November 18th, 2009 (9: 12 P.M.)

I wrapped a tight and protective arm around my best friend as she quietly sobbed next to me. I rubbed her arm, trying to calm her down, but it seemed like the tears just wouldn't stop escaping. Tommy Robinson was Selena's first official boyfriend, and after only two months of being together, he had dumped her out of the blue and hooked up with another girl in the lacrosse team; specifically Selena's lacrosse team. She had grabbed for her phone and called me the second that the jerk Tommy had hung up on her. Yes. He had broke up with her on the phone.

The minute I heard her shaky and distressed voice on the other end say hello, I ran over immediately, not having to hear any more of what she had to say. When I found her in her room, she was a complete mess. Pictures and small mementos were scattered all over her usually clean carpeted floor. Selena Perry was always a neat freak, not a single leaf of paper or writing utensil could be out of its proper place, yet here she was when I found her, trashing her room around like a hurricane had hit her small bedroom.

"Why?" she sobbed out, and I could tell she was trying to the best of her ability to hold back tears. She was always the strong one between me and Demi. She was usually the one comforting us during heart- breaks, not the other way around… Especially since Selena was always so picky with boys. We just assumed that by the time she finally settled for someone, all that time would pay off to that first person already being the one. I guess even the best can be wrong.

"Why what, Sel?" I asked.

"Why does it hurt so much?" she whispered, her voice shaking in cold pain. I only tightened my grip around her protectively and shrugged.

"First heart- breaks always hurt the most," I explained, though I really couldn't relate to it the most. The only real relationship I've had was with Liam, and we were still going pretty strong. I couldn't help but wish Demi were here instead of being grounded at home for the next week. She was always good at this words and comforting.

"I just don't get why he would do this," she sobbed even harder, her body shaking as the tears flowed out of her. "I really thought he loved me."

My mouth gaped open as a feeling of shock rolled over my senses. "He already told you he loved you?"

Instead of answering, her crying just got worse as she buried her tear- soaked head in between her knees and wrapping her arms around her baggy sweat pants there were so unlike Selena's usual wardrobe. It pained me to see my best friend hurting so much and knowing that I could do absolutely nothing to help, but the best I could give her was my company and my poor attempt at comfort.

"Did you love him?" I asked, picking my words out carefully. Selena's shoulders shuddered in sobs under my touch, but her shoulders managed to move up in a small shrug.

"I thought I did, but—" she stopped, biting her lip. "But right now, I feel like I hate him. All I want to do is hurt him for hurting me."

"That's reasonable," I chuckled softly. A small melancholy smile twisted itself onto my best friend's lips and I could feel her body relax and her breathing gradually slow back to a normal pace. Tears were still slowly streaming down her red chapped cheeks, but she looked a little better. "So do you care to tell me what happened here?" I asked motioning towards the chaotic mess of a room.

"Well, when he hung up, the first thing I saw was this stupid little cheap bear he gave me on our first date, and I was just so angry and—" she paused, her eyes glazing over to a complete mess of stuffing spread around the floor like a starving rabid dog had swept over her room. I felt my mouth gape open at the shreds of cotton and white stuffing.

"You did that?"

"I lost control… and then I saw a bunch of pictures… and soon enough I was attacking everything."

"Wow."

"I know."

And finally, we both broke into small laughter despite the fact that Selena was still tearing.

"You're too good at this," Selena mumbled as her laughter died down, and her tears subsided.

"Good at what?"

"Taking care of me, of us. You probably don't realize it, but you're always the mom of the group. Taking care of Demi, and me, and Joe, and Kevin, and Nick and Liam. I don't know what we'd do without you."

I felt a warmth spread across my face. "Really?"

"Yeah," Selena smiled tightly as she wiped away a few lingers drops of tears from her flushed cheeks. "Like this… I swear, an hour ago, all I wanted to do was jump out of my window, but you know what… you actually made me smile, Miley Stewart," she chuckled, nudging me softly on my shoulder. Just seeing her feeling better, made me feel better.

"So I'm guessing all suicidal thoughts are now cleared from your head?"

She smirked. "Just maybe." I reached in for a tight hug with the one person I knew I would always call my best friend. . "You can go home now. I think I just need some time alone to think."

