dance studio.
HOPE: There’s a lot of personal stuff on my laptop… I just want it back.
ADDISON: Try not to worry, Hope… we’ll find it.
You finally find Hope’s laptop in a dumpster behind the studio.
HOPE: Why would it be in there?
ADDISON: Maybe the janitor found it and threw it out?
HOPE: That makes no sense… whatever. I’m just glad it’s safe…
In the kitchen at Hope’s house, Hope boots up her computer… and freezes.
ADDISON: What’s wrong?
HOPE: Someone’s been on my laptop!
You lean over and see that the background has been changed to a picture of her and Asher kissing with a black ‘X’ over her face and the words ‘NICE TRY’ on the screen. Hope frantically clicks on her browser, opening up the school’s Gossip Board.
HOPE: Oh no… no, no, no… this can’t be happening!
ADDISON: What? What’s going on?
You lean over and glance at what she’s reading.
HOPE: Chelsea lied when she told us she’d take everything down! These new posts are even worse than the others! I can’t believe she would put THIS online! I can’t believe she would post that!
ADDISON: Oh… Hope, I’m so sorry. We’ll figure out how to deal with this… I promise.
* * *
[ Addison, Julian | 1h | 600c ]
ADDISON: Hope… what is it? What did Chelsea post?
HOPE: I just… I just can’t deal with this right now!
Hope runs back to her room.
ADDISON: Okay… we’d better figure out how bad this is. We’ll give Hope a little while to cool off while we read what Chelsea and her friends posted…
JULIAN: I get the feeling I’m not going to like this…
After Addison and Julian read for a while…
ADDISON: This is horrible. Her diary for the last year is up here! Just paging through it, you can tell how personal this all is… And there are a ton of entries talking about how much she likes Asher!
JULIAN: Check out what people are writing about her on this site.
ADDISON: ‘Diary is PROOF she wanted Asher from day 1. LIAR.’ ‘Can’t belive she hooked up w Asher. trashy.’
JULIAN: ‘Hope acts innocent, but she’s totally shady. Disgusting.’
ADDISON: ‘UGLY girl. Can’t believe she got Asher to kiss her...’ Hope is right… this is even worse than before.
JULIAN: What a bunch of… I mean they’re… just picking on some innocent girl!
ADDISON: It’ll be okay… we’ll figure this out, I promise.
JULIAN: I’m not just going to sit here and read this!
ADDISON: Julian… we’ve already been through this. There’s no way Hope is going to open up to you if you just charge in, ready to pick a fight! This time, you’ve got to do it a little differently… You’ve actually got to calm down… and listen.
JULIAN: I… I’ll do my best.
ADDISON: Come on. Let’s go talk to Hope.
[ Addison, Julian | 1h30m | 700c ]
JULIAN: Open the door, Hope! We need to talk!
HOPE: Why… so you can just yell at me more?
JULIAN: I’M NOT YELLING AT YOU!
HOPE: You just yelled that!
ADDISON: Julian… just take a deep breath and try again.
JULIAN: It’s not that easy.
ADDISON: It’s okay. Take a little while and get yourself in a better headspace… Hope isn’t going anywhere.
JULIAN: Okay, Hope… I’m calm, okay? Now please let me in. We need to talk.
HOPE: You’re sure you won’t yell at me anymore?
JULIAN: I’m sure.
HOPE: ...okay.
The three of you sit down on Hope’s bed.
HOPE: I can’t believe how stupid I was… I didn’t even put a password on my laptop!
JULIAN: Hey, it’s not your fault… you couldn’t have known someone would steal it, right?
HOPE: I just wish I’d protected myself a little better.
JULIAN: We can’t change the past, but we’re here now. It’s time to tell us the whole story… First, tell me more about this Asher guy.
HOPE: Well… I liked him for a long time, but he always had a girlfriend…
Hope pulls up a picture of Asher on her laptop.
JULIAN: Looks like kind of a loser to me. I’m sure you can do better.
HOPE: I don’t think you understand…
JULIAN: What’s there to understand? He’s not so great. Plus, he’s taken. Get over it.
HOPE: …
JULIAN: Okay. Now about all this stuff people are writing about you… You just gotta stop reading it. Forget these losers. Make some new friends.
HOPE: It’s not that easy for me.
JULIAN: Sure it is!
HOPE: …
ADDISON: I don’t think this is going too well…
JULIAN: Forget about these losers writing this garbage!
HOPE: I can’t just ignore them… How am I supposed to walk around school when so many people there hate me? How can I even EXIST knowing that they’ve written all these horrible things about me?
