Chapter 4

I headed toward the Office of Communications with my phone clenched in my hand. It kept buzzing the entire way. The posts on the campus forum were still blowing up.

"She's actually going in to explain herself?"

"Wait, does that mean something really was wrong with her entry?"

"An admissions ambassador is supposed to represent the college. If her whole image was staged, how can she represent anyone?"

"Do you think there's something going on between her and that photographer?"

I stopped short.

Being called unphotogenic was one thing. This was vile. They weren't questioning my entry anymore. They were attacking my character.

Representatives from the Office of Admissions and the Office of Communications were waiting for me, along with the head of Student Affairs.

Printed screenshots of the forum posts lay on the table beside stills from my entry video.

Ms. Carter from the Office of Communications addressed me in a serious tone. "Nina, a student has come forward and accused you of having a commercial production team produce your entry.

"There are also claims that you received the photographer's help through an inappropriate arrangement. An admissions ambassador represents the college, so we have to look into any questions about integrity."

My throat tightened at the word integrity.

I handed over my phone. "I didn't hire a team, and nothing was heavily edited. Ethan found the photographer through a post he made on the campus forum. The job paid 20 dollars."

Ms. Carter went through the messages and the payment screenshot, but the concern never fully left her face. "Your older photos online look very different from these. We're going to need an explanation."

Just then, Ethan knocked on the door and stepped inside.

Ms. Carter turned to him. "Ethan, you're the president of the photography club. You've seen Nina in front of a camera before, haven't you?"

I looked at him, still holding on to one foolish shred of hope.

He knew he was the one who had posted the job on the forum. He also knew those awful graduation photos existed because he had snapped them without putting any effort into them.

Ethan was silent for several seconds. "She looks fine."

I had just started to relax when he continued, "But she used to tense up in front of the camera. I'm not saying she faked anything. I'm just saying the finished product doesn't look like something you'd get for 20 dollars."

The office went quiet.

He hadn't accused me outright, but he had just given them even more reason to doubt me.

I stared at him. "You know perfectly well that you posted that job. You were the one who said I wasn't photogenic and told someone to just snap a few pictures of me.

"But the second someone else takes good pictures of me, you assume they must be fake. You don't doubt the photographer. You just can't stand that I look better in someone else's pictures than I ever did in yours."

Ethan froze.

There was a stir at the door.

Chloe stood in the doorway, her eyes red. I hadn't even noticed her arrive.

"Ms. Carter, may I say something?"

She spoke softly. "I'm not accusing Nina of anything. I just know she used to hate being in front of the camera. What if someone took advantage of how badly she wanted to prove herself and presented her as someone she's not…"

She didn't finish, but everyone knew exactly what she meant.

I stood there, my hands and feet turning cold.

Ms. Carter sighed.

"Nina, your place on the shortlist will be put on hold until we complete our review. Please submit the unedited photos, behind-the-scenes footage, and the photographer's identification details."

When I left the office, several students had gathered in the hallway.

Someone whispered, "If they've put her spot on hold, there must be something wrong, right?"

"It's a college promo, not a glamour shoot. She didn't have to go that far."

I had just reached the stairs when Mom called. "Nina, why did the college call me? It's just a competition entry. Don't let this affect your graduation."

"Mom, I didn't fake anything," I said quietly.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Then I heard Dad's voice. "If you didn't fake anything, why is the college investigating you?"

By the time I hung up, my fingertips were ice-cold.

Ethan caught up with me. "Your best option now is to blame the photographer. Tell them you didn't know he'd hired a whole crew. The college might go easier on you that way."

I looked at him and gave a disbelieving laugh. "Now you're worried the college might give me a hard time? You're the one who hired this photographer for 20 dollars."

Ethan went still.

Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from the photographer. "I'm downstairs from the Office of Communications. Don't be afraid, Nina. I'll clear this up."