"Why does it even matter?"
Ophelia felt the air leave her body. His words were so defensive, so unwilling to continue further. She struggled to breath out, "What?"
"Why does it matter who turned it in?" Zach persisted. His eyes went down to the food in front of him. "I mean, you admitted it was a good idea. You said you were glad it happened."
"I..." Ophelia stopped, wondering if his passive aggression meant what she thought it meant. "I am glad, but..."
"Okay," he stressed, "So why are you making a big deal of it now?"
Ophelia grimaced. His tone seemed hostile. He hadn't spoken to her like this since they were kids and got into petty arguments. He wasn't lying. He was trying really hard to not say anything that would be a lie.
"But it was Scott, right?" Ophelia repeated. "It was Scott that turned it in-"
"That's what you told me," Zach insisted, getting so nervous to answer that he ended up cutting her off.
Ophelia felt guilt, and she felt it so strongly that she considered she should stop asking the question. But she couldn't. She needed to know.
"Zach. Who turned it in?"
Zach felt backed into a corner, and all he knew was that he shouldn't have let things go this far, or let the lie live this long. Zach had thought he would have told her by now, but he kept putting it off. He shouldn't have kept putting it off.
He was debating his next words, and she must have become impatient. She reached forward and grabbed his lunch box and moved it out of the way so he couldn't focus on it anymore.
"Zach."
But Zach couldn't say 'me'. He was too scared.
So instead he sputtered, "I didn't tell Scott to take the fall. He decided to do that himself."
Ophelia felt like someone had taken cold water and splashed it over her. It shocked her, but more than that...it hurt. His words made her body hurt. How could words cause pain like this? And it wasn't even like he was hurting her self esteem by saying mean things, it was average words that sent her spiraling into guilt and regret.
"You did it?" Her voice came out in a high pitched whisper.
Zach felt the pain behind her question, but he didn't understand why she was this upset at all.
"Yes."
Her hand flew over her mouth, shocked.
Zach reached forward and tried to grab her hand. She pulled it back. He cringed, and said quickly, "Ophelia, Montgomery was getting to you again. And after Bryce's trial, after he testified, I could tell that you wanted to forgive him. But he didn't deserve your forgiveness."
Ophelia just kept the hand over her mouth, shaking her head, not believing what he was telling her.
He continued defending himself, "The only reason Montgomery has been staying away from you is because he's on parole." But he hadn't stayed away from her. "You have power over him because he's on parole. If you would have forgiven him-"
"Why didn't you say anything?" Ophelia suddenly demanded. Her voice was louder. "Why the fuck didn't you say anything when I thought it was Scott?"
In reality, Ophelia wanted to know why Scott didn't say anything when she blamed him. When she lashed out at him and told him to leave her alone the year prior because she felt so betrayed.
Scott hadn't betrayed her. Not at all.
Zach had.
"I was going to tell you," Zach insisted. "I didn't know Scott said it was him. I had no fucking idea he did until you told me."
Ophelia stood up suddenly.
"Wait," Zach said, "Ophelia, we don't have to make this a big deal."
It was already a big deal. It always had been a big deal. That's why it changed her relationship with Scott so dramatically.
"I need to go." She gathered her lunchbox and put it in her backpack.
Zach forced himself to stand, and grabbed his crutches. "I'll come."
"No!" she shouted. She didn't mean to be that loud. People looked over. She lowered her voice and repeated, "No. Please. Just..."
She didn't finish. She didn't want to be in that cafeteria a second longer.
Marisa saw her leave and asked where she was going but she couldn't respond.
Ophelia was wrapped up in her own head, remembering how she treated Scott during the last months of school.
The Spring Fling was two weeks ago. Things had calmed down. Bryce was gone, which was good. Montgomery had to stay away from her for legal reasons, and Ophelia and Zach were officially done with their break. Things were good.
But they were still awkward, with some people. Especially in her history class, which she shared with Scott. Normally, he sat in the back with another baseball boy. She never really spoke to him in that class. Just a few times once the trial began. However, Scott didn't seem to be on good terms with him anymore. So he sat in front.
Actually, he chose the seat directly in front of Ophelia. She didn't want to change spots, and act like he didn't exist to her. So she stayed.
In Scott's mind, he had no choice but to sit in front of her everyday. It was the only seat where he wouldn't be distracted by seeing her.
Scott couldn't deny he was nervous talking to Ophelia. He didn't know if she wanted to talk to him. But the fifth day he sat in front of her, the teacher gave the class group work. Scott took it as his chance to turn around and speak with her.
"Hey, O," he started, cautiously. "What'd you get for the third one?"
Ophelia felt weird talking to Scott. At the Spring Fling, he admitted he had feelings for her. And she had feelings for him as well. She had feelings for him. In the past, before Spring Fling, and before she knew for sure that Zach was the right boy for her.
But Ophelia couldn't deny that she enjoyed Scott's company. Who wouldn't? He was kind, and funny. He was sweet, like Zach used to be before the pressure of being popular and a competitive athlete got to him. However, Scott was both of those things, but it never seemed to affect his pleasant attitude.
