What She Concealed

by Jannat Bhat

“Yes, I do. Call it a gut feeling.” He gave her an encouraging smile.

  As Eliana prepped during break for the test, Mia gave her a pep talk which helped her loads in relaxing and thus she was able to answer the questions smoothly. Eliana had performed so well that Ms. Diaz gave her writing a complement too and Eliana felt lighter than she had in days.

  “Congratulations.” Julian wished her as she made her way to the parking lot.

  “Wait, am I hearing this right? You’re glad that I did well?” Eliana couldn’t believe her ears. “That doesn’t sound right coming from you.”

  “You did a good job so you deserve to be appreciated, regardless of our fight.” He admired the way she had composed herself and handled the test. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about our next bet. I will win the best student.” He emphasized with a smile. “Do not doubt it.”

  “After this test, I doubt it.” Eliana said.

  “Test scores will change soon,” Julian assured her offhandedly. “You underestimate me, Bennett.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Underestimated or not, Eliana was never going to let him win.

  “Julian!” Both of them turned at the sound and Eliana saw it was the same girl she had seen Julian arguing with last time. Caroline.

  Julian cursed softly. “What now?”

  “I needed to talk to you. You won’t even return my calls, Julian!” Caroline attached herself to Julian’s chest once again. “I’m sure we can work things out.”

  “There is nothing left to work out. I’m done and you need to leave. Now.” He tried to remove her from him but the girl clenched her fists on Julian’s chest and wouldn’t budge. “And stop touching me!”

  “Please, Baby. Talk to me. I’m so sorry!” She started to cry. “I’ll do anything! I swear I will.”

  “Leave me alone, damn it!” He managed to push her away with force and she stumbled back at last.

  “Hey! No need to get physical.” Eliana scolded Julian but he didn’t respond to her because his attention was on the girl in front of him. “Get lost and do not come back, Caroline.” He snapped at the girl. “This is the last time I’m warning you.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone as insensitive as you.” Eliana was disgusted by the way Julian was treating the poor girl. Is this the way all southsiders treated people? She left them as she couldn’t bear to see the scene becoming any uglier. But as fate would have it, the next morning, cops showed up at Imperial High investigating about a young girl. When Eliana saw the picture the cops showed her she was shocked to see that it was Caroline. The girl had swallowed a dangerous amount of sleeping pills and tried to commit suicide and she blamed Julian for it. Which is why when they asked if she had any suspects who could be responsible for the act, Eliana pointed her accusation at Julian.

  Jonathan Bennett had heard that cops had arrived at his school. This wasn’t the first time the police had come investigating a case but it was the first-ever that one of his students was being accused of a crime. That too by his daughter. So he had to see what had taken place and sort out the matter in his presence. “Good morning, Officers, I’m Jonathan Bennett, In charge of Imperial High.” He introduced himself when he reached the reception where he saw two cops. One young and the other slightly older.

  “Good morning, Mr. Bennett. I’m Officer Johnson and this is my partner, Officer Perry.” They both showed their ID’s to the headmaster.

  “May I ask what this is about?” Mr. Bennett asked. Eliana and Jax were on their way to their next class with Mia when Eliana’s eyes fell on her father speaking to the same cops she had spoken to earlier. Frowning, she went to see what was going on now.

  “We’re here to take one of your student, a Julian Rivera, down to the station for questioning.” Officer Johnson said looking at his notepad which had Julian’s name on it after they had questioned Eliana.

  “On what basis?” Mr. Bennett asked, aware that his children and the staff on the floor had stopped and were looking in at the scene. He wanted to wrap this up as quickly as possible. But he didn’t want any of his students to be falsely accused either.

  “We have a young girl named Caroline Hall, who tried to kill herself. We found a suicide note on her, holding Julian Rivera responsible for the act.”

