Web of Lies

Narrator: A POPULAR CALIFORNIA TEENAGER...

HER PASSION FOR HER FRIENDS WAS REALLY DEEP.

Narrator: ...IS A GRADE-A STUDENT WHO'S GROWING UP FAST.

Sheila: AND I KNEW SOME OF THE KIDS WERE MAKING OUT,

MAYBE SOME OF THEM DOING MORE THAN THAT.

- READY? - YEAH.

Narrator: BUT ONE NIGHT WILL DEFINE HER.

HEY.

"JUST PLEASE PROMISE ME YOU WON'T DO IT."

EVERYBODY DOWN.

Narrator: A STIGMA SHE CANNOT RUB OFF.

YOU'VE CHANGED. I DON'T KNOW YOU ANYMORE.

YOU TRUST YOUR FRIENDS MORE THAN YOU TRUST YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PARENTS.

DID YOU DO ANYTHING WEIRD WITH HER BODY?

SHE WASN'T UNCONSCIOUS. SHE WASN'T MOVING AROUND.

I WAS DISGUSTED. IT MADE ME FEEL DIRTY.

AAH!

OKAY, READY? ON THREE. ONE, TWO, THREE.

Narrator: 15-YEAR-OLD AUDRIE POTT IS A SOPHOMORE

AT SARATOGA HIGH SCHOOL WITH A PASSION FOR SPORTS

AND A GROUP OF CLOSE-KNIT FRIENDS.

AUDRIE HAD A REALLY KEEN SENSE OF HUMOR AND A KIND HEART.

HER PASSION FOR HER FRIENDS WAS REALLY DEEP,

AND SHE WANTED EVERYONE TO GET ALONG.

HOW'S IT GOING?

OH, COME ON, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

AT SARATOGA HIGH, THEY HAVE BAND,

CHOIR, AND COLOR GUARD PROGRAM,

WHERE THEY MARCH WITH THE BAND WITH THE FLAGS.

AGAIN, ONE, TWO, THREE.

THEY WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH AND GOOD ENOUGH

TO MARCH IN OBAMA'S INAUGURATION PARADE.

OKAY, MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE WINDY FOR THIS.

WHEN I FIRST MET AUDRIE, WE WERE IN SIXTH GRADE.

IF YOU KEEP TWIRLING...

BONDED A LOT WITH GIGGLING AND LAUGHTER,

LIKE SILLY PRANKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

...WE CAN DO, LIKE, A QUICK THING HERE.

SHE WAS ABLE TO BE FUNNY WITHOUT MAKING FUN OF PEOPLE.

YOU GO AROUND THIS WAY. IF YOU KEEP --

Sheila: SHE WAS KIND OF SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT HER APPEARANCE.

EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE,

SHE ALWAYS FELT LIKE SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, OVERWEIGHT

OR SHE NEEDED TO BE THINNER

OR HER HAIR DIDN'T LOOK QUITE RIGHT.

AND THEN IF YOU DO, LIKE, A PIVOT...

OH, GUYS, THERE'S MY MOM. DO YOU WANT A LIFT?

SURE.

NICE MOVES, GIRLS.

Le: I THINK IT BOTHERED HER THAT SHE KNOWS

SHE'S GOT THIS GREAT PERSONALITY,

BUT ALL SHE HEARS ABOUT HERSELF FROM OTHER PEOPLE

ARE COMMENTS ABOUT HER BODY.

WHAT'S UP, HON?

THERE'S SOME BOYS OVER THERE.

IT WAS HARD TO GET HER TO OPEN UP

ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE PERSONAL LIKE THAT.

SHE ALWAYS FELT LIKE SHE COULD HANDLE EVERYTHING HERSELF.

BYE, MOM.

Narrator: HER PARENTS HAVE BEEN DIVORCED FOR 12 YEARS,

AND AUDRIE DIVIDES HER TIME...

HI, DAD.

...BETWEEN THE TWO HOUSEHOLDS.

Larry: HAVING GONE THROUGH A DIVORCE

AND COMING OUT OF THAT, THAT WAS DIFFICULT,

SO I JUST WANTED TO CHANNEL ALL MY ENERGIES INTO MY DAUGHTER.

- WHOO! - THAT'S MY GIRL.

HEY, STRIKER.

SHE PLAYED SOCCER.

SHE ALWAYS HAD A NOSE FOR THE GOAL.

HI, LISA.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.

MM, YOU LOOK WONDERFUL.

- THANKS. - COME ON IN.

Narrator: SARATOGA HIGH IS ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S

MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOLS,

WITH A LARGE INTAKE FROM THE AFFLUENT OFFSPRING

OF SILICON VALLEY HEAVY-HITTERS.

IT'S HARD TO CONFORM TO THAT KIND OF SOCIETY,

WHERE EVERYBODY'S JUST ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.

THEY HAVE THE BEST GRADES.

THEIR FAMILIES HAVE SO MUCH MONEY.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS MAINLY, LIKE, GOOD-LOOKING, TOO.

- THANKS FOR DROPPING ME OFF. - NO PROBLEM.

I'LL SEE YOU LATER.

SEE YOU LATER.

AUDRIE STRUGGLED THROUGH FRESHMAN YEAR.

SHE FLUNKED ENGLISH

BUT WORKED HARD AND ACED THE CLASS IN SUMMER SCHOOL.

I KNOW, I'M EXCITED.

WAIT, WHEN'S YOUR LUNCH?

Narrator: NOW, HER SOPHOMORE YEAR IS OFF TO A GOOD START.