Every time Ophelia caught herself thinking of how sweet he was, she tried to remind herself that he could still be considered a bully to some people. Then again, weren't all athletes considered bullies to some people?
Ophelia didn't just feel weird talking to him, she felt guilty. She shouldn't be talking to a boy that likes her, especially since her and Zach were back together.
But he spoke to her so softly, and with such sweet intentions. It felt even more weird to treat him unkindly.
"Um, I wasn't sure about number three," Ophelia admitted to him. He had turned around completely in his seat, and she turned her paper to show him. "I think I got the year right. I'm not sure about the names. I'm not good with memorizing wars and generals and stuff."
Scott laughed. "Me neither. The most I know is from Active Warzone." Ophelia looked confused so he clarified, "It's like call of duty, but it goes through every American war."
Ophelia chuckled. "So you should know it already."
Scott joked, "I should. I don't."
Ophelia laughed, and Scott laughed with her. Scott's attention fell onto the necklace she was wearing. It showed because of her low cut shirt. The yellow necklace that she received at the Spring Fling. He had seen her wearing it ever since the dance, and honestly, he was ecstatic every time he saw it on her.
Ophelia caught his gaze and stopped laughing immediately. His eyes were on her chest, and she assumed he was looking at her cleavage. That's all boys seemed to want to do. She sat up, and pulled her shirt up higher.
Scott saw her discomfort, and felt terrible, realizing she assumed he was looking at something else.
"Oh, no, I wasn't-" he shook his head, "I was looking at your necklace."
She relaxed slightly, but didn't feel comfortable enough to let her guard down. She reached up and touched it. "Oh, thank you."
Scott smiled sweetly. "It looks great on you."
Ophelia's happy attitude returned. She said, proudly, "Zach got it for me."
Scott saw how happy she looked, and it warmed him.
Ophelia leaned closer again, smiling and excited to say, "Okay, you probably can't tell, but it's actually like..." she stopped and laughed, "okay, it sounds super nerdy but it's actually, like, a Harry Potter necklace."
Scott already knew this. He knew she would like it, and he was right when he saw how excited she was. He didn't want her to feel ashamed about liking it so he quickly said, "No, it's not nerdy. I think it's cool." Even though he had teased his friends for liking that before. He didn't know much about that book series, but he felt like it was his favorite now.
Ophelia smiled gratefully, "Thanks."
He wasn't lying when he said it looked good on her. It fell so elegantly on her smooth skin. Everything looked so elegant on her. And he would only admit to himself that he did want to look at her cleavage, like she assumed. But he wouldn't. Because he didn't want to ruin the moment by sexualizing it. And he didn't want to sexualize her without her approving it.
Not that it was easy to keep his thoughts pure all the time. She had a sexy body. But she also had beautiful eyes. And he liked looking at them more than anything else.
Ophelia would have never guess Scott liked her eyes. They were dark brown, and seemed dull compared to his gorgeous blue ones.
For a moment, they caught themselves being silent, doing nothing but staring into each other's eyes. Blonde hair, blue eyes. He was an all American sweetheart. And he played baseball. She pictured him on the baseball field, playing in a white, dirty t-shirt, like a boy from the Sandlot. He was definitely handsome enough to be in a movie.
Ophelia looked away the instant she realized what she was doing. She scolded herself, and looked back at her paper quickly, turning it around and focusing on it, nonverbally telling Scott she didn't want to talk anymore.
Courtney Crimsen was in that class with them. She felt her watching the two. Ophelia felt embarrassed, like maybe Courtney would tell Zach they were talking.
Disappointed, Scott turned forward, and worked on the assignment alone.
When the bell rang, she hurried out of the classroom. She hadn't noticed she left a pencil on her desk. But it wasn't a big deal. The pencil didn't matter to her.
Scott acted like it was a big deal. He grabbed it, and followed her.
"Hey, you forgot your pencil," he said, tapping her on the shoulder. She looked bewildered he brought it out to her.
"Oh, thanks." She didn't know what else to say.
"I can put it in your backpack," he offered.
Again, she didn't know what else to say but, "Okay."
He stepped behind her.
It was the weirdest thing. A shiver ran through her body as she felt him behind her. She didn't look over, but she knew he stood over her. He wasn't as tall as Zach, but maybe that's what felt off. He was a lot closer.
He pulled on the bottom zipper, and it pulled her body very, very slightly. She felt her backpack moving as he put the pencil in and zipped it closed. The motions of the backpack on her shirt almost felt like he had been dragging his own hand back and forth.
She felt off again, and maybe it was due to the fact that he was standing behind her, and that if it had been Montgomery behind her, or even Zach behind her, they would be no doubt checking out her ass.
No, that's not what made her feel this way. What made her feel this way was knowing Scott wasn't checking her out. He was just giving her a pencil.
She turned around, and the weird feeling she felt intensified as she looked in his eyes again. She didn't know he was looking at her with the same enchantment.