I stood up from her double bed. "Yeah. Of course. I'll see you later then?"

"I'll see you," she strained a smile once more, giving me enough proof that she really was okay or at least would be soon, before leaving the mess- filled room and moving one door down. I knocked, though it probably wouldn't have caused much a difference since Liam was blasting heavy rock music from his speakers. The sounds seemed to travel everywhere around the house, if not the block itself. Surprisingly, Liam's cute blonde head poked itself out of the door in the matter of seconds, and I held my breath as I stared back into the sea blue eyes that seemed to be looking straight into me.

"Hey, you," Liam grinned, leaning forward to give me a soft peck on the lips. He widened the space in the door, giving me just enough room to slip in between the piece of wood and under his arm.

"Hey." I felt a small smile spread across my lips which were still fresh from the kiss.

"How is she doing?" Liam asked, taking a seat on his unsurprisingly messy bed, where the sheets were tossed around and the pillows being suspiciously missing. I followed him across the room and took the empty seat on the spot on the bed next to him.

"Sel? She's not the greatest, but she'll get through it."

He brought his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it slowly. "I was going to go in there and talk to her when I found out, but she was kind of um… in the middle of destroying everything in her room, and I chickened out."

A laugh rolled off my tongue as I stared up at the blue- eyed blonde. "You were scared of your own little sister?"

A smirk was embedded on his face as he shrugged. "I guess I'm just not prepared for all of this. I don't really know what to tell her… I just want her to make her feel better."

"You guys are close, huh?"

He shrugged casually, but a small smile was beginning to form on his soft pink lips as his fingers toyed with a piece of sky blue sea glass that hung around his neck. "Yeah… Maybe not as close as you two, but we're pretty close."

"Yeah. She talks about you a lot. And don't worry, I think she'd pick you over me any day," I grinned, knowing that it was the truth.

Liam's face seemed to light up a bit as his smile grew bigger. "You really think she'll be alright? I feel like I should do the big brother thing and beat the guy up…"

I laughed, shaking my head and putting my hands up in the air. "No, no no, unless you want to be suspended, not to mention be kicked off the football team. I suggest you keep your fists to yourself and leave it to me."

I felt his long fingers reach under my chin and jerk it gently to face his blue eyes. A small curious smile was present on his amused face. "What are you up to, Stewart? You have that look in your eyes."

I closed my lips in a tight line and made a small act with my fingers of locking it and finally throwing my hands behind me. "You'll find out soon enough." The whole plan was already going through my head. Tommy was going to get what he deserved. I made a quick mental list to myself of what I needed to get before the poor kid met his maker on Monday; toilet paper, maple syrup, and glitter… a lot of glitter.

"Promise me one thing," Liam's smooth and serious voice brought me back out of my thoughts. I turned towards him, suddenly realizing the importance in his voice. It was rare when Liam had serious moments out of his usual goofy exterior. "No matter what happens between us, promise me you'll take care of Selena for me. You're her best friend no matter what, and she needs you."

His large hands grasped my small ones in a loose grip, but the heat from his fingers spread warmth all through my body. "I promise."

May 9th, 2010 (10: 22 A.M.) {Present- Day}

"Order in the court! Order in the court!" the judge screamed out as people in the stands took their seats, trying their best to keep unnoticed and silent. I snuck a quick peek behind me where Demi, Joe, and Nick were all sitting with anxious and serious expressions spread over their faces. My parents were sitting row in front of them, my dad's arm wrapped around my mom's shaking shoulders as if trying to squeeze all the worry out of her. And finally, my eyes scanned over to Mr. and Mrs. Perry who were sitting near the back, staring to the front of room with blank stares; almost as if they were somewhere else but here.

A small nudge from Denise caused me to snap my head around, and she gave me a reassuring grin before standing up to state a few facts and hand a bit of paperwork to the Judge. Lissa, I remembered. That was her name. I stared at the dark aging brunette sitting in between a dark wood box with serious and tight expression embedded on her face. She looked so different, now in her long night- black robe, from the jeans and t- shirt I had seen her in last. I had caught her eyes watching me when she had first walked into the room, but almost as if breaking out of a trance, her eyes blinked a few times and avoided my direction ever since.