JULIAN: So what? It’s just words. It’s not like someone hit you.
HOPE: Don’t you see? That would be so much better! That would only hurt for a second!
JULIAN: Are you serious?
HOPE: You don’t understand… you’re a guy, and you’re popular. You have no idea what it’s like to be a girl… a girl no one likes.
JULIAN: I… I… I guess you’re right.
ADDISON: Julian, she IS right. You don’t know what she’s going through… As much as we want to help her, you and I aren’t the best people to talk to Hope right now… But I know a couple of people who might be able to do a better job!
[ A Girl Nerd, A Guy Cheerleader (Bailey, Nat) | 2h | 800c ]
ADDISON: Hey… I was wondering if you’ve ever been bullied online.
BAILEY: Well, I’m a shy girl who spends most of her time on the internet. I’d say I’ve heard a COUPLE of mean comments.
ADDISON: What about you, Nat?
NAT: I’m a MALE CHEERLEADER. Yeah. You could say I get teased a little. Especially before I transferred here.
ADDISON: Well, would the two of you mind talking to Julian’s sister, Hope? She’s getting attacked pretty hard online… she could use some support.
BAILEY: Of course I’ll help! No one should have to experience what I’ve gone through…
NAT: I’m in.
ADDISON: Sounds good! Let’s head over to Hope and Julian’s house...
Back at Hope and Julian’s house…
ADDISON: Hey, Hope… I brought over a couple of people who may be able to help.
HOPE: I doubt it.
BAILEY: I hear you’re getting bullied online?
HOPE: Yeah…
BAILEY: Well, you just met the queen of that. I’ve always been used to getting teased by the jocks at school because I’m good at math and like watching Star Trek: TNG reruns. But I never expected that I’d also get hated on by my fellow nerds! Do you know how many times I’ve been called a ‘fake geek girl’?
HOPE: A lot?
BAILEY: A lot of people I THOUGHT were my friends all teamed up on me and made a whole website about how much they hated me… At one point it got so bad that I ended up in a really dark place… I didn’t leave my room for like a month. If my parents hadn’t stepped in and gotten me some help, I don’t know what might have happened…
NAT: ...and as a guy cheerleader, I’ve heard every insult you can imagine. In-person and online. For some reason, people think that who I’m dating, how I dress, and what I do in my free time is their business. I got called a lot of names online… and dealt with a lot of hate I didn’t deserve. I actually ended up getting help from a therapist. It didn’t make the bullies go away, but at least I’m better at dealing with them. It took me a long time to get comfortable with who I am… and it still hurts when I get insulted.
HOPE: So what do you do?
NAT: Well, talking with friends like this is a good first step…
HOPE: I guess so…
NAT: If you just need some time to yourself, we can take off…
HOPE: No, wait… I want to hear more.
A little later…
ADDISON: Feeling any better, Hope?
HOPE: I guess so… Bailey and Nat were really sweet to come and talk to me… But it doesn’t change what all those people online are writing. I feel like if I could just talk with Asher, maybe he could get Chelsea and their friends to stop hating me.
ADDISON: Do you really think he’ll listen?
HOPE: I think so! I still believe he’s a good guy… just misunderstood, you know?
ADDISON: Maybe…
HOPE: I was thinking of IMing him… Would you mind watching over my shoulder to make sure I type the right thing?
ADDISON: I’ll do what I can…
[ Addison | 2h30m | 900c ]
HOPE: It looks like he’s online…
Hope13: Hey… have a few minutes to talk?
Ash_Cash_1: sure thing. sup?
ADDISON: Ask him if he knows about what people are writing online.
HOPE: Okay… here goes nothing…
ADDISON: Okay… good luck, Hope. Just be straight with him and see what he says.
Hope13: Can you talk with Chelsea about everything she and her friends are writing online?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah right. not gonna get involved in that drama.
ADDISON: Don’t let him weasel out of this that easily!
HOPE: I… I just have to make this clearer to him!
Hope13: Please please please say something. Have you read what they’re writing?
Ash_Cash_1: yeah. pretty funny.
Hope13: Funny?
Ash_Cash_1: don’t take it too seriously. it’s all just a joke anyway.
Hope13: Maybe to you.
Ash_Cash_1: like I said. girl drama.
HOPE: He… he logged off.
ADDISON: Hope… I’m sorry.
HOPE: I used to think… at least I thought Asher cared about me. For just a second after we kissed I saw this whole future in front of us where we were in love, dating… Now it’s clear… he and everyone else at school would be happier if I just disappeared.
ADDISON: Hope… I’m so sorry.
