Each of us has a story to tell (Completed)

Chapter 6- James

Trigger warnings- swearing, student- teacher relationship mention and blood mention.

Mr Rogers tells me and Laura as well as Ryan that we can go. We leave and Ryan closes the door before immediately leaning his head against the door.

"Ryan what are you doing?" Laura asks. "

Shhh," Ryan hisses "I'm trying to...."

He doesn't finish his sentence as the door opens and Mr Rogers gazes at him. "This is a private conversation Mr Jamison," he says "so please go and let it remain a private conversation."

Ryan is annoyed at being unable to listen in. "Yeah whatever" he replies.

"Not the correct response Mr Jamison" Mr Rogers says. From inside I can hear Jessica laughing quietly.

"Yes sir" Ryan replies reluctantly. "Good," Mr Rogers replies " and you can meet your mentor in room 106 at Lunchtime on Friday."

Ryan doesn't need to reply this time as Mr Rogers closes the door before he gets a chance. Ryan holds up his middle finger to the closed door.

"A mentor," Laura says teasingly "what do you need a mentor for?"

"None of your business," Ryan snaps. Laura huffs and walks off.

Ryan watches her for a second then looks back to me "apparently my grades aren't good enough so I have to have a mentor to get them back up" he says.

"That's a bit shit" I say.

"You can say that again," Ryan replies "oh yeah and I've got detention for two weeks as well."

"What did you do this time?" I ask.

"That stupid cow Greenwood found a bag of tobacco in my pocket" he replies. "Well why did you have it in there in the first place?" I ask him. It is a stupid place to store it.

"I got a text on my second phone from someone asking for a bag," Ryan replies "they said to meet them in the toilets near detention at 4:20 but the arsehole never showed up. I waited for them for 15 minutes before I finally gave up."

I don't blame Ryan for giving up. I also don't blame him for trying to make a sale during detention. He's done that hundreds of times before.

"Did the buyer give their name?" I ask.

"Nah," Ryan says "but then hardly anyone ever leaves a name." That is true.

"What if whoever sent you that text was trying to make it seem like you were the murderer?" I say.

"Who would do that?" Ryan asks "there were only four of us in the building. I know for a fact you wouldn't murder anyone. I'd like to think you believe I wouldn't either so that only leaves Jessica or your sister."

I realise he's right. "Well if Jessica was the murderer she'd try to frame me not you and why kill the man she's in a relationship with anyway?"

"True," Ryan replies "that only leaves your sister then." I don't really get on great with Laura but I don't believe she'd ever murder someone.

"Laura would never kill anyone" I say bluntly.

"Maybe Grey gave her a B on her homework" Ryan says sarcastically.

"Stop it," I reply "just because we don't get on doesn't mean you can joke about my sister being a murderer."

Ryan puts a hand on my shoulder. "Hey chill man I was only joking," he says "why don't we investigate for ourselves and see if we can work out who killed Grey?"

"Aren't the police doing that already?" I ask. "Well yeah," Ryan replies "but they have four suspects and we only have two. It can only be Laura or Jessica."

"Or you or me" I reply. "Oh you don't think I'm innocent do ya," Ryan snaps "fine I'll prove I didn't murder Grey. Follow me."

Ryan starts running down the hall and I trail after him. Ryan is damn fast at running. Considering he's not on any of the sports teams his speed surprises me. But then he does deal drugs so...maybe he takes them as well? He stops when we arrive at the detention room.

"Hey, what did Grey look like when you and Laura found him?" Ryan asks.

"Dead" I reply.

"Ha ha very funny," Ryan replies sarcastically "seriously though. What did he look like, was there like a lot of blood or not?"

"Yes," I reply immediately "there was a pool of blood around his head and there was some on the corner of one of the desks as well." Ryan gives a small smile. Finally he says "ok so obviously he was in a fight with someone. Now whether they meant to kill him or not we can't be sure. But we need to recreate the crime. First I want to prove to you that there is no possible way I could have killed him."

"How are you gonna do that?" I ask.

"Get your phone out" Ryan orders. I pull my phone out of my pocket.

"Now what?" I ask.

"Start a timer on your phone when I say," he says "we're going to prove that I couldn't possibly have killed Grey. When you start the timer I will run like hell to the science lab. Then I'll run back again. I don't think it's possible to get to the science lab and back here in 15 minutes but I guess we're about to find out." It's not a bad idea to be fair.

"Ok," I say "ready?" Ryan moves to stand beside the door "ready" he says and I start the timer.

I also have to run in order to stop the timer at the right moment. The school building is made up of 6 floors plus the basement. There is no lift and only one staircase. The science lab as well as the gym and the assembly hall are in block B the main school building is block A and the dormitories are in block C. The detention room is on the 5th floor.

When we make it to the lab door I let the timer run for around 3 minutes.

"That gives enough time for someone to have a fight with Grey and intentionally or not, kill him" Ryan says. Once 3 minutes have passed Ryan starts to run back again.

I stop the timer "17 and a half minutes," I reply breathlessly "it's not possible. Plus half the staff would have heard you charging down the hallway like an elephant."

"Shut your mouth" Ryan replies sarcastically, he's not even slightly out of breath.

"Still you couldn't have done it" I reply.

"Nope," Ryan replies "now it's your turn. To the cafeteria."

"What now?" I ask. Ryan replies immediately "yeah now what d'you think I mean a week next Tuesday? No today J."

We arrive at the cafeteria which is on the 1st floor of block A. Ryan takes my phone.

"Ready?" He asks.

"Yeah as ready as I'll ever be" I reply, handing Ryan my bag as he did when he ran.

"Ok go" Ryan shouts and I start running." Despite the cafeteria probably being less than a hundred metres from the science lab it still takes me "8 minutes. God James you are shit at running."

"Thanks" I reply breathlessly "we have no idea of exactly when Mr Grey was killed though."

"Well Rogers said it was at some point between 4:30 and 5:30 so if Rogers locked the door to block B just after 5 like he usually does that would mean Grey was killed at some point between 4:30 and 5ish," Ryan says "What time was it when Jessica left the cafeteria?"

"4:50 I remember looking at the time on my phone after Jessica left" I reply.

"That means you could have killed Grey then considering it takes only 8 minutes for you to get from the cafeteria to the science lab" Ryan says. "So you don't believe I didn't do it?" I ask.

"For god sake I'm just thinking J," Ryan snaps "you had the opportunity, you have a motive considering Grey was dating your ex-girlfriend and you have no alibi after 4:50. The only person who can be ruled out is me. You can't be ruled out yet and neither can Jess."

I can't believe that my own best friend doesn't believe I wouldn't murder someone. But then again he's right. I've got the motive, the opportunity and most importantly no alibi between 4:50 and 5.