Alone in my room I start scrolling on Tiktok. Buzz. Ugh, that’s my time limit. Ignore.
Why are there time limits anyway? I’m old enough to have Tiktok so I should be trusted with it, right? I know what’s right and wrong. I know what’s good and bad. I know what’s real and fake.
Oooh Mandy’s in the Maldives! Lucky. It looks all perfect and glossy. I never go anywhere like that. I leave a comment. “So cool! Enjoy babes :)”. I scroll through the rest of the comments. “So pretty!”. “I’m so jealous!”. There is one that makes me pause. “Wow. AI’s getting crazy.” AI? No way. Mandy would never! It’s probably some stupid adult spreading lies. Thinking we can’t be trusted and all that rubbish.
I scroll further. Oli’s dad’s in the hospital. Poor guy. Wait-that can’t be right. Oli AND his dad are playing golf with my dad. Weird. Maybe they let him go out for the day? I leave a comment anyway “Praying for your dad xx”.
I close down Tiktok. My room is dead quiet without it. I feel kinda lonely actually.
Can’t remember the last time I texted Mandy so I say “How’s the Maldives?”
She’s read it. I wait. And wait. And wai-ding. The end sends a jolt through me “Don’t text me about this again. Please.”
It’s fake then. Wow. You think you know a person. So Oli’s dad probably isn’t in the hospital either. I can’t believe it- so many lies.
What should I do? What can anyone do?
Nothing, I guess.
I put my phone down feeling slightly more unsure.
Slightly more paranoid.
And I don’t like it. No, I don’t like it.