Ophelia realized it wasn't Scott's feelings for her that made her feel the need to stay away from him. It was the realization that maybe hers hadn't completely gone away.
Scott didn't eat lunch with Zach anymore. There was a wedge formed between them that Ophelia knew was her fault. So he just said, "I'll see you tomorrow?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
Scott cleared his throat. "Hey, look, I think me and some of the boys from the baseball team are gonna see a movie next weekend." When he saw her doubt he added, "The good boys. Maybe Zach wants to come. We haven't hung out in a while."
She could tell Scott wanted to rekindle his friendship with Zach.
Ophelia wasn't sure Zach wanted it rekindled. She didn't think Zach liked Scott anymore. She didn't want to hurt his feelings by saying that so she brought up, "I saw that you've been hanging out with Monty again."
Scott felt guilty. "Yeah. I have. I just can't abandon him, you know? I mean, he's in a lot of trouble right now, and he testified against his best friend and shit trying to do good. I feel like, maybe if I keep pushing, he'll keep doing better."
Ophelia knew exactly what he meant. She had hoped that she would have been able to push him to be a better person. Maybe she wasn't strong enough to be that role model. Scott seemed to be. Maybe if he had been this close of friends with Scott all along, there wouldn't be anything Montgomery had to be forgiven for.
Ophelia felt guilty for not being the person Montgomery needed.
"I'm glad you're there for him," she admitted. She knew he needed help. But she couldn't be the one to help him anymore.
"I figured you'd understand," Scott confessed. "Out of anyone, you'd understand."
Ophelia said kindly, "You're being a good friend. He needs a good friend." He needed Scott specifically.
"I'm glad to be," he told her. He then spoke softer when he said, "And if you ever need a friend, I hope you know I'd do the same for you."
He said it so sincerely, that again Ophelia felt weird. And guilty. She was standing too close to a boy that made her feel that weird.
Ophelia took a step back.
The second bell would ring any movement, but Scott didn't seem like he wanted to leave. He hadn't had a conversation with her in so long.
And that was the problem. Ophelia felt confident in the fact that what she felt for him was long gone. But maybe the only reason she felt that way was because she hadn't been speaking to him. She felt like she was being dragged back to the confusing feelings of Spring Fling against her will. And it was because his voice was so enthralling. His voice and his eyes.
But she had to remember what he did. He turned in her statement, and that awful polaroid of her. He did it without her knowledge or permission. If he wanted to be her friend, or be in her life at all, he should've known she never would have wanted that photo to see the light of day.
"No, Scott."
He seemed to flinch at her words. He looked around, not even knowing what he was looking for. Maybe there was another Scott she was talking to?
"What?" he asked, playing dumb. Like he didn't know she said 'no' to his offer of being there for her.
Ophelia felt her heart fighting with her voice as she tried to get her next sentence out. "You already admitted...that we can't be just friends."
Scott gulped. He was now nervous. His eyes were shifting around, now all he wanted to do was avoid eye contact. But he couldn't when she kept talking. Her voice drawed him in, just so she could lock him out.
"I-I didn't mean we couldn't be friends at all."
Ophelia knew better. "I think you did. Because I don't think we can."
Scott felt dejected. "Is this because I turned in your statement?"
Ophelia said quickly, "It's about me and Zach. We're finally on the same page. And we're doing really good. I feel like we're so in sync and I don't want to risk that."
Scott figured he wasn't worth risking it.
"So you don't want anything to do with me anymore?" he asked.
He had always kind of been there. He had gone to her high school birthday parties, and had hung out with her after most games. Just a part of their friend group. He was distanced though, because he was a year older. He had always been in her life, but he had only been a part of it recently.
Scott wished he hadn't let himself waste all those other high school years he could have spent getting to know her better.
He enjoyed her company in every way. But if right now, she told him to never talk to her again, he would listen. Because it would be selfish to ruin her relationship with Zach because of the relationship with her that he fantasized.
"Just not friends," she told him. "We can still be...classmates?"
Classmates?
The second bell rang above them.
"So what? We just talk in class?" Scott asked.
Ophelia was upset she actually missed the bell.
"I got to go," she told him. He looked upset. She bit her lip. She said, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be mean, Scott."
He still felt devastated.
She tried to say, "You're not missing much. People don't seem to like being my friend anyway."
Scott flinched. How the hell could she think that?
"Don't say that," he told her, quickly and objecting it. "Look, I get it. I'll be just a classmate if that's what you want. But don't say I won't be missing out, O."
He finally stepped away from her. He seemed in a hurry to leave, and she assumed he'd be going to class, but in reality he wanted to leave school entirely.
As he left, he made sure to tell her, "You have no idea how much I'll be missing out on."
"Did you tell her?"
Justin scoffed. "No, I didn't fucking tell her."
Zach sighed. "Someone fucking told her."
Zach and Justin were in the locker room after football practice. They had already showered, and were getting redressed. Most of the boys were still in the showers, so Zach felt himself comfortable in confiding in Justin that Ophelia figured out he was the one to get Montgomery arrested by turning in her statement, not Scott.