  Jonathan Bennett asked the receptionist to page for Julian to report at the reception immediately. Julian came running and looked stunned at this turn of events. He was beyond pissed now. He couldn’t believe the lengths Caroline had gone to get his attention.

  “Do you have a warrant against me?” Julian asked Officer Johnson when asked to go with them.

  “We can get one if needed. As we only need to ask you some questions, we were hoping you’d cooperate with us.” The older officer responded.

  “Officer, there is no way I’m going anywhere without a warrant and this is . . .” He started but held his words in when the head of the school raised a hand indicating him to remain quiet.

  Jonathan Bennett nodded his head at the two officers. “Only questioning, yes?”

  “For now.” The cop responded. “And we have a witness saying you fought with her just yesterday afternoon.”

  “What? Who?” Julian wanted to know. This was one big case of misunderstanding.

  “Me.” Eliana stepped forward. “You told her to go die, Julian! She did this because of you and the way you treated her.” She said bitterly.

  “Eliana, you don’t know her.” Julian had to explain himself. Eliana didn’t know shit about Caroline and how tricky she could be. “She. . .”

  “She was devastated over you, Julian. That’s why she tried to kill herself.” Eliana scowled at Julian.

  “Mr. Rivera. I wish you to cooperate with the investigation and please go down to the station with these officers.” Mr. Bennett asked kindly. Julian sighed deeply and nodded, having no other choice. It’s not like the officers could make him confess anything. He knew his rights. “Do you want me to call your parents?”

  Julian shook his head. He was an adult and didn’t need anyone. Especially his parents.

  Julian being gone the next day too, made his friends feel strange and sad. Especially Eliana. Not that she was his friend. She couldn’t be friends with a southsider. Though she knew she had done the right thing, she didn’t exactly feel that way. Maybe she was too quick to judge him. Julian was right about one thing, Eliana didn’t know Caroline or what kind of a person she was. But Eliana didn’t know Julian either and the way he had pushed and spoken to the girl the other day was also wrong.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” Jaxon told her as they ate their lunch in the cafeteria.

  “What do you mean?” She faced him, her mind still on Julian.

  “You need to mind your own business El. What Julian does in his personal life is none of your concern. You shouldn’t have assumed what he is or is not responsible where that girl was concerned. That’s for the cops to find out, not you.”

  “I know, Jax. I’m sorry.” She was regretting her actions already.

  “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” He gave her a meaningful look.

  He’s right. Eliana thought. The first thing she needed to do was to apologize to Julian when she saw him and she nodded at Jax in acknowledgment. She knew what she had to do and wished she hadn’t acted so rashly, especially when Julian had been so kind to her that very morning before the Lit test. The next day, she was at her locker when she saw Carter with a long face. “What’s wrong? Was the party at David’s that bad last night?” Carter had told them about this party before shit happened with Julian and he had plans to go with the grey eyed guy but for obvious reasons Eliana doubted Julian would have been in a mood to party.

  “It was no fun. Not without Julian playing beer bong.” Carter answered glumly.

  “Then you should have played instead,” She joked guiltily. It was her fault that Julian hadn’t shown up and she had to make up for the mistake somehow. So she tried in the way she could, like mak
ing Carter smile.

  “Like to play don’t you?” Eliana spun around at the comment and found Julian behind her, starring daggers at her. Those grey eyes had a storm brewing in them. “Especially, with people’s lives.”

  “Julian, I . . .” She began. “How are you?” He looked okay if a little worn out. His striking grey eyes which were usually so lively, looked tired as if he hadn’t slept.

  “Fine. No thanks to you.” He said and nodded at Carter who came forward and hugged him instead. “I’m so glad you’re okay, bro.” Carter said.

  “I wanted to apologize. What I did the other day was wrong. I shouldn’t have . . .” Eliana said once Carter had stepped back.

  “You think?” He was in no mood to talk to Eliana right now. “I have nothing to say to you.” He opened his locker effectively dismissing her from his sight.