I looked over to Detective Wilden who was leaning back in his chair with his fingers tapping the oak desk placed in front of him in a slow agonizing rhythm that seemed to echo through the court halls. Or maybe it was just me. As if sensing my attention on him, his eyes met mine with an unreadable stare. He seemed rather amused for a brief second before he stood up, bringing his face back to a pensive and sober expression. I hadn't noticed that Denise had come back until I felt her hand pat mine as an act of comfort, but too much was stirring in my mind to take in her attempt.

"Mr. Wilden, what would you like to do?"

He nodded solemly and clasped his hands together before calling a few students for a bit of questioning. All of their answers summarized together to form one statement: I was the one who pulled the trigger.

I watched as students, classmates, even some people I could call vague friends step up to the stand, all of their eyes avoiding me, and answer the questions with no emotion in their voices. Except one. A girl in my English class had broke down crying in the middle of a question about whether she thought I was a danger or not to her to her peers. Since a single word couldn't slip from her cracking tear- soaked lips, not to mention her sobs got too much for the court to bear, they excused her and Wilden just called up another student to continue where she had left off. I was surprised as how many people he had ready. And especially how so many people were so willing.

My eyes went to the jury who were all watching the students tell their stories; some with blank expressions and some with completely moved eyes.

"Is it bad?" I leaned over and whispered to Denise. Her chin was in her hands as she watched each questioning intently. She twisted her head to look at me, but I couldn't read anything off in her eyes. She was too good at this.

"Not really," she whispered. "These people mean nothing since they aren't very close to you, so they wouldn't know you well enough to have a reliable story. You can almost call them a second- hand source. By the faces of most of the jury, they don't seem to care much about these people either… Don't worry. They won't have much effect in the final decision."

I nodded slowly, feeling a slight bit of relief wash over me, but as more and more people came up to be questioned, all of their stories pointing mental fingers at me, the relief seemed to wash away quickly. This isn't enough. They don't know me enough, I thought to myself as I tried to calm my breathing. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants as another student walked back to their seats. Detective Wilden paused as if finished, and Denise next to me, stood up smoothly.

"I would like to—"

Detective Wilden smiled a crooked grin and shook his head. "I'm not quite finished yet, Mrs. Hanson."

I watched as Denise's lips twisted into a grim line, which seemed to have been an attempt at a smile. "I'm sorry Mr. Wilden, but I just wanted to know when all this silly questioning is going to be over. I also have a part in this, if you didn't remember."

Detective Wilden flashed a forced smile and nodded. "Of course, Mrs. Hanson. But don't worry. I only have one more person to question, and the turn will be yours."

"Very well, Mr. Wilden. One more person. We don't have all day," Judge Harrison mumbled, obviously bored from the line of questions and witnesses, all having the same repeating story.

"Of course, your honor," Detective Wilden nodded and flashed a sweet smile that basically drenched with fakeness.

Denise's body tensed for a brief moment before she nodded swiftly and sat back down. Her hand snaked to mine and patted it again. "Just one more. It'll be okay," Denise whispered to me as we turned around from the sound of slamming doors. A person had just walked in.

Before my eyes settled on the petite brunette entering the court room, I could hear a few in- takes of breath right before mumbling overtook all the noise. My eyes finally focused on the mystery girl and the name seemed to slip off my tongue so naturally.

"Selena," I sighed out. It felt as if the whole room was holding its breathe as everyone's eyes were watching her walk down the aisle slowly. From what I could see, her face was expressionless. Her chestnut hair was swept back in a loose but neat pony- tail, and she was dressed professionally in a black office skirt and a simple white blouse tucked in. A fashionable leather belt, which was probably the most Selena- like item she had on, was hanging loosely on her hips. On her wrist, like usual, was the silver charm bracelet with the blue sea glass dangling off one of the chains, but that wasn't what caught my attention. Because around her slim neck, hung a necklace with black string and an equally identical

I felt Denise's hand which was still on top of mine freeze and I knew that this witness wouldn't be like any other of the past witnesses. I could almost sense Judge Harrison and the whole jury scoot over to a farther edge of their seat as Selena approached the box. This was a girl who was probably one of the people that knew me best, let alone one of the main victim's little sister.