Zach was sitting on the bench. He had just put his brace on over his sweatpants.
"I didn't even know she thought it was Scott," Justin admitted. "I thought everyone knew it was you. That's why Monty freaked the fuck out when you became captain."
"Scott fucking told her he did it," Zach explained. "Or, like, she accused him and he didn't deny it."
Justin put on deodorant before pulling his shirt over his head. "Why would he do that?"
Zach scoffed. "Some bullshit like he'd rather Ophelia he mad at him. I don't know, maybe he really just wanted the credit." Zach knew that wasn't true, but he said it anyway.
Justin frowned. "The fuck?" He doubted Scott would have had a cruel agenda with anything.
"I don't know!" Zach huffed. "But Ophelia's fucking pissed at me now, and we were finally-"
Zach stopped himself. He let out an aggravated breath.
Justin guessed, "You're finally having sex?"
Justin wouldn't have judged him if that was what he wanted to say. To boys, that's one of the most serious parts of a relationship.
"That's not what I meant," Zach said quickly. But it had been one of the first things Zach thought of. They hadn't slept together for a couple days now, and he had been craving the touch of her skin. Each day he became more desperate for it. "She's finally back. At Liberty. We can be a normal couple again but shit always comes up."
Justin didn't know what else to say other than, "Maybe you shouldn't have lied to her."
Zach's eyes hardened. "I didn't lie. Scott lied. And I would've told her back at the Spring Fling if that fucking psychopath didn't plan to shoot up the dance."
Zach wasn't sure if he would have told her. He debated it. He even debated telling her Scott had originally bought her that goddamn necklace she liked so much for some reason. But he didn't have time to make his decision. At least, that's what he told himself.
Justin snapped, "Keep your voice down."
Zach scoffed. "Yeah, because the worst thing would be if someone found out what Tyler was really capable of. No one knows where he was Homecoming night."
Justin shook his head. He closed his locker. "Dude, that doesn't mean anything. Look, I believe Clay that he's been getting better. I also believe you, when you said we need to keep a close eye on him. We can be cautious and supportive at the same time."
Zach didn't think Tyler deserved support. Tyler had decided that he had it within himself to kill people. That'll always be within him now.
"And, dude, no one knows where Ophelia was on Homecoming either," Justin said. "So it's not, like, not having a good alibi is an admission of guilt." Justin hadn't had a good alibi that night either.
Zach frowned, and snapped, "I know where Ophelia was. She went to the hospital, then home, then my house. Don't try to put her in the same boat as a fucking school shooter!"
"Zach, chill out!" Justin scolded. "We're being careful, okay? End of discussion!"
"This isn't even a discussion, man. This is a fucking murder case!" Zach snapped at him. "You're telling me to calm down when someone is dead."
Justin finger combed his hair quickly. "Why are you so hot about this? You hated Bryce."
Zach hesitated. "I didn't want him dead."
And Zach had hoped he wasn't dead. As soon as he heard he was missing he hoped he wasn't dead. For his own reasons.
Justin asked, "And you think Tyler did?"
"Tyler had motive!"
"What about Tyler?"
Fuck. Zach felt himself cursing in his head.
Montgomery came out of the showers, Luke and Charlie behind him. God, he appeared at the worst fucking times.
"Nothing," Zach told him. He stood up, and threw a shirt over his head. Justin shifted uncomfortably, not wanting Montgomery to have heard their conversation.
"Man, you guys are obsessed with that faggot," Montgomery laughed. "I see Justin with him all the time." He had a towel wrapped around his waist, but that was all. For a guy that acted so homophobic, he never seemed to mind hanging around other boys practically naked.
Zach just shook his head. "Shut up, Montgomery."
Montgomery looked at Justin when he said, "Is it a sex thing? What's the deal?"
Justin just cringed. "Shut the fuck up."
Montgomery's eyes suddenly widened, and he looked like he just realized something. "Ho-ly shit!" Montgomery looked around. "Did he kill Bryce?"
Fuck. Zach really didn't want him thinking that. If Montgomery started going around saying that, it would definitely get back to Tyler. And who knew how Tyler would react to it? Or who he would lash out at because of it?
"You've got no idea what you're talking about and you need to shut your mouth," Zach snapped at him. He wouldn't risk Tyler hurting anyone, especially Ophelia, because Montgomery decided to be a dick and spread a rumor.
But was it just a rumor?
Montgomery laughed in Zach's face. And momentarily, Zach wanted to bring up his father. Montgomery always acted so cocky at practice, and he never spoke about his home life to anyone on the team. But Zach knew. And it bothered Zach how calm Montgomery could be after his family was affected by abuse. Then again, Montgomery seemed this calm after he committed abuse himself.
But Zach wouldn't bring up his home life. Not in front of all these people. He wouldn't stoop that low.
So Montgomery stayed laughing. "No, he finally snapped, and he killed Bryce, and you two dickheads are covering it up." He pointed to Zach and Justin both.
Justin groaned, rolling his eyes.
