by Kai Juniper
"You okay?" Jackson asks, kissing my forehead.
"I'm great." I take a breath. "I just wish we could stay like this." I look up at him. "How'd you get in here? Was the front door unlocked?"
"Brock let me in. His obsession with getting a role in one of my dad's movies is really helping us out."
"Is your dad going to give him a part?"
"Maybe. He hasn't decided. Actually the whole thing was my idea."
"What do you mean?" I sit up, pulling the sheet up to cover me.
"I needed something to get Brock off our backs. I knew he'd never let me see you if there wasn't something in it for him."
"So you told your dad to give him an audition?"
"My dad owed me a favor for all the times I went to his house last year to deal with shit that came up during construction. My parents built an addition on their house and the builder kept fucking it up. Anyway, he owed me so this is what I asked for."
I smile. "You really wanted to be with me."
"Without having to sneak around." He pulls me back down beside him. "Now we can do this whenever we want."
"Unless they take you away again," I say, suddenly feeling sad. I knew the happiness I felt just moments ago wouldn't last. It couldn't with everything that's going on. "Tell me what you found out from your lawyers."
"There isn't much new to say. They asked me about the tie and we talked about what to do if the cops try to say that it's mine."
"What's the plan if they do?"
"Demand that they test it for any blood or DNA that might still be on it. The only problem is, most of that probably washed away in the ocean."
"It was still on her when they found her?" I ask, cringing as I imagine Kristen's dead body with a tie wrapped around her neck.
"It was only partly around her neck. The rest was tangled in her hair."
"Wouldn't they test it anyway, even if you didn't tell them to?"
"Probably, unless they think the test wouldn't hold up in court. Those tests aren't always reliable, especially when the thing's contaminated with ocean water. But we want them to do the tests even if they don't think they can use the results."
"Did the lawyers say anything else?"
"Just more about what Steven Edwards told the cops. Apparently he came into the police station and named me as the killer. He said all this stuff about Kristen and me having a bad relationship. How we were always fighting, which isn't true. And he said I abused her."
"Are you serious?" I sit up. "Did he have examples?"
"He said Kristen would come back from my house with bruises, and that she'd cry in her room after being with me. He told the cops that he'd try to comfort her and ask what was wrong, but she wouldn't talk about it. She'd just say we had a disagreement and leave it at that."
"But none of that is true."
"It's his word against mine."
"Why is he doing this? Do you think he really believes you're guilty?"
"He might. Or he might just be getting back at me for dropping out of Twisted Pine. I ruined his chance at taking the football team to State, which was what he needed to get donations for a new school."
"They could still win."
"Not without Braden."
"What do you mean? Braden's still playing. His knee hurts but he's not going to miss any games."
"You didn't hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Andrea's parents are demanding Braden be suspended from playing football until the Andrea case is resolved. They even hired lawyers to sue Twisted Pine if they don't cooperate."
"When did this happen?"
"I just found out about it from my lawyer. If it's true, Braden is done. He'll never play football again."
Chapter Ten
"This is NOT fucking happening!" I hear Braden scream.
"I think he just heard the news," Jackson says. "Let's get up."
As we get dressed, I hear a door slamming and things hitting the wall.
"Braden, stop it right now!" Brock yells from the living room, which is just outside my door. "You need to calm down. I'll call Principal Edwards. I'll straighten this out right now."
"He's not gonna talk to you after his fucking daughter died!" Braden yells.
"What's going on?" I hear Trystan say.
"The bitch's parents are suing the school if they don't drop me from the team."
"No shit?" Trystan says. "Like immediately?"
"It's not fucking happening," Braden says as something else slams against the wall.
"Braden, stop it!" Brock yells. "That belonged to your mother."
"My mother's dead to me. We shouldn't even have her shit in the house."
"She's not dead to me," Trystan says, sounding angry. "Break another one of her things and I'll break your fucking face!"
"Boys!" Brock yells. "Braden, put the gun down!"
"Shit." Jackson runs to the door and opens it. "Braden."
Braden whips around to Jackson, a gun in his hand, ready to shoot.
"Jackson, no!" I yell.
"Stay in there," he says before shutting my door.
I don't want to, but I do, because being out there right now will only make things worse. Braden has already hit his threshold for anger. If he has a gun, it means he's lost it. He's out of control. Seeing me out there with Jackson will only make it worse. Just seeing Jackson alone will make it worse, so what is he doing? Why didn't he stay in my room?
"Braden, put the gun down," Jackson says in a calm steady voice.
"Don't tell me what to do, you fucker!" Braden yells. "If anyone should be suspended from the game, it should be you! You're the one who killed her! And then you killed Kristen! Where's your fucking suspension?"
"I AM suspended," Jackson says. "Coach left me a message. I can't play in next week's game."
"That's it? I'm out for the fucking season!"
"Only if they decide not to fight the lawsuit. You really think that'll happen?"
"How the fuck should I know?"
"You really think they'd risk losing their best player over some frivolous lawsuit?"
