War in Broadway High

18: Take the Full Truth, Pour Some Out

Chapter 18: Take the Full Truth, Pour Some Out

JD.

After Connor gave his word, JD still wasn't sure he could fully trust him. Even if he managed to convince him to keep the secret, the guy was prone to outbursts, he was unstable, and who knew what could come from it. But what other choice did he have? It had been careless on his part to not think harder about the meaning of the note, why it was there, who could have seen it. However, at least for now, it seemed that as long as he could keep Connor quiet, things didn't have to fall apart. He was freaking out on the inside, but just had to play this next part very carefully.

He swallowed, doing his best to make his expression look sad and as if tormented by a terribly traumatic experience.

"You can't tell absolutely anyone, not a single soul, or else, well, I'm fucked, completely fucked," he said, his voice breaking a bit with fear -fully on purpose.

Connor seemed to be buying it though, and looked worried, huddling closer to him.

"I won't, I already told you, I swear. The hell's going on JD?"

JD checked around to make sure there wasn't anyone nearby before continuing.

"That Friday, at the party... I went there, to pick Veronica up. They had locked her in a bedroom as a shitty prank or something. I came through the window, and, well, we got a bit distracted, and we left it open. Then Rich showed up, I don't know if high or wasted or what, but he was completely freaking out...he attacked me. Veronica left to go get help. We were scuffling and- and he just lost his balance. I don't really know how, but, in the struggle, he ended up falling through the window. I tried to reach for him, but couldn't grab him in time...he fell."

The best lies always have some truth to them, always use the truth to lie. JD's dad had taught him all sorts of things.

He liked Connor. He didn't want to lie to him, but it was what was best for him; for everyone, really.

"I went to check on him, but he was already..." He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "I knew I was in deep shit. It was an accident, but what judge is gonna take one look at me and believe that? Then...I saw the note poking out of his jeans. And saw an opportunity. He was already gone, what point is there ruining someone else's life over an accident, right? So I just, faked his writing. And then Veronica and I left."

He tried to leave his Ronnie out of it as much as possible. If Connor did betray him, he didn't want things to blow up on her as well. Connor was silent though. Now it was JD who was investigating his expression in search of what he thought, what he would do.

"Holy shit," Connor finally breathed out. "Holy shit."

"My thoughts exactly. So..." JD stirred, restless. "Will you uh, keep this between us, or am I gonna have to start getting myself some soap on a rope?"

Connor snorted despite his utter shock. Then he took a deep breath, rubbing his face.

"Covering up a death like that...This is like- hardcore illegal. Like...not selling-drugs-to-classmates-at-parties illegal, like, illegal illegal. Like ruining-your-whole-life illegal."

"I know," JD growled, a bit more aggressively than he meant. He needed to keep himself together, he was pretty much at this kid's mercy now, after all.

"I won't say anything," Connor finally stated, to JD's surprise. "Like shit, I don't care if that makes me an accomplice or whatever the fuck, he went after you for no reason, why would your entire life have to be ruined because he was off his rockers one night? I'm certainly not gonna be one to rat out."