Montgomery said, "That must be why I've seen O hanging around Justin more than Zach, huh? She in on it too?"
Zach knew now Montgomery didn't think this was serious. He was teasing them now, just to be a bother. Always a bother.
Justin was upset now. "Don't be fucking stupid, Monty."
Montgomery looked behind him, and saw that Charlie was still watching. And he realized he had a way to further convince Charlie on what he told him happened Homecoming night.
He said to Justin, "Well, it's either that or you're fucking her."
Zach's eyes snapped back to Montgomery. Justin clenched his jaw.
Montgomery looked at Zach when he said. "Or maybe she's fucking Tyler. We all saw her strip at Homecoming. We're seen the slut she turned into."
These harsh words were for Charlie's benefit, but Montgomery still liked seeing how much he got under Zach's skin.
Zach pushed Montgomery, hard.
"Watch your mouth," he spat.
Montgomery laughed teasingly. "What did I strike a cord with you, Dempsey?"
"You strike a cord with everyone by being fucking annoying," Justin threw at him. Montgomery shouldn't be taking about Ophelia like that. Justin wanted to hit him.
Montgomery just chuckled. "Or Dempsey remembered how close she was to leaving his sorry ass last year."
Zach shook his head at his pathetic words. "One thing I do remember is how close your sorry ass was to going to jail last year."
He stood up, coming closer to Montgomery now, staring straight down at him. Montgomery's face turned serious for a moment, before he slowly started laughing.
"Yeah we all remember. Especially how you turned me in. I guess you never told Ophelia that, huh?"
Zach's face fell and he looked at Justin. Both of them realized Montgomery had been the one to tell her. But when? Maybe the day before? He didn't know. What he did know was he was upset at the fact Montgomery even had an opportunity to talk to her.
"You keep the fuck out of my business," Zach spat. "That shit has nothing to do with you."
Montgomery shrugged. "It had nothing to do with Scotty. He still got dragged into it."
Zach glared at him. It just caused Montgomery to smile more.
"And we all know if you hadn't blamed Scotty for that shit, Ophelia wouldn't have hesitated to let him fuck the shit out of her-"
In an instant, Zach's left hand went onto Montgomery's shoulder, holding him in place, and his right hand curled into a fist, and punched Montgomery across the face.
His strength in his arms had increased since the year before. His hits were harder. He sent Montgomery into the lockers with a single blow. Montgomery fell back, pained. Unknowingly, Zach hit the cut Montgomery received from his father two nights before. Zach wouldn't have cared even if he did know.
Montgomery got up, and in a fury, lunged at him. He felt a new anger, one he hadn't felt during a school fight before, one only felt at home. Maybe it was finally too hard to keep his father's actions out of his mind. Because of soon as Zach hit him, Montgomery felt like he wanted to beat him unconscious, just like he did this father.
Zach didn't have the strength to push Montgomery off of him, due to the fact he grabbed his waist, and Zach didn't have strength in that area at the time. The team had to pull him off, and Justin, who slammed his hands into Montgomery's shoulder and yelled, "Fuck you, Monty!"
The coach took both boys out of the locker room. Justin figured Zach would be getting in more trouble. He started it, and he was team captain. Montgomery would be in trouble for her words, but they never seemed to do much about the things he said.
Justin never knew Ophelia thought Scott turned her statement in. He heard her say something about being upset at Scott, but always thought it was because he kept trying to get at her. It obvious how much he liked her the year prior.
It blew Justin's mind Zach could keep a secret like that for so long.
He wondered, what else could Zach keep a secret about? And why was he so obsessed with convincing everyone Tyler had killed Bryce?
Ophelia woke up to Zach not in his bed. At first she panicked, and bolted upright. But he was siting at the edge of the bed, getting redressed.
It was Homecoming night, after everything that happened. Ophelia had come to Zach's house, and they had slept together. They then fell asleep in each other's arms. She assumed they would be like that for the rest of the night. She didn't know where he was going at this hour, nearly one in the morning.
Him clothing himself reminded her that she was naked. She picked up the blanket quickly, and covered her bare chest. Zach turned to her. He eyes scanned her body before he stood up and walked over, sitting on the bed next to her.
"Hey," he said softly, reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. He smiled at her. "Why don't you go back to sleep?"
Ophelia was confused still. "Where are you going?"
Her grip slightly loosened on the blanket, and the top part of her right breast became exposed. It tempted him. For a moment, he wanted to say 'nowhere'. He wanted to stay and do what they just did earlier that night. He wanted to touch her again, and have sex with her again.
Hopefully, when he got back, he still could.
"I'm going out for an hour," he told her. "I'm going to practice driving with this brace on."
Ophelia frowned, looking at the clock. "At this time of night?"
Zach just said, "Just so there's no one on the road. I want to be able to drive you around still. I need practice so I can make sure I can do that safely."
Ophelia insisted, "I can drive you, Zach."
He chuckled. "That wouldn't be safe for anyone."
She didn't smile. "You have to go now?"