"He's right," Brock says. "The lawsuit is simply a scare tactic. Andrea's parents are hoping the school will comply with their demands but they have no reason to do so. It's a private school. They can do as they please. They don't have to suspend you from playing because of an investigation into something you haven't even been charged with."
"He's right," Jackson says. "If the school gave in, it'd send a message to other parents that they can get what they want by threatening a lawsuit. Principal Edwards won't let that happen, especially if he has the support of the parents, which he will because they all want you to play. They want to win."
The room gets quiet.
"Braden, put the gun down," Jackson says. "C'mon, man. You're worrying about nothing. This lawsuit isn't going anywhere. You'll still be playing on Friday."
I wish I could see what was happening. I'm so worried for Jackson, I'm shaking. Braden was pointing the gun right at him. He could've shot him. Killed him.
"I fucking hate you," Braden says, his tone lighter than before.
"I'm okay with that," Jackson says with a laugh. "I hate you too."
I slowly open the door and see Brock is now holding the gun. Trystan is beside him, his jaw dropped, his eyes bouncing between Braden and Jackson. Braden is in front of his brother, facing Jackson, who is still right in front of my door.
Braden's eyes dart to me, then back to Jackson. "I'm getting out of here."
"Braden, it's late," Brock says. "You shouldn't be out."
Braden turns and walks off. The rest of us remain in the living room, listening as Braden goes out to the garage and starts up his car. We hear the engine roar as he speeds off.
"How did he get this?" Brock asks Trystan, holding up the gun.
He shrugs. "How should I know? He probably got it from your safe."
Brock looks it over. "This isn't one of mine."
"You can buy the
m at school," Jackson says.
"At Twisted Pine?" Brock asks, concern crossing his face.
"At Legion. That's where the Twisted Pine kids go to buy everything. Drugs. Guns. Whatever they want."
"Braden wouldn't deal with anyone at Legion. Unless..."
"I didn't sell it to him," Jackson says, noticing the look Brock was giving him. "I stay out of that shit. I have enough going on, and I definitely don't need the money."
"He held a gun on me," Trystan says, his eyes glazed over.
"He wouldn't have hurt you." Brock puts his arm around Trystan's shoulder. "He's your brother. He'd never let anything happen to you. You know that. I'll put the gun away, then why don't we go get something to eat?" Brock looks over at Jackson and me. "Would you two like to join us?"
"I can't go out right now," Jackson says.
"Yes, of course. I understand. Trystan, go get ready. We'll leave in a few minutes."
Trystan turns and follows Brock out of the room.
"How'd you do that?" I ask Jackson.
"Do what?"
"Get Braden to put down the gun?"
"I know how to talk him off the ledge. We used to be friends."
"I know, but now he hates you. I thought he was going to shoot you as soon as you opened the door."
"I knew he wouldn't. There's a part of him that still wants us to be friends. I was the only person who actually listened to him other than his mom, but she's not in his life anymore. I'm all he has left. That's why he came to my house that day to tell me about Andrea's case being reopened. I was the person he went to for advice."
"That doesn't make sense."
"If you understood Braden it does. He's messed up, but he refuses to get help. Being friends with him was exhausting. He'd be fine one minute and blow up at me the next."
"But you were able to calm him down just now. His dad couldn't. Trystan couldn't. But you could. That's kind of amazing."
"I'm good at reading people. As soon as I opened the door I could tell he wasn't going to shoot me. He was panicking because he was losing control of his anger. I could hear it in his voice and see it on his face. He needed someone to tell him what he wanted to hear."
"You mean you lied to him? He's really being suspended from football?"
"I don't know. I doubt it. The lawsuit isn't based on anything other than revenge. The school's not going to back down from something like that. They'll get their lawyers to fight it and Andrea's parents will end up dropping it."
I hear the front door open and close as Brock and Trystan leave for dinner.
"They're gone," I say. "You want to find something to eat? Ana also has leftovers in the fridge."
"Why don't we order something?" He gets his phone out. "Pizza?"
"Yeah. Pepperoni with extra cheese." I walk over to the window and look out at the ocean. "Guess I won't be walking on the beach anymore."
"You still can, but maybe a different beach."
I walk back to Jackson. "Who would do that to her? Strangle her and dump her body? I don't know how someone could do that."
"Some people can justify most anything. Like Braden. If someone makes him angry, he thinks he has a right to go after them."
"And kill them?"
"Depends on what they did. In Braden's case, I think he loses control and doesn't realize what he's doing until it's too late."
"You think he killed Andrea, don't you?"
Jackson sits down on the couch. "I'd rather not say."
"Why not?"
"I know how it feels to be accused of something you didn't do. I'm living it right now and it's fucking hell. I could see Braden losing it and doing something to Andrea but I don't want to accuse him of it unless I know for sure that he did it."
I sit down next to Jackson and rest my head on his chest. His arm curls around me, making me feel safe in what at the moment feels like a very unsafe world.
"You need to do homework?" he asks. "I could leave after dinner. Give you time to catch up."
