Something nasty is overtaking the community of West Seattle, and there’s not much its residents can do to stop it. Mean boys are the problem, and it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than just ignoring them to find a solution. 

While innocent girls are the most vulnerable prey, it would be safe for nice boys to watch out, too. Their first move is to get you closer, and the easiest way to do that is as a friend. It will start with innocent glances; eye contact that doesn’t really mean anything. They’ll start asking questions to form a friendship with you. It’s pretty hard to resist when they won’t stop fidgeting with their beautiful hair and laughing in a way that sets your heart on fire. But girls, these are all just ‘mean boy’ tactics they use to put themselves close enough to break you. They put together the puzzle of your soul and scatter the pieces just as quickly as they got them in the first place. 

Mean boys only have 1 motive: heartbreak. Once they get you in as a friend, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to stop what comes next. The ways in which they talk to you are innocent enough, but any glance from an outsider would have them question if you’re really, truly just friends. He will ask for your snap, maybe even your number if he’s risky enough, and that will feel like a faux honeymoon stage. The texting doesn’t stop, and nice girls will start to think that these mean boys actually care about them, but they don’t. Months go by, and everything’s good. It feels good, so why would your heart lie to you? But soon, you’re nothing more than someone they used and threw away. 

The final act in the pursuit of nice girls by mean boys is to distance themselves. 

Suddenly, those texts start becoming less and less frequent. You’re hoping that any notification is from him, and you know you’ll respond in .5 seconds even if he left you on delivered for hours. He makes the necessary small talk, like anyone would do when you sit right next to them, but soon you won’t exist to them. Your heart is crushed, and the mean boys have won again. 

This epidemic is going to challenge even the stubbornest of girls and a cure is yet to be found. Many of these boys stalk the halls of West Seattle High School, but they have also been seen around the greater Seattle area. Many will try, and fail, to outrun them. The best you and your loved ones can do is lock your doors and avoid mean boys for the rest of your life.