Lisa gathers her things and heads down the hallway, but she notices that the atmosphere is quite unusual. She feels watched, at the centre of attention, and hears snickers with every step she takes.
‘ It’s her, it’s her… the cow, ‘ someone whispers, while the sound of notifications seems to match the rhythm of her steps.
In class, she sits next to Martina, her best friend, who, unlike usual, seems very quiet and reserved.
It’s in the afternoon that the mystery is revealed when her group of friends immediately asks for explanations and warns her about how the situation has escalated: the manipulated image of Lisa has bounced everywhere within the school, among her classmates, ‘ partly as a joke, partly without thinking ‘ in chat groups and WhatsApp, and even onto social media channels. Soon, her distorted face is everywhere, accompanied by mocking or cruel comments.
‘ I’m a meme, ‘ she thinks incredulously, feeling trapped in a whirlwind of shame and humiliation as the attention on her increases exponentially. From that day on, her grades began to drop, and Lisa started skipping school, even avoiding her friends.
