This is a follow on from Unlucky Thirteenth as somehow Bryce's story wasn't quite done.
It was all that stupid bitch's fault. She'd been perfectly willing before and she knew it, so why was she now crying rape? He'd never raped anyone. Neither of them had said no, neither of them complained so what was the problem. Both of them were just out to get him and even Justin had turned on him. Justin, who knew that Jessica had been sending him glances all year.
It was their fault not his. The dead bitch's fault for sending out those tapes, Jessica's fault for drinking that much and dressing like that, Justin's fault for well, something. Stabbing him in the back. He shouldn't be sat in a police room waiting to be interviewed. It shouldn't be him here. Everyone knew Jessica was a slut just like Hannah was. How could that be his fault?
She was perfectly willing. She was ruining his life not the other way round. If this stuck he'd have no chance of getting the scholarship, Mr. Porter had already made that very clear to him. That man was just as much to blame. What right did he have to make a public accusation in front of everyone? What right did he have to decide?
Jessica was drunk enough that she probably wouldn't have even remembered that night had it not been for those stupid tapes. And the head teacher hadn't even bothered to listen to his side of the story, he just went with everything that Mr. Porter had said. Why did they automatically take the side of the girl, everyone knew that girls cried rape after drinking too much. Nobody should be blaming him. He shouldn't be here.
His parents had come to the station as the school had rung them and his mother wouldn't look him in the eye. His own mother believed these lies over him. His father wouldn't speak to him. What had he done to deserve this? He'd just had a bit of fun with a piece of skirt, everyone did it. He was on the way to one of the top sports scholarships, everyone wanted a piece of him. Even that Hannah, no matter what she said. She wanted it. They all did.
It wasn't his fault. So why was he the one sat here with all the prying eyes and pointed questions? The police had told him that Clay, Justin and Jessica were all willing to testify against him. Why did they all hate him so much? It's not as if he'd done anything they wouldn't have. It wasn't as if he'd hurt her or anything. They were making far too big a deal of this. He was just having a bit of fun. They all needed to relax and get over it.
He'd got a lawyer, his father had at least organised that for him. But even that stupid man was telling him it would be better to plead guilty. Why couldn't they understand that he'd done nothing wrong and if he plead guilty his whole life would be over? He couldn't plead guilty. He admitted sleeping with her, but why couldn't they see that she was willing. He hadn't done anything wrong. What was wrong with them?
Sitting there in the cell, Bryce couldn't help but see the look of absolute disgust on the head teachers face. The suppressed rage from Clay, the shame and the guilt from Justin. His mother wondering what kind of a monster she had raised, Mr. Porter declaring to the entire room that he had ruined a girl's life. Jessica's tears. He didn't feel guilty. He knew he'd done nothing wrong. But for the first time in his young life, Bryce felt scared. This was out of his control. And he didn't know what was going to happen next.