Stitching the Seams

Events following Mr Fox's party. **This chapter contains abuse, a suicide attempt and r-pe.** The next chapter is Ink Blot Stains.

## Stitching the Seams

New student, Persephone Grayson- commonly known as Effie- joins the chatroom. Frankie and Maverick try to convince Effie to drink, and she politely declines after hearing about the chaos Frankie caused drunk. Amadeus, Frankie and Effie try to help Maverick apologise to Merri. Darius' infuriating attitude continues to bother others, particularly Lexie, whilst a new student, Trygve Odinson, joins the chatroom, and hints that he knows about stalking, causing Frankie and Lexie to think he's a stalker. Amadeus gets stuck in a mystery place, and Darius uses this to scare and traumatise Merri.

New student Milla joins the chatroom, quickly starting conversations with Trygve and Kutluk. Lexie privately threatens Trygve into stalking Darius. When Trygve slips up, Lexie punches him with brass knuckles. Mia begins to manipulate Trgyve. Another student, Essie Jane Moonberry, joins the chatroom. Essie hears about Dorian, and convinces her mother, Ellybelle Moonberry, to visit the school to investigate it, as Ellybelle is a bounty hunter. In the influx of new students, Melina Korbins joins the chatroom, immediately causing trouble by confronting Lexie regarding her attitude towards Trygve, alongside Medea and Erebus Bennet, as well as Wesley Korbins and Genesis Anderin. Effie notices Mia's treatment towards Trgyve, and begins messaging Trygve, manipulating him into telling her, before manipulating Darius into helping her.

New student Erebus displays several concerning, violent and disturbing behaviours, unnerving other students. Medea does her best to keep him in line, but it doesn't work well. Erebus begins to hide dead animals around the school in order to make his brother sick. Adam Barret joins the chatroom, welcomed by Essie and many others, and starts with a good reputation. The spring fair begins around the same time that Adam begins dating Essie. At the spring fair, Amadeus assaults Cartien. Maverick turns himself in regarding Asli's death, but due to it being accidental, he was freed, to the relief of Amadeus, who helped hide the body.

Adam takes Essie on a date to the pizza place, whilst her cousin, Nico Moonberry, arrives. Mia rips up Darius' poetry book, greatly upsetting him. When the more flirtatious members of the chatroom tease Essie, Adam acts sweet and leaves the date, leaving Essie confused. Meanwhile, Genesis drinks, concerning Wesley and another student. After Maverick helps set up his iPhone, Dorian joins the chatroom. When Lily Jones joins as well, Wesley disappears offline, and refuses to speak when Lily is around. When Adam makes a jab at Maverick, Essie calls him out for being rude, to which Adam states Essie is overly emotional. Lexie and a few others come to her defence, however Essie then defends Adam, causing others to become concerned. Nico calls Adam out, and Adam tries to gaslight Nico, worsening people's concerns for Essie. However, Essie brushes off the concern, asking others to simply leave it alone.

Adam's attitude to others and Essie's constant defending him greatly concerns others in the chatroom. Over time, Essie's behaviour in the chatroom becomes much more hesitant, particularly after she talks about hitting her head. Unknown to the others, Essie's head injury was caused by trying to escape a kiss from Adam. Shortly after the fair, Adam r-pes Essie. Essie goes to Penn's dorm afterwards, incoherently sobbing, and Dorian joins them, before Essie abruptly leaves. Afterwards, Adam invites Essie to watch a rather graphic film. After Adam looks through Essie's phone and sends Milla a sexual photo of Essie, Milla and Penn arrive at Adam's dorm. They try to attack Adam- however, Essie stops them out of fear that Adam will hurt her if she doesn't (as he had been before Penn and Milla arrived) by exaggerating her dislocated shoulder. Adam enters the group chat, claiming that Penn and Milla beat him and Essie, before guilt tripping them and convincing everyone else that Milla and Penn are in the wrong. Essie is silent. Penn shows a screenshot whereby Adam tells Lexie to commit suicide.

On the chatroom the following day, Essie signals to Nico that something is wrong, before she attempts suicide. When she doesn't succeed, she calls Nico, claiming that her phone is broken and asking if he can fix it. When Nico arrives, he sees evidence of her attempt, and quietly saves her life, before taking her phone. Once he collects evidence of Adam's abuse, he returns the phone to EJ, who tries to break up with Adam- though to no success due to manipulation and vulgar abuse. Essie tries to reach out to Noah, Amadeus and Milla for help, but is unsuccessful as well, as Milla states Essie broke his trust, and Amadeus informs Essie he won't help her if she stays with Adam. Because of this, she stopped reaching out for help.

Nico reports Adam to Mr Fox, who gives every piece of evidence Nico gives him to the public, causing uproar in the chatroom. Adam tries to defend it, privately threatening Essie with murder, but to no avail. After the threats, Essie very quickly switches up, defending Adam once again, only for the others to see through the painfully obvious lie. Adam posts Essie's nudes in the chatroom, and in response, Essie shares more screenshots of the abuse she faced. Adam leaves the next morning, and Essie goes quiet for a while.