"Take a seat, Ms. Perry," Detective Wilden ordered after finishing the oath. Selena nodded expressionless again and took a quiet seat on the chair. Her eyes were fixed on her lap, instead of looking at anyone else in the room. For most people, they would most probably have concluded that Selena was okay at the moment. She seemed calm and collected… But I, someone who's been with her through the hardest and saddest of times, know when Selena is hurting, and right now, hurt was the only thing I saw on her. My heart twisted around in my chest just seeing her across the room alone, and I could tell she was already on the brink of tears. Take care of her, Miley. For me, Liam's voice played in my head. That memory had been haunting me so much recently that I felt as if I had the whole scene memorized in detail.

"So identify yourself to the courtroom."

"Selena Marie Perry."

"And are you generally close to the suspect?"

"Yes," she nodded slowly, biting her thin pink lips. "She was my best friend."

She said was, I thought to myself. I had to blink a few times to stop myself from slipping out a tear, but I squeezed my other hand tightly so that the physical pain would overlap the inner pair wanting to burst out. I couldn't break down. Not now.

"And as I heard you're related to one of the deceased victims… Liam Perry, am I right?" Detective Wilden asked as he looked through a paper- thick manila folder.

I watched as Selena swallowed and nodded. "Liam was my brother."

"Were you two close?"

Denise's voice rose out from the tense air. "Objection, your honor. How does their sibling relationship have anything to do with Ms. Stewart's case?"

Before Judge Harrison could reply back, Detective Wilden turned towards Denise with an impatient disposition. "I'm sorry for your lack of patience, Mrs. Hanson. I just wanted to clarify to see if Liam ever talked to her about his relationship with Miley. Because he is a big part of this case, is he not?"

Denise kept silent, but Judge Harrison's voice would have interrupted her if she had spoken anyway. "I agree Mr. Wilden. Objection overridden. Continue the questioning." Denise slid back into her seat silently, and I tensed up, ready to hear what Selena would say next. So far, she seemed to be able to keep it together, but I could tell from her unusually up- straight posture that she was nervous.

"So Ms. Perry, repeating the question, were you and Liam close?"

She paused for a moment before nodding. "We told each other almost everything."

"Did he tell you anything about a break- up?"

Her eyes snapped up, and hurt and confusion entered her eyes. I suddenly had an urge to push past Detective Wilden and everyone else and explain every single detail to her; to have her believe ME and no one else. "No. He didn't say anything."

"What about Ms. Stewart? Did she tell you about a break- up?"

She shook her head slowly, her eyes widening with even more confusion. "She didn't tell me either…"

"Well, from a few people, I've heard that they had broken up a few days before the shooting. Maybe around a week?"

"I didn't know…"

"Well, did Ms. Stewart ever show any weird behavior? Especially the week before the shooting on the 16th of March?"

"No. Not really. Nothing too significant I guess."

Detective WIlden looked frustrated as if he expected more out of her, but he simply shuffled through the folder more and continued. "Did you approve of your brother and your best friend's relationship?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was kind of worried at first, but then it ended up being really cool…"

"So you don't regret a thing? From what I heard, you were the one who introduced the two?"

"Yes," she mumbled. "It's true." I suddenly felt an urge to throw Detective Wilden out of a window. He was trying to make Selena feel as if it were her fault if I was really the one who had started the shooting that killed her brother.

"You didn't answer my question. Did you regret it?" he asked, walking a little closer to the stand where Selena was currently shaking.

"I don't regret it," she finally whispered, but the small mike in front of her seemed to amplify those four words even more. Detective Wilden sighed and shuffled through the folder once again before facing the jury.

"I didn't want to take this out, but we just got further study on the murder weapon," he threw a small shot- gun in a tightly closed Ziploc bag, onto the table and seeing the weapon only flooded back memories of the day in the locker-room back in my head… holding the small strange object in my hand… pointing…. pulling the trigger…

"And Ms. Stewart's fingerprints were all over the gun. She must have touched it multiple times unless she purposely decided to put her evidence all over the murder weapon."

Denise stood up again. "I think we have already heard these facts, Mr. Wilden. Nothing new. And I would also like to put in that maybe someone at this age like Ms. Stewart, who knows NOTHING of weapons such as this would have fumbled with the gun while holding it."

"Ah. But she did hold it!" Detective Wilden pointed out.