  Eliana realized Julian needed space, so she left and decided to talk to him again later. But it didn’t do any good, because he avoided her with a vengeance and pretended not to hear her whenever she called out to him. During break, while the group sat on their usual table, Eliana heard students making nasty remarks about how he was the southsider responsible for a girl almost dying. Unfortunately, Julian was right there and had heard all of it. But not once did he say anything in his defense. Eliana closed her eyes in dismay. Even though he was from the wrong side of town, Eliana had never heard anyone commenting on it except for a few. But now, she had awakened a sleeping dragon and fire was spitting from all over towards Julian.

  “Mind your own damn business, everyone!” Eliana stood up and came to his aid when another student shoved him from behind on the way to the trash can and made Julian spill his coffee. “You shouldn’t be prejudiced like this, it isn’t right.” Mia and Naomi looked at Eliana in surprise that she would stand up for Julian while Jax and Carter looked glad that she did. “He’s here because he’s earned it, not because the opportunity fell into his lap like the rest of us!” She was angry for him. “So respect him for it or I’ll be going straight to Jonathan Bennett’s office right this minute!” The cafeteria hushed at that. The students knew better than to piss off the headmaster’s daughter. “You don’t know the whole story so stop gossiping about him and piss off. That’s his personal life.”

  “This part is my life too, so back off.” Julian gave her a sharp look. “I can handle myself.”

  “I’m just trying to help, Julian.” She said to him.

  “You’ve done enough, I don’t need any more of your help.” He sneered at her.

  Eliana felt worse at this brush off from him. After seeing Julian like this she was missing the old him who irritated her instead of avoiding her. She was in the washroom sanitizing her hands alone with her thoughts when Mia slid next to her. “I refuse to believe it,” Mia said washing her hands. “I completely refuse to believe that Julian is at fault here.” Carter and Naomi had said the same thing. It seemed Julian was all the school was talking about. “Why would you accuse him, Eliana?” Mia asked upset with her friend. “You were the last person he would have expected to have him thrown to the wolves.”

  Eliana explained how she had witnessed both the conversations between Julian and Caroline. “It’s my mistake though. I didn’t think this through before I pointed a finger at Julian.”

  “He just doesn’t seem the type, you know.” Mia shrugged. “He’s fun-loving and likes to tease people, but to hurt someone? That’s just not Julian.” Mia said with conviction. “Even if this girl tried to kill herself, Julian is hardly to blame.” Mia turned to her. “Think about it, he’s fun, he’s hard working, he’s a senior at Imperial High considering where he lives and on top of that having a handsome face doesn’t hurt. Girls falling over him is no surprise and one in ten is bound to act crazy. Humans get obsessed and never in a good way.” Eliana nodded quietly. “Has he spoken to you since?” Mia asked gently.

  “Just a bit but he avoids me when he can and snaps at me when I try.” Eliana shared.

  “He’s rightfully mad. Give him some time and he’ll bounce back. You’ll see.” Mia assured her. “Guys like him tend to not hold grudges, especially with the ones they love to tease.” She winked at Eliana.

  Soon after, Eliana was in the parking lot waiting for Jax when a guy around her age started making crude comments at her. Something about how hot she looked while yelling in the cafeteria that afternoon. She tried to ignore him as much as she could and concentrated on calling Jax. It was when the guy came closer and indecently touched her hip that she lost it and slapped him. Hard.

  “How dare you?” She hissed at him and the guy acted like nothing was wrong. There was nothing on this guy showing what kind of family he came from which irritated her against the prejudice that people had about southsiders. For all she knew this guy could be one of the elite and yet his behavior repulsed her.

  “Did I do something wrong?” He asked looking innocently around them as the students nearby had looked their way at the sound. Julian was straddling his bike and turned to see what was happening but saw nothing amiss. All he noticed was Eliana who seemed furious and a guy with a red cheek.