HOPE: Thanks for trying to help… but this is just something I’ll have to deal with. You’ve done enough for now…
ADDISON: …
A few days later…
JULIAN: Hey, Addison… I’m worried about Hope.
ADDISON: Any new developments?
JULIAN: You could say that. Those online comments about her are worse than ever… and I’m pretty sure she’s not even going to most of her classes! And she’s like a zombie at home… just looking at her computer and then staring off into space.
ADDISON: We can’t let things go on like this… I’ll go talk to her.
Later, at Julian and Hope’s house…
ADDISON: Hope, there’s got to be something we can do…
HOPE: What’s the point? It’s never going to change. Maybe it would be easier for everyone if I just… left.
ADDISON: Please don’t say that. You’ve got a ton of people who care about you!
HOPE: …
ADDISON: I’ll go talk to Chelsea… I know I can get her to stop bothering you!
HOPE: You’re welcome to try… for all the good it’ll do.
[ A Classmate except Julian (Indiana) | 3h | 1000c ]
At Chelsea’s dance studio…
ADDISON: Chelsea, we need to talk.
CHELSEA: You again… Hope’s friend. I should have known she was too pathetic to face me herself.
INDIANA: This has gone far enough, okay? You have to stop.
CHELSEA: Oh, I’m just getting started! Did you READ her journal?
ADDISON: You bet I did.
CHELSEA: So you know she wanted to get with Asher for MONTHS. Then she hooked up with him at the party… and now SHE has the nerve to play the victim?
ADDISON: Look… I’m not going to say that Hope is totally blameless in all this… But isn’t there a point where the revenge is worse than the crime? If you could see the way she’s suffering…
CHELSEA: What about MY suffering?
ADDISON: It’s just…
Suddenly, Julian rushes in…
JULIAN: Addison! You’ve got to help me! It’s Hope… She’s gone!
ADDISON: Hope’s just… gone?
JULIAN: She left a note… said she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m really worried about her. We need to go find her!
ADDISON: We’d better get going… now!
CHELSEA: Wait.
ADDISON: What do you want?
CHELSEA: It’s just… I never meant for it to go this far. If something happened to her…
JULIAN: ...it would be your fault.
CHELSEA: Please. Please let me come with you and find her.
ADDISON: Like I said, we don’t have much time to waste… If you want to help look for her… we’d better go now.
* * *
[ A Classmate except Julian, A Classmate except Addison, A Classmate except Addison (Cameron, Georgie, Indiana) | 1h | 700c ]
JULIAN: I can’t believe Hope would just run away like this!
CAMERON: So when was the last time you saw her?
JULIAN: Yesterday. She left right after dinner, and she’s been gone since then! My mom is freaking out. We spent the entire night driving around the city, searching for her. Addison, can you help me organize a search team?
ADDISON: Yeah.
CHELSEA: I really hope she’s okay. I didn’t mean for it to go this far! If we find her--
ADDISON: WHEN we find her.
CHELSEA: When we find her, I’m going to tell her I’m sorry…
ADDISON: I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. But we should find her first.
You and Chelsea meet up with a few concerned friends.
ADDISON: All right, guys, Hope is missing, and we need to find her. We’re going to check all the places she’s likely to be.
GEORGIE: I’ll check her school to see if she’s there.
INDIANA: We know she likes to study at the library. I’ll go there.
ADDISON: Chelsea and I will check out the cafe where she hangs out.
CAMERON: Let’s move out!
You and your friends reconvene a little while later.
ADDISON: Any luck?
GEORGIE: No. I searched every classroom at Statton.
INDIANA: ...and I scoured every bookshelf in the library. Any luck, Addison?
ADDISON: No… she didn’t go for a coffee, that’s for sure.
A little while later, it starts to rain. Julian meets up with you, worried.
JULIAN: She hasn’t come home yet, and she’s still not answering her phone. Tell me you’ve found something.
ADDISON: No…
CHELSEA: Nothing.
JULIAN: She’s out there sad and wet and alone… is there any other place you can think of?
You wrack your brain, thinking of all the places she could possibly be.
ADDISON: Wait, where did Hope say she met Asher? Was it… at a house party?
CHELSEA: What? No, it was a beach party…
ADDISON: You remember which beach? Because that’s where we’re going!
[ Addison, Julian | 1h30m | 800c ]
You, Julian, and Chelsea arrive at the beach and start searching, though it’s hard to see through the rain.
JULIAN: There! I think there’s someone sitting over there! Maybe it’s Hope!