She didn't want to be alone. Naked and alone and exposed.
"I'm doing this for you," he told her. He spoke so seriously. He said, "I'm going to keep you safe, Ophelia. I promise, I'm strong enough to keep you safe."
She said softly, "You've always been strong enough to keep me safe." He had. Whenever he was able to.
Zach leaned forward and kissed her. When he pulled away he looked just as serious still. "I'm doing this for you, Ophelia."
"Okay," she breathed.
"I'll be back soon," he told her, standing up.
She gripped the sheets higher, feeling scared of his serious tone, not knowing what it meant.
"I love you," he told her. Ophelia didn't know why he acted so dramatically, but she said back, "I love you, Zach."
He gave one last look before leaving the room.
He didn't come back for hours.
Ophelia was Zach's alibi for Homecoming night. Although technically, she couldn't say where he was between one am and four am. But she didn't push him. She wanted to know where he was, but he said he was driving. She didn't have any reason not to trust him.
Until now.
Did she have reason to believe he had been somewhere else without telling her?
Ophelia thought back to how angry she had been at Scott for turning her statement in without her permission. To her, it proved what she suspected all along, Scott was more like Montgomery than he was like Zach.
And now, she felt like all those upset feelings she had towards him were based on a lie. They had been based on a lie.
Should Ophelia be mad at Zach? She couldn't tell. Zach was right, she had been the one to blame Scott. Zach hadn't directly lied to her. But just because he didn't lie, didn't mean he wasn't being dishonest.
Ophelia regretted how things ended with Scott. She remembered how they stopped talking, and how she asked him to be an aquatintance, not a friend.
And now, more than ever, she regretted what happened at his graduation party. She regretted what happened between Zach and Scott.
And she could admit, only to herself, that she regretted what she didn't let happen between her and Scott at that same party.
"There you are!" Marisa found Ophelia who was sitting by herself in the library. "Jesus, you are hard to find. Where have you been all day?"
Ophelia shrugged, blandly. "Around."
Marisa picked up on her sober tone, and sat down across from her. "What's wrong? Why'd you ditch lunch today?"
Ophelia bit her lip. "Do you remember Scott Reed?"
Marisa groaned. "Fucking Montgomery's friend? Yeah. He was cute, but they were so fucking annoying when they hung out together."
Ophelia shrank back in her seat. For some reason, Marisa's negative view of him upset her. "Montgomery was annoying. Not him."
Marisa shrugged. "He was friends with Bryce. All of Bryce's boys were the same."
He wasn't Bryce's boy. Ophelia knew that.
Ophelia then asked, "But he was kind of sweet, right?"
Secretly, she wanted Marisa to keep saying bad stuff about him. Maybe then it would be easier to get over how badly she treated him.
Marisa sighed, "I don't know. He was cute, but he was really full of himself." She rolled her eyes. "Baseball players are always so full of themselves. And they're perverts."
Ophelia just sighed. "Yeah, I guess they are."
"He hooked up with one of my friends, Daisy. She was really into him, but he totally just blew her off after they fucked."
Ophelia cringed. "Really?"
"He was a total asshole to her."
It was hard to hear it about Scott, but Ophelia didn't have any reason to not believe it.
If Ophelia hadn't ended things with Scott before they began, maybe things would have ended up worse. Ophelia loved her relationship with Zach. Maybe it was good she didn't think he had turned in her statement. It had given them the time they needed to heal their relationship.
Ophelia tried to keep that in mind. Scott could've just made things worse.
"I've been driving you to school a lot," Ophelia mentioned to Zach as they walked to her car getting ready to go home. The parking lot full of kids now.
Zach walked beside her on his crutches. He was nervous, not sure if she was upset now or not.
"Yeah, sorry," he told her. "I'll get the hang of driving again. Promise. It's just hard parking."
Ophelia nodded. "Yeah, I get it."
A group of kids blocked their view of her car.
She then asked, "Did you practice parking at all Homecoming night?"
Zach paused walking. "Homecoming night?"
Ophelia sidestepped so a jogging student wouldn't run into her. She said to Zach, "Yeah. When you went out driving?"
His eyes darted away from her. This time she could recognize that action. Guilt. Guilt from a lie.
"That's what you were doing, right?" she demanded. "You were driving around?"
He cleared his throat, looking at the ground. "Yeah. I drove around."
And this time, she didn't have to persist further. She knew what that answer meant.
"You're lying."
He looked back at her. "I drove around."
"Did you stop anywhere?"
He didn't answer.
She breathed, "Oh my god."
"I didn't shoot Bryce if that's what you're wondering," Zach snapped at her.
No, Zach did not shoot Bryce.
Ophelia didn't think he had. But that didn't mean she didn't have a reason to be suspicious about what he did.
A passing girl shot them a look. Ophelia's lips formed a thin line. "We'll talk about this in the car."
She believed he was innocent of that. But she knew he was hiding something. Couldn't he see she wouldn't judge him for whatever he did? She just wanted to know what he was ashamed of so badly that he had to lie. Maybe if she learned it, she wouldn't be scared to tell him what she was so ashamed of from that night.