"There are many possible and innocent reasons that her fingers could have touched the gun," Denise stated, but she sat down, her mouth tied to a stern line instead of arguing any more.

"Thank you for your input, Mrs. Hanson, but that is not all. The autopsy results for Liam Perry were just gotten back from the state capital, and I think the results would interest you all."

He handed a quick slip of paper to Judge Harrison. Her expression went sober as she read the sheet of paper that was placed in front of her. Finally, she sighed as if exhausted."Go ahead. Permission to release information."

Detective Wilden nodded and turned back to the crowd and jury. "The results that we have just recently received back found skin under Liam John Perry's nails indicating that there was indeed a struggle in between the shooting and Liam's death…. The skin under Mr. Perry's nails matches the one and only Miley Stewart," he pointed his finger straight towards me, and I felt all breathe knocked out of me. I didn't have to pull up my sleeves to see the scars that had been left there; the scars that would always be there no matter how long I waited for it to heal. It would always be the one reminder of what happened, what I did.

A few short gasps erupted around the room, and the jury began to mumble between one another. Looking accomplished, Detective Wilden turned back around to face a completely stricken Selena. Her big chestnut eyes had grown wider than I had ever seen before, and her bubble- gum pink lips almost seemed to be quivering slightly.

"So Ms. Perry. Let's get to the point why we're all here right now. You seem to be one of the closest people to both Miley, Liam, and even one of the other vicitims, Kevin Hanson. Do you believe that your friend Miley started that shooting that day? Do you think that she is the murderer of your brother, Liam Perry?"

She hesitated for a few minutes and I gripped my hand on my thigh, squeezing it until I felt all circulation in my body pause for just a moment. "I don't think so."

A soft cry sounded from the crowd and I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Mrs. Perry. That mustn't have been the answer they had rehearsed.

"Even with all this obvious evidence, all pointing to your so called friend, you still don't believe that Ms. Stewart was the one who killed your brother?"

"No," she shook her head slowly and hesitantly.

Detective Wilden's eyes burnt with fury. "Why?"

She sat up a little straighter and looked him straight in the eye with so much confidence and courage that she almost looked identical to the strong, independent Selena I had first met that first week of freshman year. "Because she loved him."

March 13th, 2010 (10: 26 P.M.)

I tugged the crisp white sheets around my shivering half- naked body even closer, despite the fact that there wasn't a single chill in the whole room. I shut my eyes and curled my body up in a ball trying to stop the excruciating inner pain bursting out of the seams of my chest. The space in Demi's guest bed next to me seemed wider and colder than usual and not being able to stare at the emptiness any longer, I instead faced the closed door. A thin sliver of gold light escaped through the bottom, and I watched silently as footsteps along with voices passed the door every few minutes. The same door that an infuriated Liam had stormed out through.

What would have happened if I had gone through with it? Would he have stayed? Would I still have felt as if I had just lost everything? I felt tears slipping down my face as flashes of the last few minutes passed through my mind. Liam's kisses trailing down neck to my chest, his hands roaming down my back, more clothes ending up on the floor… And finally, my hand pushing his chest away from mine right when we were getting into it too deep. I remember his face, beat red as I told him I had changed my mind, that I wasn't ready for this. I remember the way that he quickly put his clothes back on and left without saying a word to me, without even looking at me. And for the first time, he left without saying I love you.

I cried a bit more, letting my tears soak into the cotton blankets before picking myself up and putting my clothes back on. I wiped a few stray tears with the back of my palm before picking up my jacket and exiting the room. I could feel people's stares boring into me as I walked past silently and keeping my eyes on the floor. Whispers were surrounding me and it didn't take a genius to know who they were talking about. I spotted Demi and Joe in the middle of the living room, dancing like there was no one else in the room except them. They looked happy, and I had a strong gut- feeling in my stomach wishing that I could be like that again: Happy, care- free, completely and unquestionably in love.

Selena was over at the drinks table talking to a few people from school, and she looked too into the conversation for me to bother her. I also didn't want to share this story with her right now. Especially when she would be coming home with him there today. I didn't want to give them a reason to argue. I scanned the room, still shivering from the last few minutes and ran a hand through my nest- like mess of a hair.

