The summer holidays were well and truly over and the Mason family were back into the school and work routine.

Poppy had started at a new school and was absolutely loving it. It was so nice to see her come home from school bubbly and excited to share stories about her day.

Rachel was still working part-time so was having a day of cleaning and food shopping.

She'd just got back from Tesco after doing a big food shop when her phone started to ring. Rachel rummaged around in her handbag for her phone and when she found it saw it was Emily's school ringing.

Emily had been complaining of a stomach ache before school so assumed it had got worse and needed to come home.

However, when Rachel picked up the phone it was actually Emily's Head of Year and not the school nurse.

"Are you able to come into school to pick up Emily?"

"Yes of course, is she poorly?"

"No she's not poorly, but she's extremely upset and I think it's best you take her home for the rest of the day"

"Why, what's happened?" Rachel asked just wanting to know the full story

"It's best we talk about it when you get here. But just so you're not in the dark about the situation, Emily had sent an inappropriate photo on Snapchat, and unfortunately it has been sent to a lot of people in the school"

"How was it inappropriate and who did she send it to in the first place?" Rachel asked although she already had a pretty good idea

"It was a topless photo that she sent, she sent it to Tom Rogers from the boys school. If you are available to come in, it really would be best if we discuss this at school"

"Of course, I'll come straight away"

Rachel was shocked and couldn't believe her daughter would do something like this. She quickly put the food away that needed to go in the fridge and freezer before getting straight back in the car and going to Emily's school. Although Rachel couldn't believe how stupid Emily had been, she was still feeling really worried about her daughter and just wanted to be there for her.

After signing in at reception, Rachel was met by Emily's head of year and they went to her office.

As soon as she walked into the office, she saw Emily and she was in a right state. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her mascara had smudged everywhere. She also looked terrified when she saw Rachel.

Rachel went straight over and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"I'm so sorry Mum"

"Hey don't worry about it for now, we'll talk in a minute" Rachel said as tears were streaming down Emily's face once again and she was starting to get quite hysterical

"Right Emily, I think the best thing for you to do today is to go home with your Mum as I really don't think you're going to be able to concentrate in your lessons this afternoon"

"Thank you" Emily sobbed, she was so relieved she didn't have to go back to her classes

"However I do expect you back tomorrow and you'll need to speak to your maths teacher and your history teacher to see what you missed in their lessons and then catch up in your own time"

"Okay"

"You can come and see me tomorrow morning instead of going to tutor time so we can have a chat, and you can bring Mum too if you'd prefer"

"See you tomorrow"

Emily picked up her school bag, she just wanted to get out of here.

The two of them said goodbye before making their way back to reception.

Rachel signed out at reception and they made their way to the car.

Emily had been so relieved when she first saw her Mum but now it was just the two of them she was starting to feel really embarrassed about what she'd done.

"Come on, try and stop these tears for me. I know everything must feel awful at the minute, but everything's going to be okay. How about we go and get some coffee and cake and have a little chat?"

"Okay"

Rachel drove to Emily's favourite cake shop.

"Wait actually can we just stay in the car, I look such a mess"

Rachel got some makeup wipes out of her handbag and sorted out Emily's face.

"There, much better"

"I look awful, my skin is so red and blotchy and my eyes are really puffy"

"No-one's going to take any notice, come on cake will make you feel better"

They went into the shop and Rachel got a coffee and a piece of lemon drizzle cake and Emily had a chocolate brownie.

"So you going to tell me about what happened then?"

"Do we have to Mum? I really don't want to talk about it with you. It's so embarrassing"

"Well if you were prepared to do something like this, you should have been prepared to talk about it with me. I'm not going to force you to but I really would like to know what made you think it was a good idea. I'm not going to lecture you about it, I do work in a school remember so I do realise that things like this do go on"

"It's still embarrassing"

"Who is Tom Rogers then? I haven't even heard you mention him"

"He goes to the boys school. We met at the school disco at the end of last term and then we were talking all over the summer and we got on really well"

"So is he your boyfriend?"

"No, not exactly. I'd saw we're closer than just friends but he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend or anything"

"Okay, so how come you sent the photo? Did he ask you to send it?" Rachel asked and Emily nodded

"Did you want to send it?"

"No I knew it wasn't a good idea"

"So why did you send it then?"

"I don't know"

"I'm sorry Em, but I don't really understand. If he asked you to and you didn't want to, why didn't you just say no?"

"I didn't want him to think I was a baby" Emily mumbled

"You're only 12 Em"

"I'm going to be 13 this month"

"The point is you shouldn't do something you're not comfortable with just to please someone else"

"I realise that now" Emily said rolling her eyes at her Mum

"Hey, I already said this isn't a lecture. I just want you to not feel pressured into something you don't want to do. It's your body and I don't think you're in a situation yet where it's appropriate for you to be sharing it with boys, whether in a photo or in person"

"I'm not sharing it with boys, just one"

"Even if it is just one, I still don't think you're ready. Did you not think about what he could do if you sent him the photo?"

"I thought this wasn't a lecture?"

"It's not, I'm sorry"

"I thought I could trust him, when I sent it I didn't think he was one of those boys that would do something like that. But when I got a notification saying that he'd taken a screenshot I instantly got worried and wished I hadn't done it" Emily said starting to cry again

"Well now you've experienced how it can all go wrong, and I really hope you've learnt from it and won't do it again"

"Never, boys are so stupid I hate them"

"Why do I get the feeling your opinion will soon change back again?"

"Not anytime soon and I'm never going to speak to Tom again, it's such an immature thing to do."

"I know sweetheart, at your age the difference in maturity between boys and girls is very obvious. They do catch up though I promise"

"Everyone's talking about me though because of him, I don't want to go back to school tomorrow and face everyone"

"That's a choice you don't have to make I'm afraid. You're lucky you got to have the afternoon off today. I know going back in and facing your peers after something like this seems like the worst thing in the world at the moment, but the sooner you go back and get it over with the sooner everyone will forget about it"

"I won't be able to forget"

"To start with probably not, but eventually you will. And in years to come you'll look back at it with your friends and laugh"

"I hope so"

"It's not like you're the first girl to do something like this and you won't be the last either"

"I can't believe I was so stupid and actually thought he wouldn't send it to anyone"

"But now you've learnt from your mistake and hopefully you realise now that it really isn't a good idea"

"I do"

"Good"

They carried on chatting for a bit but it was soon time for the school run. Emily was so pleased Rachel had been so understanding of the whole thing, and felt so lucky to have her Mum.