"I didn't-" Zach started walking suddenly as she did. "I didn't technically lie-"
In fact, he had planned to tell her exactly what happened. He was going to tell her proudly. But that was before Bryce went missing.
"Technically? Like you didn't technically lie about Scott?"
They both stopped again in the middle of the parking lot. He frowned, not liking to hear that name, especially out of her mouth. Especially after what was said in the locker room.
"I didn't lie about Scott." He spat the name out with disliking.
She scoffed. "I spent that whole time thinking..." She stopped herself, running a hand through her hair, and calming herself down. She didn't want to get this riled up with so many people around.
Zach frowned down at her. "Thinking what?"
Ophelia tried to explain, "I shouldn't have treated him the way I did, Zach. I-I was mean to him. Because I thought he went behind my back. He-He didn't deserve that."
Zach stared. "And I deserved it?"
Ophelia looked up. She huffed and admitted, "Maybe."
"You're serious?" Zach scoffed. "What, you want to go call him? Tell him you're sorry? Say you made a mistake?"
Ophelia felt like he was talking down to her, like she sounded stupid. "Maybe."
Zach was infuriated, mostly due to Montgomery's earlier words. "Go ahead. Tell him you chose the wrong guy too."
Zach started walking again, quick on his crutches.
Ophelia blinked. "What?"
She caught up with him. "What are you talking about? I-I just want to apologize to him. That doesn't mean I want to-to be with him."
"So why haven't you called him already?" Zach asked. He didn't want to wait around for her to call Scott, and for that boy to sweet talk her.
He was good at sweet talking girls. And he was good at getting them in his bed. That's what Zach had learned about Scott through the years.
Zach imagined Scott manipulating Ophelia into intimacy. It made him angry just thinking about them talking.
"I wouldn't," she told him. "I-I know you don't want me to."
"Why would that stop you?"
She grabbed his crutch, and forced him to stop. "Because, I-I love you, Zach. I'm not gonna call him. I know..." In her mind she said, I know you hate him. But instead she just said to him, "I wouldn't do that. I don't even have his number anymore, I blocked it."
Zach let out a breath. "I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't. I just...I don't like you talking about him." Because every time she did he was racked with jealousy and guilt.
"I'm sorry," Ophelia said again. "It's just shocking, okay? All this time I thought he turned my statement in, and I was so mad at him for it."
She had been so surprised. But honestly, learning it was Zach made more sense. It was something he would do.
Ophelia hated to admit it, but Zach was a snitch, just like Montgomery had said.
He would've called the police on Tyler in a heartbeat today if they let him. He still would if Ophelia gave her approval.
Zach said, "Don't say sorry. I should say sorry. You have a reason to be mad, I don't."
Ophelia agreed. She had a lot of reason to be mad.
"I'll take you home," she told him. "Let's talk about this at your house."
He nodded, and they continued forward. When they reached her car, she saw a police car parked next to it. The Sheriff himself waited by her car. She hesitated. And in her mind, she assumed they were there for Zach. She suddenly regretted not making sure to ask exactly where he stopped Homecoming night. If she knew, she could lie for him better.
Ophelia didn't think Zach could do anything to Bryce, so she didn't think they should look at him at all.
But they weren't looking at him.
"Ophelia Tristano?" the sheriff asked her.
The kids passing by in the parking lot stopped to see what was going on.
The police car opened, and Alex's dad stepped out of the passenger seat.
Ophelia felt scared. "Yes?"
The Sheriff now had his hand on her driver side door handle. "Do you mind if we look inside your car?"
"Um," Ophelia felt confused. She held up her car clicker, and unlocked it. "I guess-"
"No," Zach said quickly. He stepped in front of her, like he was guarding her. "What do you guys think you're doing?"
The Sheriff already opened the door and looked inside.
"You can't do that," Zach said, defending her.
"It's okay," Ophelia told him. "It's basically empty." She didn't use the car much.
Officer Standall stepped towards them. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, Ophelia?"
Zach felt worried now. If they asked her about Homecoming, would she say he left? Was she angry enough at him to admit that? No. She didn't seem angry. But he still didn't want to send her out by herself.
"Does she need a lawyer?"
Officer Standall shook his head. "Mr. Dempsey, I'm glad you're worried for her, but I really just need to speak to Ophelia right now."
Ophelia wasn't worried for herself. Just Zach. Officer Standall helped her before. She trusted him.
"It's okay, Zach," she told him. She stepped back in front of him. "What's this about?"
Standall asked her, "Where were you Homecoming night?"
She figured they had to ask everyone this. But she grimaced at the crowd that formed. Ani and Clay found their way into it.
"After the game? I went to the hospital, and then home, and then I went to see Zach."
Standall looked at Zach. "You can confirm she was with you?"
Zach nodded. "Yes."
Montgomery's voice was heard. He was in his car, trying to leave, but was blocked by the people. He honked a few times. No one moved. The Sheriff seemed annoyed with him. He hoped out, Charlie in his passenger seat coming out with him.