ALL RIGHT, I SAW A LOT OF GOOD EFFORT HERE.

SOME OF YOU ARE GOING TO TALK TO ME AFTER CLASS.

Narrator: AND SHE'S AMONGST OLD FRIENDS.

GOOD WORK.

AUDRIE, EXCELLENT WORK.

Larry: SHE WAS EXTREMELY PROUD OF HERSELF,

AND I WAS PROUD OF HER FOR GETTING THOSE As.

SHE WAS LIKE, "DAD, THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET BEHIND THIS YEAR."

Narrator: AND DESPITE HER NEW-FOUND DRIVE,

SHE'S LOST NONE OF HER PLAYFUL HUMOR.

Sheila: HI, HON. HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

YEAH, IT WAS GOOD. THANKS, MOM.

A PACKAGE ARRIVED IN THE MAIL.

NEVER MIND.

Narrator: LIKE MOST 15-YEAR-OLD GIRLS, AUDRIE LOVES CLOTHES.

BUT SHE HASN'T COME TO TERMS WITH HER DEVELOPING BODY.

Le: TO COVER HERSELF, SHE WOULD DO SOME RIDICULOUS THINGS AT TIMES.

SHE WOULD WEAR, LIKE, A LAYER ON TOP A LAYER,

SO A SPORTS BRA ON TOP OF A CAMI ON TOP OF ANOTHER TANK TOP

AND THEN HER SHIRT.

WHEN THE BOYS STARTED ASKING GIRLS FOR NUDE PHOTOS,

THAT WAS AROUND SEVENTH GRADE.

I REMEMBER SO MANY GIRLS WERE ASKED FOR NUDES.

IF BOYS HAD HEARD THAT ONE GIRL HAD SENT A NUDE ALREADY,

EVEN IF SHE WASN'T DEVELOPED,

THERE WOULD BE MORE BOYS THAT WOULD FLOCK TO HER

AND, LIKE, HASSLE HER FOR NUDES, AS WELL.

OKAY, WERE YOU GUYS AT THE GAME ON SATURDAY?

YES.

DID YOU SEE MICHAEL?

YOU GUYS, HE LOOKED SO GOOD.

HE DID, YEAH.

Narrator: A WEEKEND AND A GREAT START TO THE NEW SEMESTER,

AUDRIE INVITES HER GIRLFRIENDS OVER TO HANG OUT AND CATCH UP.

Sheila: I USED LIKE HAVING AUDRIE'S GIRLFRIENDS AROUND

SO I COULD FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES.

AND I KNEW SOME OF THE KIDS WERE MAKING OUT

AND MAYBE SOME OF THEM DOING MORE THAN THAT.

WHAT ABOUT CHUCK, THOUGH? HE HAS SUCH A CUTE BUTT.

REMEMBER, GIRLS, BOYS CAN BE VERY PUSHY,

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YES TO ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO.

I USED TO TELL THEM THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME,

YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A BOYFRIEND LATER.

CARLOS COULDN'T TAKE HIS EYES OFF AUDRIE'S BOOBS

THE OTHER DAY AT PRACTICE.

THEN HE WANTED A NUDE, DIDN'T HE, AUD?

OH, COME ON, GUYS, IT'S NOT LIKE I'M ASKING FOR IT.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE.

IT'S TRUE, AUD.

ALL THE BOYS THINK YOU'RE HOT, AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN INTERESTED.

LIFE'S SO UNFAIR.

HEY, GIRLS.

YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T SEND NUDE SELFIES TO BOYS.

WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THEM.

"JUST PLEASE PROMISE ME YOU WON'T DO IT."

THEN SHE SAID, "OKAY. LIKE, I WON'T. I PROMISE."

AND SHE NEVER DID.

HER FRIENDSHIP WITH EMILY WAS A LOT OF FUN,

BECAUSE EMILY WAS MORE TALKATIVE AND EXTROVERTED.

HEY.

- READY? - YEAH.

AND SHE KNEW A LOT OF OLDER KIDS,

SO THAT KIND OF BROUGHT AUDRIE INTO THAT SOCIAL CIRCLE.

AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW,

IT'S COOL TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE OLDER KIDS.

MY PARENTS ARE OUT OF TOWN FOR THE WEEKEND.

NO WAY.

THROWING A KICKBACK. YOU COMING?

OH, I WISH.

I HAVE TO BE AT MY DAD'S THIS WEEKEND.

COME ON, AUDRIE, I KNOW YOU'LL FIND A WAY.

OKAY, I'LL TRY.

Narrator: AUDRIE IS EXCITED ABOUT HER FIRST KICKBACK

BUT WORRIES ABOUT WHAT TO WEAR.

Le: SHE WANTED TO WEAR CLOTHES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER GIRLS WORE,

BUT HER BREASTS WERE SO MUCH BIGGER.

HOW TO DRESS HERSELF, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE LIKED HER OUTFIT

BUT SHE WOULDN'T GET ALL THIS UNWANTED ATTENTION.

I WONDER WHO'S HERE ALREADY.

I KNOW.

IT'S SUCH A NICE HOUSE.

MM-HMM.

- HEY! - HEY!

HEY, COME ON IN. I'M EMILY.

WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, EM.

OH, YEAH.

COME. COME IN. COME IN.

WHEN WE WALKED INTO THE PARTY, IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.

YEAH. OH, THAT WAS GOOD. THAT WAS GOOD, RIGHT?

EVERYBODY WAS JUST SUPER DRUNK.