Julian takes off down the beach. You and Chelsea take off after Julian as he runs towards a figure in the distance. Julian yells back at them.
JULIAN: It’s Hope! I see her! Come on!
CHELSEA: How did you know to come here?
ADDISON: It was a hunch. This is where it all started. I thought she might be here. Now, come on, let’s talk to her…
You and Chelsea approach Hope, who’s sitting down in the rain hugging her knees to her chest. She’s wet and shivering.
HOPE: Julian? What are you doing here? Just… just leave me alone, okay?
JULIAN: Is that all you have to say? After you ran away? Do you have ANY idea what you put me through? What you put mom through? Mom is worried sick, and all of my friends are out in the rain, looking for YOU! Do you know how worried we all were? What were you thinking?!
HOPE: I’m sorry! I know I was wrong to run… I just didn’t know what to do! I’m sorry, Julian and Addison and…
She sees Chelsea and stops cold.
HOPE: What is SHE doing here?!
CHELSEA: I thought we could talk…
ADDISON: Hope, when Chelsea heard you were missing, she came with me to find you. I think you should hear what she has to say…
HOPE: ...okay. Sure.
CHELSEA: Look, Hope, I know I’m the last person you want to talk to, but I just wanted to say… Uh… I’m… I’m sorry. I never meant for it to go this far. If something had happened to you and that had been my fault… well, I would’ve felt really bad. I’m sorry about the things I posted. I won’t do it anymore, okay? So just… go home… please…
HOPE: Thank you, Chelsea. I’m sorry too… you must’ve been pretty hurt seeing the photo of the kiss… I didn’t want that for you either.
CHELSEA: Yeah well… maybe it’s just time we both moved on…
JULIAN: Well, I’m glad THAT’S over.
Hope’s phone buzzes. She glances at it, and a hurt look crosses her face…
JULIAN: What is it? What’s going on?
HOPE: There’s been another post on my wall on the Statton Gossip Board… ‘Hope is DONE at this school… I hope I never see her ugly face again.’
JULIAN: I thought you said you’d stopped, Chelsea.
CHELSEA: I have! I told my friends to stop too… but it looks like Asher keeps egging them on. Don’t worry, I’ll handle this. I’ll talk to Asher about it. They’ll listen to him.
JULIAN: I want to come with you, but I should take Hope home. Addison, can you go with Chelsea?
ADDISON: Of course. Come on, Chelsea. My friends can drive us there.
[ A Classmate except Julian, A Classmate except Addison and Julian (Cameron, Georgie) | 2h | 900c ]
You and Chelsea get into Georgie’s car and head towards Asher’s house. On the way there, Chelsea checks Hope’s page on the Statton Gossip Board.
CHELSEA: They’re all still posting. I wish they’d just stop listening to Asher and quit it already.
GEORGIE: Do you think if you ask him to stop, he will?
CHELSEA: He’d better. And you know I’ve really wanted to give him a piece of my mind. I don’t know what happened at that party, but if Hope is telling the truth, then Asher had better explain himself.
ADDISON: You’ll get your answer soon enough.
You arrive at Asher’s house where a raucous party is going on! Loud music blares from a house packed with party guests. You, Georgie, and Chelsea find Asher at the center of it all.
CHELSEA: Hey, Asher!
ASHER: Hey, babe! You made it!
CHELSEA: Asher, I need to talk to you about Hope. You have to get your friends to stop leaving mean posts on the Gossip Board about her.
ASHER: They’re not mean, they’re funny. Those guys are just messing around. Why do you even care?
CHELSEA: Because I was with Hope earlier today, and she’s really upset.
ASHER: So? Since when do you care about that crybaby?
CHELSEA: Since I talked to her! And by the way, she told me that YOU hit on HER.
ASHER: And you’re believing her over me? Come on, babe, she’s trying to break us up. She’s a liar. She was all over me.
CHELSEA: Stop talking about her that way. Look, just stop posting those things about her, and get everyone else to stop too!
ASHER: You can’t tell me what to do.
CHELSEA: If you don’t stop, I don’t know if I can be with you anymore.
ASHER: What does that mean?
CHELSEA: It means we’re THROUGH.
ASHER: You know, the only reason you were so popular was because of me! I don’t need you. I can get with any girl in this school.
CHELSEA: Oh yeah? Fine! Go and do that. Come on, Addison. Let’s get out of here.
ASHER: You just made the wrong enemy.
Chelsea ignores him, turns, and strides outside. You and Georgie follow. Chelsea slams the door behind her.
ADDISON: You okay?