I felt my body freeze over as I caught Liam near the front of the door, about ready to leave. His face was still pretty flushed, but a smile was creeping onto his lips as he stared at the girl in front of him. It was the mystery blonde again, and I watched in complete horror as she leaned forward and whispered something in his ear, her hand seductively on his shoulder and tracing down his arm. He pulled back with a playful smile on his lips before taking her hand and opening the door. I felt a surge of anger pulse through my veins. He couldn't do this to me. Not now. Not after what had just happened.

For a brief second, I thought Liam's deep sea blue eyes looked right at me, but before I could be sure, he was already walking out the door with the mystery blonde following him with her slim hand in his.. Almost desperately, I ran towards the door with tears breaking through the surface of my eyes. I watched from the doorstep as he opened his car door and let her in before he entered the driver's seat himself. It wasn't impossible to figure out where they were going or what they would do.

I watched, my sight blurring from tears. The mystery blonde seemed to turn towards me, noticing my presence. And I met a flash of electric blue eyes before the car sped up down the street and disappeared. He was gone.

Suddenly, the desperation subsided and pure and powerful fury had taken its place. I stormed back into the house, my tears already flowing down my face clearly. Luckily, everyone was paying too much attention to the party and themselves to notice me slam back into the guest bedroom where everything had gone wrong. I pulled out my phone from my jacket and dialed the first number that came to mind.

"Hello?" a groggy voice asked from the other line.

"Snort…" I sobbed out, my tears falling freely.

"What is it, Miley? What's wrong?" his voice demanded, getting protective. He had been getting more defensive over me more and more in the last few weeks we had hung out, ever since the incident with his parents

"It's Liam…"

"What did he do?" he growled out. Patrick was never a fond fan of Liam, and what I was going to tell him wasn't going to help it any more.

"We almost did it…"

"IT?"

"Almost," I explained in between sobs. "I said no and stopped him. He got angry and stormed out. And then… and then he left with another girl."

"What did she look like? Blonde?"

I paused and stayed silent only hearing Snort's soft breathing on the other end. "How did you know she was blonde?"

"I tried to tell you before, but I … saw…" he kept pausing and his voice had become a soft mumble that I couldn't understand.

"What?" I asked, my sobs over- taking anything that I could hear.

"Never mind," he mumbled quickly. "But how are you?"

"Are you serious? I feel like crap. I hate him for doing this to me, for hurting me like this. I want to hurt him so bad…"

"I know how you feel."

"How?"

"When I was 7… my dad cheated on my mom. She was never the same after that. He still does it, but she just drinks and takes pills to numb herself from finding out even though she knows its happening right in front of her. She doesn't think I know either, but I see the pain in her face every day. "

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, not having even thought of that when I had first met his parents. That must have been the incident that happened when he was 7. The one incident that changed him forever.

"I just don't want that to happen to you. You deserve so much better than that, Miley."

"But I love him… but right now, I hate him at the same time," I grumbled, only confusing myself even more. "I'm just hurting so much and it won't stop."

"Stop crying, please. What can I do?" he asked, his voice getting desperate.

"I want to hurt him," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I want to hurt him for doing this to me." I remembered when Selena had her first heart- break we had attacked the stupid guy who actually had the mind to hurt Selena by humiliating him in front of the whole school. My mind was already forming around for something to do.

"Do you really mean it?"

"You'd really help me? Promise?"

"I promise. I'd do anything for you. We are friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"And friends do anything for each other. You're one of the only people I trust, Miles."

A small smile crept on my lips despite the fact that tears were still flowing down my cheeks. "What are we going to do?"

A pause on the other line. I could only hear breathing echoing from the phone speakers before Snort's soft voice sounded. "I'll take care of it."

Before I could ask any more, the click sounded and the line was dead.

A/N: So as you can see you guys are learning a bit more and more of the shooting. I hope it's not going to be too predictable when I reveal the whole scene. Hahaa.

So the reason I asked what do you think happened in the end is because I wanted to know if you guys actually thought she went through with it. Which she hadn't. And the end reveals a lot of the motivation behind what happened, but more will be revealed in the next chapter.

And after the next chapter, I'll post the final chapter where the truth will finally be reveal. Sorry if this was a long wait, but I'll try to finish the next chapter soon enough.

P.S. Thanks for the 19 reviews last chapter! WOO. 3