A Year Full Of Surprises

A Year Full Of Surprises - Chapter Twenty-Five.

Chapter Twenty-Five...

I hesitated. "I don't think it's a good idea if you're driving when I tell you." I said seriously. First, I didn't want her to crash the car and second, I didn't want to risk her being so angry that she threw me out of the car and I had to walk home.

The car slowed down slightly. "I can pull up?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'll tell you when we get to mine." I convinced her. "It's going to take some explaining." I warned her.

She nodded and we kept on course to my house, the car speeding up again.

Thankfully no one was in, so we didn't have to go and hide out upstairs to avoid my parents prying ears.

"Start talking then." Mel demanded after plonking herself comfortably on my sofa.

I sat down on the couch opposite. "I've dropped the case." I blurted.

Mel's eyes widened to an abnormal size. "What?!" She yelled incredulously. "After what he did to you? Why on Earth would you let him get away with that?"

I didn't know what to say, I got the feeling Mel was going to be harder to convince that Mrs. Danks was and I hadn't even managed to sway her opinion.

Before I could even begin to justify my decision, she spoke again. "And what about Mr. Armstrong? What if he gets arrested now? What if he gets fired?"

I shook my head. "Zack dropped the assault charge on Mr. Armstrong first, I wouldn't have even considered dropping it otherwise." I said honestly. I had planned to follow through with my story until Jord's job was safe.

Mel looked like she was deep in thought. "Would you have even pressed charges in the first place if Mr. Armstrong's job wasn't at risk?" She asked sceptically, making me falter.

No, of course I wouldn't, but was that the right thing to tell Mel? "I don't know." I tried to sound as equally deep in thought. "Yes." I lied eventually. "I was so annoyed and angry at Zack when he first did it that I would have pressed charges, but I probably would have still dropped them."

She nodded but I could still see the doubt in her eyes. "You still haven't told me why you've dropped the case in the first place."

I paused for a second then decided I might as well try the same line that I had on Mrs. Danks. "I don't think he really meant to do it and I don't want to have ruined the rest of his life because he made that one mistake."

"Bullshit." Mel stated instantly, causing me to curse mentally. "What's he got on you? How is he making you drop it?" She pressured me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "He has nothing on me. I'm free to make my own decisions Mel and this is one of them." I hissed becoming easily aggravated.

"But it's a mistake!" She cried.

Under any other circumstances, like say if the story was true, then I would agree with her. But, these weren't any other circumstances, these were mine, and so I had to argue. "That may be your opinion, but I'm afraid I'm sticking to my own." I informed her calmly, trying to keep any of my bubbling annoyance undetected.

"Why won't you listen to me?" She shrieked. "Your letting him getting away with almost raping you. Would you still have made the same decision if he actually had raped you, would you still be able to forgive him so easily?" She urged.

I actually took this into consideration, in a different context of course. Zack had had his fist pulled back ready to hit me. What would I have done if he actually had hit me? Would I still have been as willing to give up any charges I had put on him.

Then I remembered his threat of blackmail. Of course I would have dropped them. Less willing of course, but at the cost of my parents' drug addiction being exposed, I would have thought about dropping a murder case.

But, that was all irrelevant. This wasn't in another context. This case was based around a lie; a lie I was finally getting the chance to rid myself of.

"It doesn't matter what I would have done, because that's just hypothetical. He didn't rape me and so I don't even need to think about that." I explained.

"But it does matter." She contradicted me. "What if he did it to someone else and you'd let him get away with this? Wouldn't you blame yourself?" She tried to make me see it from her point of view.

"Of course I'd blame myself, but it's a risk I'm willing to take, because I truly believe he won't do it again." I said with utter conviction. That fact wasn't something that needed debating.

Mel still looked pissed off. "I can't believe you're actually doing this." She said, shaking head in a disbelieving manner.

"I'm sorry Mel, but it's my decision." 

"I can't be around you right now." She said, not really shocking me. I could have guessed her reaction was going to be something like this. "Don't be expecting a lift tomorrow." She said before standing up and walking out of the house.

I stared after her, reluctant to move and wanting to simply sit and wallow in my self-pity. That wasn't really an option though, so I grabbed my phone and dialled Jord's number.

"Hey Jess." He answered cheerfully.

"Hey Jord." I replied, trying to match his level of happiness and failing miserably. I felt bad because I didn't want to ruin his good mood.

"What's up?" He asked concerned. Then he made a noise of understanding. "You've talked to Mel." He guessed.

"Yup. What an interesting conversation that was." I told him sarcastically. "I was only really ringing to see if I could have Matt's number. I didn't want to ruin your good mood, but I'm gonna need a lift to school tomorrow." I expained.

"Yeah I have Matt's number." He told me with a bit of annoyance in his voice that I got the feeling I wasn't supposed to pick up on. He recited me the number and I jotted it down on a piece of paper.

"Thanks." I said gratefully. "I really didn't want to have to walk."

"No problem." He replied, his voice still a bit strained. I wondered what was up with him.

"I would have asked you for a lift, but you probably get to school earlier than I would ever want to be there." I teased, getting a laugh out of him.

"And I would have offered you a lift if I hadn't known that was the exact response I was going to get out of you." He joked back.

We ended our conversation after that. I grabbed the piece of paper from beside me and dialled the number I had scribbled onto it.

"Hello?" Matt answered, sounding cautious, presumably because he didn't recognise the number.

"Hey Matt, it's Jessica." I informed him.

"Ah, Jessica, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He said and I could practically hear his grin down the line. "I'm guessing my brother gave you the number?" He guessed correctly.

"Yeah, I asked him for it a couple of seconds ago. I was actually hoping to grab a lift off you tomorrow morning." I explained sheepishly. I felt kind of guilty only ringing to ask him for a lift.

He chuckled. "And what will I get out of this?"

"The knowledge that you've helped a young woman in need." I teased, hearing him laugh into the phone. "And a rundown on the latest developments in the Zack case." I bargained, knowing this would spike his interest.

"Now that, is a much better way to persuade me to giving you a lift." He joked. "Am I picking you up at normal time?" He asked.

"Yup, as long as your sure you don't mind." I said guiltily.

"It's no problem honestly Jessica." He said sincerely. "Besides I think Jordan wouldn't be too pleased if I refused." He added on causing me to smile.

"Thanks Matt." I said before we hung up.

Now all I had to do was convince the police as to why I was dropping the case. Definitely something I wasn't looking forward too.

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Sorry this is a bit short :( I wrote it whilst I was still on my Ipod, so I had no idea how much I was actually writing. I hope it's still enjoyable though :)

The next chapter has a bit of a one-off in it. I don't normally do it, but I will occaisionally. 

The song is one of my favourites, ever. It's amazing <3

Please VOTE and COMMENT! I'm back to school on Tuesday, so I'm glad I've already written up to Chapter Thirty, it gives me some more time to write the rest without having to make you wait a rdiculous amount of time. :) Hope you enjoy it :)