"Oh, shit," Montgomery laughed. "Zach's getting arrested?"
He thought maybe it was because of the fight he started.
Standall looked around. "Ophelia, why don't you come down with us to the police station?"
Ophelia stepped forward. "Okay-"
Zach held his crutch out, stopping her. "Your mom would kill me if I let you go without a lawyer." Ophelia realized he was right. Especially after she almost got in trouble during the last trial.
"Is she under arrest?" Zach asked.
Standall said, "Not yet."
Ophelia frowned. Not yet?
"Then she's not going," Zach insisted.
Ophelia nodded, agreeing with him.
Standall sighed. "Okay, Ophelia, look, I believe that you probably had nothing to do with Bryce Walker's death, however, we have some questions that need answers."
Her eyes widened. They were questioning her for his death.
"Me?" Ophelia asked, shocked.
In the crowd, Ani and Clay shared a look.
Charlie turned to Montgomery, "They think she did something to Bryce?"
Montgomery watched, suddenly terrified the police were speaking to Ophelia. It wasn't about his father, he would have preferred that. It was about Homecoming. Fuck.
"She didn't, though," Charlie said, "She was with y-"
"Shut the fuck up," Montgomery snapped at him.
Charlie fell silent, feeling bad for almost giving away his secret.
And he hadn't given it away completely. But Ani heard what little of it he had said.
"Did you have any contact with Bryce Walker that night? In person or through text messages or phone calls?"
"I saw him at the game," Ophelia said. "I didn't see him after."
Standall looked unconvinced. "He didn't contact you?"
Zach lowered down and whispered into Ophelia's ear, "Let's leave, okay? We'll walk away, I'll pay for an Uber."
Ophelia leaned away, confused at his desperation to get away. "What?" She looked Standall. "No, he didn't contact me."
Standall looked like he hoped for a different answer. "We have his call logs and phone records. He called and texted you late that night, only half an hour before his death."
Ophelia almost laughed. "What? No, he didn't."
"Ophelia," Zach said sternly, "Let's go."
"Well, he texted you asking you to meet him at the peer, which is where his body was found," Standall said, acting as if she knew it already. "We have not been able to recover the voicemail yet, but he left you one."
Ophelia shook her head, unbelieving. "No way. I didn't get any of that."
Standall said, "We also have record that Bryce Walked sent you ten thousand dollars just two months ago."
Ophelia froze.
"What the fuck?" she heard. It sounded like Clay's voice.
Ophelia stepped closer to Standall. She whispered, "Okay. That's true. But I can explain that. I-I never got those texts but I can explain the money."
Zach narrowed his eyes. "What?" Bryce sent her money?
"I'm sure you can and we can do it privately," Standall said. He now spotted his son, Alex, in the crowd. "We can also talk about how you and Bryce often got into arguments at school."
That Zach already knew about.
Ophelia looked at Zach. She said, "Call my mom."
Zach told Standall, "She's not leaving now."
Ophelia then agreed and said, "I can come down once my mom gets here."
Standall started to say something but Zach cut him off by saying, "She's still just seventeen. She has to have her parent."
Standall nodded. "Alright."
"Standall!" The Sheriff suddenly shouted.
Standall went over to the Sheriff, who was now searching the back seat. They were bent into the car for a moment, before she saw them put on a pair of gloves.
They pulled something out of her backseat.
A long, black, retractable baton. With blood on it.
Her eyes widened. She looked to the crowd, making eye contact with Montgomery. He looked just as shocked.
"Fuck!" he whispered. He completely forgotten that was ever in her car, and that he forgot to take it out.
"Alright, get her down to the station," the Sheriff said.
"Wait, I can explain that-"
"I know," Standall told her. "I'm sure you can. Just cooperate now, and things will go faster. Now I need you to turn around."
"Turn around-?"
He turned her himself. Suddenly, she felt something cold on her wrists.
"What the hell-?"
"Hey, what the fuck?!" Zach shouted.
"Ophelia Tristano, you are under arrest for the murder of Bryce Walker-" Gasps we're heard throughout the parking lot.
"This is bullshit!" Zach yelled.
"I don't understand," Ophelia gasped, horrified. "I-I didn't do anything!"
How could they think it was her. Bryce was shot. Why would finding any weapon other than a gun mean anything?
"What the fuck-?" Zach snapped
"Let's not cause a bigger scene," the Sheriff told Zach.
Standall told Zach. "Why don't you call her mother and meet us down at the station?"
Standall opened the back of the police car.
"Yo, no fucking way!" Someone shouted. Another voice, a female one cheered, "She took the rapist down!"
Ophelia felt Standall's hand on her head as she was placed in the car.
"What that fuck?!" Ophelia shouted.
What was even happening? Were they so desperate for suspects that they chose her? She hadn't gotten any messages from Bryce. And that baton wasn't hers. She was angry, they didn't even let her explain.
But the ten thousand dollars...
Fuck. She knew she shouldn't have accepted that money.