CHELSEA: Oh yeah! I’m fine! But that stupid, selfish jerk isn’t! I… I can’t believe I… I can’t believe I just broke up with him. I guess I’m not okay… Georgie, can you just take me home?
GEORGIE: Of course.
A week later, you run into Julian at school.
ADDISON: Julian! How’s Hope doing? And Chelsea? I haven’t heard from them since last week.
JULIAN: It’s not good, Addison… I’m going to meet them now. Come on.
You and Julian drive to Statton campus to pick up Hope and Chelsea. They rush down to the car, as the other students watch them angrily.
CHELSEA: It’s awful, Addison. Asher and his stupid friends are sending mean texts about both Hope AND me. School’s become so stupid!
HOPE: Chelsea, I’m sorry to drag you into this…
CHELSEA: Hey, it’s not your fault. It’s theirs. It’s Asher’s.
HOPE: What now? I don’t know what else we could do…
CHELSEA: Actually, I do. I found a list online that tells us how to deal with bullies…
Chelsea brings up a Cybersmile website on her laptop and shows Hope and Addison.
CHELSEA: All right, first things first. ‘Stop replying or fighting back online.’ Well, that should be easy. I never want to talk to Asher and his jerk friends again. Next!
HOPE: ‘Block and report the cyberbully to the administrator.’ I guess we can send a message to them. Maybe they’ll take the posts down.
Chelsea types a message to the Gossip Board’s admin.
CHELSEA: Done. What’s next?
HOPE: The next step is to tell our parents and the school! Do you really think we should do that?
CHELSEA: Yeah. Things at school have been awful. We need the backup. Our parents will understand. They have to.
HOPE: Okay…
A few hours later, Hope and Chelsea call you over.
ADDISON: How’d it go?
HOPE: My parents were really nice about the entire thing. I thought they were going to take away my phone or make me transfer, but they just told me things would be okay.
CHELSEA: Yeah, I told my parents too. They weren’t happy with Asher and his friends. We called the principal together, and he said he’d report it if we gave them some documentation that this is really happening. Addison, can you help us get some proof?
ADDISON: Of course. I know just the person…
[ Addison, A Nerd (Bailey) | 3h | 1000c ]
BAILEY: All right. So you need some documentation they’ve been bullying you? From the looks of it, this’ll be pretty easy.
HOPE: Yeah?
BAILEY: I’m just going to take some screenshots of the wall on the Gossip Board… give me just a minute…
You watch as Bailey helps Hope and Chelsea document all the evidence Asher and his friends texted and posted.
BAILEY: Got it! I think this will be solid in the case against Asher. There’s proof everywhere he was bullying you. Your principal can’t ignore this.
HOPE: Thank you!
Back at Julian’s house, you talk to Hope and Chelsea.
ADDISON: How are you guys feeling? Are you ready to speak to the principal about all this tomorrow?
HOPE: I don’t know… I don’t know if this will make things worse or better…
CHELSEA: Not saying anything is going to make things worse, Hope. We have to stand up. If not for ourselves, then at least for the sake of the next person who might get bullied. We have to do whatever we can to make sure this stops happening at our school!
HOPE: You’re right… we’ll go to the principal together. I’ll… see you tomorrow, Chelsea.
CHELSEA: Yeah. Tomorrow.
Chelsea heads home. As soon as Hope goes upstairs, Julian turns to you.
JULIAN: I don’t like the idea of them going in alone. Want to come with me when they go in?
ADDISON: Of course. I want to support them too.
[ Addison, Julian | 4h | 1100c ]
The next morning, you and Julian find Hope and Chelsea in front of the principal’s office.
HOPE: Julian! What are you doing here?
JULIAN: We figured you both could use some moral support. You’re doing the right thing.
HOPE: Thanks. It’s pretty nerve-wracking. What if I forget what I’m going to say?
CHELSEA: It’s fine, Hope. We’ll be okay. If you forget something, I’ll be right there to back you up.
ADDISON: Hey, you two are doing the right thing, and you have each other. It’ll be fine. You’re both standing up for yourselves, and that’s the most important thing.
HOPE: Thank you…
The principal opens his door and beckons them in.
CHELSEA: Here goes...
After about an hour, Hope and Chelsea walk out of the principal’s office.
ADDISON: How’d it go?
CHELSEA: It went…
HOPE: ...pretty good!
CHELSEA: Once he saw everything, he told us he’d take care of it. He’s going to get to the bottom of it. He even said he’d alert the police, if he needs to!
HOPE: You’re so strong, Chelsea. I don’t think I’d have the courage to do this without you.
CHELSEA: Well, you do. And try not to worry. You’ll be okay. We’ll get through this.
