Winchester High| 16+

Chapter 12: Debrief

'I need to talk to you' Nicolo through  the phone.

"About what? What else was there to talk about. You didn't do it, I've heard the story. But it's all too much." I started, then I told him about the choking. I didn't mean to but it sort of just came out. Not because I wanted to make him feel bad, but because I had to tell somebody before I started weeping.

'I didn't mean for that to happen. But this is can prove my innocence. The vandal--not me-- just texted me.' His voice shook with excitement as he said it.

"You mean the person who really did the vandal just texted you... outta nowhere?" I tried to sound skeptical, but truthfully, I wanted to believe it.

'Yes, from a no caller id number--' He started. I cut him off. I thought about what happened in the kitchen. Just a few feet away, and I couldn't bare to stand on this floor not one more second. The thought of Malik taking away the sanctuary that was my bedroom infuriated me more.

"Wait..." I put my glass of water on top of a book on my nightstand, looked at my bed longingly, then walked over to my window.  I slid open the window and stepped onto the fire escape. It was deep in the night, but that didn't stop the air from turning this ultraviolet color. The breeze of winter night air brushed against my bare skin creating goosebumps down my arms. I braced through my chills and continued up the stairs towards the roof.

Nicolo spoke while wind pushed against my ears, so I only heard him partly through gusts of wind: 'Are you... your fire escape? I know that sound any...' He was trying to bond and it almost worked. The memories of us stomping our merry way all the way up on this very same fire escape to the roof played in my head.

I didn't know why I came up here. Maybe it was the idea that I could've died at the place just outside my room, but nonetheless, there I was, standing on this trash littered roof in the cold. 

'Yeah, I just need some privacy is all... What did the texts say?' I went over to the ledge and leaned my elbows on its surface to hold my head up. I watched the bustling glow below me with the color of shops beginning to close and streetlights turning on. At this point, my fatigue was eating away at me.

 I wanted to believe in Nicolo's innocence, so I could finally apologize for my walk-off. Truth is, I felt bad.

'It said, 'Don't fear. I know you're innocent. Do not come to school tomorrow. My work isn't done, but if this all falls on you, I'm sorry.' They sounded oddly human and sympathetic.

'Total bullshit! You're sorry, but you hid the evidence on my locker?!' Nicolo shouted through phone.

'Don't text back or say anything.' I consoled.

'We have to show this to the school. Or do... something!' You could hear the desperation in his voice.

'What are we gonna show them? This isn't evidence, it's a text message with no number attached or anything.' I said watching a stray cat jump across the alleyway below me. I didn't want to sound pessimistic, just realistic.

He fell silent before saying, 'We have to do something. I have to go to school and catch them in the act right then and there. You bring your camera, take a picture, we catch this jerk, and I get to come back, and I get my best friend back. I never thought I'd be saying I want to come back to school but, hey... It beats being expelled. Are you in?'

'What do I get from this?'

'You want to prove my innocence as much as I do I can tell. Just say yes...' He goes on to mention that we do everything together, which is true. I agreed.

The sounds of his parents yelling in the background grew louder then his door opened.

'Okay, see you at school!' As he hung up, I immediately dropped my head on the ledge and felt the cold marble pierce my face. Eventually, I got tired of that pain and turned on my back using the corner of the ledge as a pillow, imagining Carlos was here telling me all about his Chef dreams, and random stories he'd have to offer. But he wasn't here. Just me, the freezing cold, and a couple dwindling stars. I started weeping silently.

I thought about calling Val, somebody, but figured she'd be asleep by now. Then I thought about giving Carlos a dial. It rang for a while, until someone answered in a sleepy voice.

'Hello?' It sounded like Carlos but with chainsmoker tones in the back of his throat.

"It's Ismael. You forgot you gave me your number?"

You could hear him perch up in bed then clear his throat. 'Oh, no, no. What's up?' 

I tear went down my cheek, which tended to happen when someone asked if I was okay.

"I'm... fine." I said wobbly through my tears, then again after getting myself together, "I'm fine."

He threatened Malik a thousand times which I couldn't help but appreciate, but I told him it would only worsen things. He said he'd try and settle himself, expressing just admiration. I told him about the text Nico got.

"-Hey, have you been getting weird looks or any comments." I asked. He said no. The effects of the graffiti didn't go as far as to affect Carlos, but it was only a matter of time until the Vandal sucked everybody in.

I asked him if he could give me to ride to school tomorrow, he said yes. I said goodnight to him and he wished me a goodnight and said to take it easy. I wish I could take his advice. I started to get really tired, and I didn't want to fall asleep on this (oddly comfortable) ledge and get hypothermia overnight--but the idea of going back inside was more chilling. Nonetheless, I sucked it up, and headed back down to my room.

I shut the window behind me and flopped on my bed, a scene that appropriately matched its expactions, and went to sleep.