  “What are you doing smacking people? Just because your father is in charge doesn’t give you the right to treat others as you like.” He said.

  “Julian, you don’t know. . .” She was about to defend her action but Julian didn’t let her finish.

  “Is it your habit to slap people?” He asked her sternly. “Sometimes on their faces and sometimes on their character.” He couldn’t help but taunt her.

  Jax came out oblivious to the tension and got into the car without a word. Eliana joined him and left. She wasn’t sure how to make things right with Julian, hating this bitterness between them and it had just been a day. She had to do something and fast. Most of all, find a way to apologize to him.

  Julian saw her leave and didn’t like his own behavior with Eliana any more than she did but it pissed him off that she hadn’t even bothered talking to him before condemning him in front of the cops. She knew nothing of his history with Caroline and why he’s been that way with the girl. He hadn’t exactly had a pleasant session with the cops who dug up the parts of his life that he felt were best left buried. The past he had left behind in Greenwood and wanted no part of anymore. Just thinking about it had risen the nightmares that he barely held at bay. He had taken the next day off to gather himself after twisting and turning all night in bed and striking out at the unseen enemy.

  He shook his thoughts and went to guy Eliana had smacked and quietly said, “You better keep your hands to yourself or you’ll have more than an injury.” He had seen and heard everything that had happened, he just didn’t want Eliana to know that he had or that he cared. “And if you touch her again, you and I are going to have major problems.”

  That weekend, Eliana was leaving the café on Roda Street which was in the center of town with Mia, after working all morning on her LOTR’s individual perspective that Ms. Diaz had assigned them while Mia worked on her linguistic homework. Eliana was a morning person and liked to finish her work before her energy drained. Julian barely speaking to her was causing issues in the assignment to work as a team. Her brain felt tired and she yawned, coffee in hand when she saw a flash of strawberry blonde hair across the street. Eliana squinted to have a better look and she was right. It was the girl, Caroline. “How is she discharged from the hospital already?” Eliana wondered aloud.

  “Who?” Mia asked sipping her latte. Eliana tilted her head toward the girl and crossed over wanting to talk to her and ask if she was okay but found her speaking to someone on the phone.

  “Did he seriously think he could get away with it?” Caroline was saying. Eliana lifted her hand to get her attention but Mia stopped her and indicated her to remain silent as they followed Caroline. “So what if I cheated on him? What was the big deal? Julian is overreacting and he knows it. Breaking up with me over something so trivial, he’s unbelievable really.” Eliana perceived how the gi
rl did not sound heartbroken at all. She sounded . . . mean. Caroline twisted her hair with her index finger as she continued to speak. “But he messed with the wrong girl. I’ll make sure he pays for what he did. Just because he goes to Imperial High, he thinks he’s all high and mighty now? I mean, I got his friend to testify against him, can you believe that? Serves him right for trusting those snobs.”

  Mia gave her a meaningful look. Eliana had heard enough. She took Mia’s hand and walked back to her Mini. While driving Mia home, she pondered over what she had witnessed and Mia resisted saying I told you so. Caroline had cheated on him. Now that justified Julian’s attitude towards her. Eliana groaned and banged her head on the steering wheel at a signal. Mia patted her head in consolation. Julian was innocent and she desperately needed to apologize to him. If he ever spoke to her again.

  It took another week for Julian to clear his name from the investigation. It would have taken longer but Eliana had gone down to the station and reported what she had heard from Caroline, hoping it could help relieve Julian from this case. All those days that passed, Julian had avoided her when he could except when he had to speak to her in Lit but he kept that to a bare minimum too. He wasn’t his playful self as was understandable. Eliana only blamed herself. The day he was pronounced innocent and free of any charges, she found him alone at his locker after school and tried to talk to him. “Julian. I’m sorry about what happened. Please talk to me.” He was typing away at his phone, ignoring her. “I know she cheated on you. If I would’ve known I would never . . .”