"I can't do homework. Not with everything that's going on."
"It'll be going on for a long time. You can't stop doing stuff while you wait for this to get resolved. It could take years."
"I don't care about school. It's not like I'm going to college."
"You could apply. If you get in, it doesn't mean you have to go."
"I don't know. I'll think about it."
"You still planning to go back to New York?"
I look up at him. "Not if my boyfriend's here."
"I don't know where I'll end up. I've started applying to colleges but now that all this has happened, I doubt I'll get in anywhere. Colleges don't usually want students who've been accused of murder."
"When they find the real killer, it'll prove that you're innocent. Colleges won't count that against you."
"They might, especially since I was accused of killing Andrea too. They'll think I'm one of those rich guys who used his money to get away with murder."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to apply anyway and see what happens. But if they don't find the killer, this case could literally drag on for years. I'll be stuck here, waiting for a trial."
"Then I'll wait here with you."
"No." Jackson turns to me. "I don't want you doing that. I don't want you wasting your life waiting for something to happen. It's bad enough I have to do it. I don't want you doing it too."
"What are you saying? You're breaking up with me?"
"I'm saying I don't want you waiting around for me. When all this is over, I could end up going to prison."
"Then I'll wait for you to get out. I'll spend every day trying to prove that you're innocent."
"I don't want you doing that." He takes my hand. "You need to live your life. Waiting for a guy to get out of prison isn't a life."
"It is if it's the person you love." I look down. "I don't have anyone left. My mom's gone. My dad took off. The only person I have left in my life that matters is you."
"I feel the same way about you." He lifts my face up to his. "Which is why I can't let you waste your life waiting to find out what happens to me. If they lock me away, it could be years before I get out. Maybe I never would."
"That's not going to happen. You have the best lawyers. Your dad is rich and powerful. He'd find a way to get you out."
"Rumor, I'm serious. I want you to at least think about—"
"Just stop!" I say, getting up. "I'm not thinking about it. I'm not ready to, so just stop talking about it."
He stands up and gives me a hug.
For the rest of the night we don't talk about the case. We eat our pizza, watch TV in my room, and I fall asleep in his arms. When I wake up at midnight he's gone but there's a text from him on my phone.
I love you.
I text back. I love you too.
My mind goes back to what he said earlier. About what my future will be like if he ends up being convicted for Kristen's murder. Would I wait for him to get out of prison? What if he never got out?
It's something I don't want to think about. I know I'll have to eventually but not now.
When I wake up again, it's morning and Brock is knocking on my door. "Rumor?"
"Yeah, I'm up!" I yell back.
"Hurry and get ready. Trystan had to leave early. I'm taking you today."
It's strange we're even having school today. I thought for sure it'd be cancelled after the death of a classmate who is also the principal's daughter.
After my shower, Jackson calls as I'm hurrying to get dressed.
"Hey, sorry I snuck out last night but I didn't want to wake you up."
"That's fine," I say. "Are you at practice?"
"I'm off the team, at least for now. Coach called early this morning. Said I'm too much of a distraction. They don't want news cameras and reporters showing up on the field and interrupting practice."
"Can't the school ban them from coming on campus?"
"I don't know, but it
doesn't matter. That's just an excuse to kick me off the team. The real reason is they don't want me around. They don't want me in school either. They've asked that I do homeschooling while all this is going on."
"What'd you tell them?"
"I said I'd do it. I don't want to be there, making people uncomfortable. People already avoided me after Andrea died and now I'm being accused again."
"None of that is your fault. You're being punished for something you didn't do. It's not fair. Braden's allowed to keep going to school."
"It's a private school and the parents don't want to believe he did anything. They want him to keep playing football and winning games. That's all they care about."
"Legion cares about winning games and you're their star player."
"I've taught the guys what they need to know to win. They can do it without me."
Brock bangs on my door. "Rumor, let's go! I have to get back for a meeting."
I sigh. "I have to go."
"Have a good day. Let me know when you're home."
When I leave my room, I see Brock standing by the window, looking out at the beach. The sun is shining, reflecting off the water.
"Beautiful day," Brock says.
"It would be if my boyfriend wasn't being accused of murder," I mutter.
Brock comes over to me. "Try not to think about it. Perhaps school will get your mind off it."
"School will just make it worse," I say as we walk to the door. "Everyone will be talking about Kristen and what happened to her, and I'm sure they all think Jackson did it."
On the way to Twisted Pine, I keep thinking about Jackson and what might happen to him. How am I going to concentrate in class with all this going on?
"How are the driving lessons going?" Brock asks, waking me from my thoughts.
"I never went. That day I told you I did? I actually went to see Jackson."
Brock glances at me but I keep my eyes straight ahead. "You lied to me?"
"Yep," I say, popping the p.
"What else have you lied to me about?"
"I can't remember." I look at him. "You lie to me too, so what's the big deal?"
"I don't lie to you."
I laugh. "Yeah, right."
"What have I lied about?" he asks, slowing down as we approach a stop sign.