A week later, while at the bowling alley with some friends, you run into Hope!
HOPE: Oh, Addison!
ADDISON: Hey, Hope. I haven’t heard much from you lately… how are you doing?
HOPE: Well… it’s a little bit of a long story…
ADDISON: Why don’t I buy you a milkshake, and you can tell me all about it?
[ Spend 3000 coins | None | 100b ]
At the 50s-style counter at the bowling alley, you get milkshakes with Hope.
ADDISON: So what happened with Asher?
HOPE: Well, about a day after Chelsea and I went to the principal, Asher got called down to the office. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I saw a cop car in the parking lot outside! And he’s definitely staying away from me and Chelsea.
ADDISON: So everything’s going well now?
HOPE: Well, it’s going. It’s not perfect, but I’m managing. And you were right about telling my parents. They’ve been really helpful. I’ve been getting involved in that organization we found, the Cybersmile Foundation. I’ve been on their social sites, reading up on how to deal with all the bullying. And I’ve been talking to other people who’ve been bullied. Now I know I’m not alone. And I want to make sure everyone else out there who’s ever been bullied knows they aren’t alone either. There are a lot of us, and when we stand together, we’re stronger! Anyway, I should get back to my friends, but thank you, Addison, for all your help. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through it without you. I mean that.
She leans forward to hug you, and you hug back!
ADDISON: Of course, Hope.
HOPE: I know there are others out there who are going through what I’ve been through… I just hope they have someone as supportive as my parents and Julian and you!
* * *
[ Julian | 1h | 1000c ]
Hope and Chelsea find you and Julian after school!
ADDISON: Hey! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you around. How are you guys doing?
CHELSEA: We’ve been great! No more trouble at school.
HOPE: That’s kind of why we wanted to come see you guys today. You remember that organization I joined, Cybersmile?
ADDISON: Yeah, the anti-cyberbullying nonprofit that started in the U.K., right?
HOPE: Yeah! Well, Chelsea and I volunteer for them, answering calls and taking questions from people who email in. Cybersmile’s opening an office here in the United States! We’re having a party at the office tonight, and I wanted to invite you and your friends over! It’ll be great! You’d get to visit the foundation, see the kind of work Chelsea and I are doing, eat some snacks…
CHELSEA: And I hear there will be some VERY special guests there…
HOPE: Yeah, and you won’t want to miss out! And you’re welcome to invite whoever you want for the party!
ADDISON: Say no more… I’m totally in!
HOPE: Great! You and Julian should come a little early, and we’ll give you a tour.
JULIAN: We’ll be there!
Later that evening, you, Julian, and your friends arrive at the Cybersmile office, where the party is just being set up. As you walk around with Julian, he suddenly gets a text.
JULIAN: Hope just texted me to tell us that she’s wrapping some stuff up. We can meet her in the back.
You and Julian walk to the back room of the office where you find Hope and Chelsea! They’re on the phone, talking to different people.
CHELSEA: ...yep, you can always visit our website for advice on how to deal with cyberbullies…
On another phone nearby…
HOPE: ...it’s really great that you were able to tell your parents… that’s the very first step! Uh-huh… well, if you need to talk to us more or if you have any questions, just give us a call back! We’re here for you 24/7! Take care!
Hope hangs up and spots you and Julian.
HOPE: Hey, you’re here! Welcome to Cybersmile! I’m so glad you could make it!
JULIAN: Look at you… volunteering, answering people’s questions… you know, I’m really impressed with everything you’re doing here. It seems like you’ve really grown up, little sis.
HOPE: Aww, thanks, Julian! I’m just glad I can contribute in some way. It’s really rewarding helping people. Just like Addison does!
ADDISON: Well, I’m impressed too. It’s incredible what you’re both doing.
CHELSEA: Hey, do you and your friends want to try your hand at it? We have time for a few phone calls before the party really gets started…
ADDISON: Yeah!
HOPE: Well, grab the best listeners in your group of friends, and I’ll give you some tips!
[ A Classmate except Addison, A Classmate except Addison, A Classmate except Addison (Cameron, Ollie, Georgie) | 2h | 1000c ]
You come back to Hope with Cameron, Ollie, and Georgie!
CAMERON: Hi, Hope! Thanks for having us!
OLLIE: We want to be Cybersmilers too!
GEORGIE: How do we get started?
HOPE: Well, I’ve asked a few of our regular volunteers to run through some basic training with you all. They’re also going to be helping with the calls!
Hope gestures to three waving volunteers.
HOPE: Are you guys ready?
