Survive 2

Chapter Twenty Eight

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

November 21, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

After picking us up and we getting into her car, Mrs. Butler makes us explain to her why we wanted to leave school shortly after class started and we tell her the truth.

"How awful!" She says in shock. "I'm sorry for you, Mad, and for you boys, too, for having to have class with him. They should be fired."

"Thank you," I thank her and see through the rearview mirror that she gives a small smile.

"Now what? What are you going to do?"

"Take us to the police station, Mom. So we can talk to Deputy Baker," Andrey asks and his mother agrees, starting the car and pulling out of the school parking lot.

...

"You want me to wait for you?" Mrs. Butler asks as soon as she stops the car in the police station parking lot and Andrey denies it.

"No need, Mom, but thanks."

"Okay then. Good luck guys," she says and we thank her, getting out of the car soon after and walking to the entrance of the place where Christopher works.

We sit down to wait for the deputy to call us, since according to one of the policemen who work here we were told that he is attending to someone at the moment.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," David warns us and walks away from us.

"You look thoughtful. Is everything okay?" Andrey puts his hand on my shoulder and I stare at him.

"What if what he said is true? What if the courts really have decided that he is innocent even though there have been several accusations and witnesses against him?"

"I don't think that happened. And anyway, let's not keep creating theories in our heads, because in a little while we will know what really happened."

"Yeah, you're right. It won't do any good for me to keep hammering out what may or may not have happened."

"Yes. But I think it's good that we're prepared to hear anything," and I nod.

David comes back from the bathroom a short time later and sits down next to Andrey, making him stand between the two of us.

While we are not called, the boys are talking about soccer and I try to prepare myself for what I might hear in Christopher's office, trying to imagine from the best to the worst thing I might hear coming from his mouth.

Christopher leaves the room with a man and comes up to us after saying goodbye, causing us to get up and follow him to his office.

"What brought you here guys?" He asks receptively after closing the door and we sit down.

"Alexander went back to school," I say and he sits down in his chair showing no surprise.

"It was to be expected."

"What do you mean?" David asks.

"Think with me. He wasn't going because he wanted what happened to be somehow forgotten, since Madison had disappeared and his mother had triggered the police, but since she and other students reported him, it was obvious he was going back to try to pretend he didn't do anything."

"I said that!" Andrey says proud of himself, and I would even laugh at the way he said it if I wasn't worried about what I asked right after that.

"Have you gotten any answers yet?"

"No. I sent the cases Friday, the day after the lecture and yours, Abigail's and Sophia's on Wednesday, the day after you reported him. Noting that two more students came earlier today to do the same. So probably by tomorrow I will get an answer."

"I hope it's a good answer."

"It will be. You can believe it. If it was just you denouncing him, it would really be more difficult, but since several students also denounced him, I think it's very difficult for him to go unpunished," and I agree more reliefed. "Anything else?"

"No, no. We just wanted to know that," I say, standing up as I know he must have a lot of work to do and I'm not going to stand in his way and the boys do the same.

"Then it's good. You can stay calm and if possible keep your distance from the teacher," and we agree, walking towards the door.

The boys say goodbye to him and leave first and before I leave as well and close the door, I look back.

"Thanks for taking my mom out Saturday. My mom was very happy about you guys meeting and it's been a while since I've seen her like this, so thank you," I say and he smiles.

"It was a pleasure, the same one I hope to repeat more often," and this time the one smiling is me, walking out of his office and closing the door.

Some hours later..

I walk into Amour with the boys and see Ashley, Ryan, Abigail and Sophia sitting around talking while eating what looks to me like an apple pie.

After leaving the police station, the boys and I arranged with the rest of the staff to meet at Amour after class was over and while the end of class time didn't come, Andrey and I stayed at David's house playing video games to relax.

"Look how punctual everyone is. Everyone is here already," David comments proudly and I deny it.

"Not everyone. Bryan isn't here yet," and it's only when I say it that I hear Andrey snort, but I just ignore him.

"Will he come?"

"I don't know. But I called him."

We approach our friends and sit down at the same table as them. We place our orders and while we wait for them to arrive, we start talking.

"Why didn't you let us know Alexander was back, Ryan?" Andrey already starts the conversation by drawing the attention of Ryan, who defends himself.

"I was going to, but when I picked up my cell phone to let you know, someone knocked on the door, so I figured it was you and David, and when the teacher opened the door, I could see half of your face, so I didn't."

"That doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is to know what the deputy said," Sophia says and everyone agrees.

"What did the deputy say?" Ashley asks and everyone looks at the three of us waiting for an answer.

"He told us..." and just as I go to speak, the confectionery door is opened, which makes me look at it and see Bryan walking through it, making me smile to see that he came.