ADDISON: Yep!
A short time later…
HOPE: ...so to recap, when you’re being cyberbullied, the best thing to do is to stop responding to the bully and block them, get proof of the bullying, and report it to a trusted adult! We also have a lot of information on the Cybersmile website if people have questions, or they can always contact us via phone, email, or social network! Any questions?
CAMERON: No… I think I’ve got it.
OLLIE: I know the material, but I hope I remember what to say…
GEORGIE: What if I forget?
HOPE: That’s why you have a highly-trained volunteer at your side! They’re listening in just in case you run into any issues! So let’s get started!
Guided by the trained volunteers, you and your friends start taking calls. Hope directs them to you.
HOPE: All right, Cameron, I have a girl on the line who wants to avoid becoming a victim of cyberbullying.
CAMERON: Okay… I think I can take that one… Hello? Hi there… it’s good that you’re thinking of ways to protect yourself. The first thing you should know is that you should never give out your personal information like your passwords to anyone, including your friends…
HOPE: And Ollie, this guy wants to know how to block bullies online…
OLLIE: I’ve got this… Hello? Yes, we can recommend methods of how to block and report bullies online so that you don’t have to put up with their messages anymore… let me direct you to our site…
HOPE: And Georgie, this girl wants to know how she can help us out. Can you recommend our website to her?
GEORGIE: Of course! Hello? Hi there! If you’d like to get involved and combat cyberbullying, try visiting the ‘Get Involved’ sections on the Cybersmile webpage…
Hope turns to you.
HOPE: All right, Addison, this guy has been receiving hateful messages online. Can you walk him through the process of dealing with a cyberbully?
ADDISON: Yes. I, uh, think so…
HOPE: Are you nervous?
ADDISON: I just don’t want to say the wrong thing.
HOPE: You won’t… but I’ll be helping you out in case you do!
ADDISON: Okay, thanks…
You pick up your phone.
ADDISON: Hello? ...yes, I’m so sorry to hear that you’re being cyberbullied. We’re very glad you called… the first thing you should do is… uh, respond to the bully?
You can see Hope shake her head frantically at what you’re saying. You backpedal!
ADDISON: ...uh, I really mean that you, uh, DON’T respond to the bully! In fact, it’s best to block him or her from your phone or from whatever social media site you’re using. Then you should definitely… uh, you delete all your messages?
Hope shakes her head vigorously!
ADDISON: I mean… get some screenshots first, THEN you can delete them. You need to make sure you have proof that someone was sending you those messages, so you make sure you document them. And then, after that, you should tell… tell your best friend!
Hope shakes her head emphatically!
ADDISON: Er, I mean… Of course, while your friends can support you when you’re being cyberbullied, it’s definitely more important to tell a trusted adult who can help you out.
The guy on the other end of the line promises to get proof and tell an adult about his issue!
ADDISON: You can always call back if you need to! Let us know how it goes!
You hang up around the same time as your friends.
CAMERON: Whew! That went better than I thought!
OLLIE: Yeah, it felt really good!
HOPE: You guys did great!
Hope comes up to you.
HOPE: Thanks for taking a call, Addison. This work is really important to me, and it means a lot to have you be a part of that.
ADDISON: I was happy to help.
HOPE: I know. You helped me when I felt hopeless and alone. You might not think of it this way, but you saved me. I was in a really dark place. If it weren’t for you and my brother, I don’t know what I would have done. And now, thanks to you, I’m here. I’m talking to people who have gone through what I went through, and I’m helping them realize that they don’t deserve to be bullied online or made fun of, that they’re worth being treated right.
ADDISON: Awww…
HOPE: Now come on, you grab Julian! The party’s about to start!
[ Julian | 3h | 1100c ]
You, Julian, Hope, and your friends walk into a party that’s now in full swing!
HOPE: You guys should get some snacks! Settle in!
ADDISON: Oh, we definitely will!
You’re just about to walk towards the snacks table when Chelsea comes running up.
CHELSEA: OMG, OMG…
HOPE: What, Chelsea?
CHELSEA: They’re HERE! Our SPECIAL GUESTS!
JULIAN: Who are you talking about?
HOPE: Them!
The crowd parts, and you look to where Hope is pointing…
ADDISON: Oh, WOW… I can’t believe it! It’s… it’s… It’s ONE DIRECTION!
JULIAN: What are they doing here?
HOPE: They’re active supporters of Cybersmile!
CHELSEA: And they’re coming this way!
Harry, Niall, Louis, Zayn, and Liam walk up to you!
HARRY: Hi, Hope, Chelsea…
CHELSEA: Oh, wow, Harry Styles knows my name! I am SO not freaking out right now…
Hope elbows Chelsea.
CHELSEA: I, er, I mean… welcome to the party!
HOPE: We’re SO excited that you could make it!
LOUIS: So are we!
NIALL: It’s a great cause.
LIAM: Who are your friends?
HOPE: This is my brother, Julian…
JULIAN: Hey.
HOPE: ...and his friend, Addison. Addison is the one who inspired me to become a Cybersmiler, actually.
HARRY: Is that right? Glad to meet you, Addison!
He shakes your hand!
ADDISON: Nice to meet you too! I imagine you guys must be really busy, so it’s great that you could come down here and support Cybersmile!
LIAM: We’re quite happy to be here!
HOPE: So now that you are… can we show you guys around the party?
LOUIS: Yeah, sure… lead away!
CHELSEA: Over by the entrance we’ve got some photos of the fundraising events Cybersmile has held…
HOPE: Drinks and appetizers are being served on that side of the room…
ADDISON: And don’t forget the dance floor over there!
After touring the party and hanging out with One Direction for a while…
HOPE: Can I get you guys anything else to drink or eat?
HARRY: We’re good for now.
ADDISON: Just let us know!
LIAM: Sure. But we’re just enjoying ourselves while we celebrate a good cause.
LOUIS: We don’t like cyberbullying. Definitely not cool…
ZAYN: So what you guys have done at Cybersmile is brilliant.
HOPE: Yeah, it’s a really difficult issue that a lot of people face.
CHELSEA: And it definitely helps to have your support!
NIALL: Yeah, we’d like to support you in any way we can.
HOPE: Would you guys mind signing a few autographs, maybe? I’m sure everyone here would love that…
HARRY: Yeah, just have people pop on over.
ADDISON: I know some people who would be interested… I will be right back!
[ A Classmate except Addison and Julian, A Classmate except Addison and Julian, A Classmate except Addison and Julian (Ollie, Cameron, Hadley) | 4h | 150b ]
You return to One Direction with Ollie, Cameron, and Hadley in tow!
HADLEY: ONE DIRECTION!
HARRY: Ha ha, hi!
CAMERON: I’m so so SO excited to meet you guys, I could die!
LOUIS: Please don’t.
OLLIE: WILL YOU SIGN MY PHONE?!
NIALL: Yes! Let’s get started, shall we?
Ollie, Cameron, and Hadley crowd around One Direction!
OLLIE: Here! Sign my phone! I’ve got a custom cover of your guys’ latest album photo! I look at it all the time! Make it out to Ollie.
LIAM: Got it!
CAMERON: And I’m wearing my lucky shirt. It’d be even luckier if you signed it!
NIALL: Here you go!
HADLEY: I didn’t bring anything with me, but can you sign my arm? I’ll never wash it again!
ZAYN: Ha ha, you could just take a picture…
HADLEY: That’s an even better idea!
For a while, One Direction signs autographs! Near the end of the evening, they meet up again with you, Hope, and Chelsea.
HARRY: Hey… glad we caught up with you. It’s been fun, but we have to take off now.
ZAYN: Again, great work with the anti-cyberbullying campaign.
LIAM: Actually, we wanted to give you something as a token of our appreciation!
Liam hands you guys a set of collector dolls, signed by the whole band!
CHELSEA: This is so totally sweet!
HOPE: Thank you!
LOUIS: Keep up the good work!
After One Direction leaves…
ADDISON: That was pretty cool…
CHELSEA: That was more than ‘pretty cool’... it was AMAZINGLY SUPER COOL! We have signed One Direction collector’s items! Although I don’t know how we’re going to decide who gets them. I’ll take them if you don’t want them.
HOPE: I’d like them… but I don’t think we should be the ones to keep them.
CHELSEA: What are you talking about?
HOPE: Chelsea, they gave the collector dolls to Cybersmile. We should share this with everyone who’s ever supported our cause. All Cybersmilers everywhere should get the chance!
CHELSEA: I hate to say this, but there’s only one set of collector dolls. How are we going to do that?
ADDISON: I have an idea… we could do a giveaway! We’ll have people enter, and we’ll pick a winner!
HOPE: I like it! But how do people put their names in?
ADDISON: Well…
[ Have Julian | None | None ]
HOPE: I heard that some people might be curious about how they can help out with Cybersmile. And it’s pretty simple! Check out Cybersmile’s website for ideas. You can get involved by volunteering to be a Cybersmiler, purchasing a Cybersmile #Positivity shirt, or making a donation!
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