One More Suicide

//Chapter Nine//

As Christmas and New Years passed in a flash, Hattie was not excited to return to school. Ms. Torres had assured her that after break they would talk more about the pretending situation. She's now determined to catch and expose the people responsible.

So the Monday after the two weeks off of school, Hattie had literally dragged herself out of bed. Even if it had been months of her "coming out", people's stares and gazes were always locked on her. She wasn't going to lie and say it didn't bug her because it did. Because half of those people don't even do it because they're homophobes but because they had a chance to fit in with the popular crowd.

But, really, they could all go to hell and Hattie wouldn't give a damn.

Walking into Ms. Torres' office, Hattie noticed how her principal looked like she hadn't slept in days. She had dark circles under her puffy eyes and her hair was up in a messy bun--not close to the hairstyle she's used to seeing her with.

"Well, you look horrible," Hattie said when the older woman stayed quiet. A look was thrown at her which made Hattie to be quiet.

"I talked to the police officers that were in charge with Zion's suicide and asked them if they had noticed anything in his laptop or phone," Ms. Torres said as she rubbed her reddish eyes.

"They didn't check any of that," Hattie responded. "They left the laptop untouched and didn't bother to check his phone. That's why I was able to bring it to you."

"They said they had checked and nothing unusual was found. I filed a report."

Hattie sighed and rubbed her temple. "So...?"

"I'm sorry," Ms. Torres blurted out. "I stopped supporting you. If I hadn't turned my back on you they would had touched you and you wouldn't be like this." She looked down, biting her lip. She reached out and grabbed Hattie's hand, squeezing it slightly. "I promise you we will find whoever was behind this."

"We already know who it is," Hattie grumbled, for now, ignoring her apology.

"Yes, but we don't have proof. We can't just accuse them like that." Hattie ignored the slight annoyance that grew in her chest. She knew that she couldn't do anything without proof. She can't come up empty handed when others ask for evidence of what's being said.

"Then?" Hattie asked, her voice not hiding how tired she was of the situation. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to talk to all of your teammates. If they confess who was behind the incident with your locker then we'll get closer to understanding who's behind all this."

Hattie shook her head. "I don't think any of them will say anything. They're loyal to Arabella and Malik."

"It's better than not trying at all," she tells her. "We'll get behind all of this. Not only for you, but for Zion and for every other student that's exposed to it."

So that's how she found herself in the locker room after school. When the girls' practice was over, Ms. Torres and Hattie entered before any of the girls had the chance to leave, Coach Moore trailing behind them.

After all the girls--including Hattie--accommodated themselves on the wooden benches facing Ms. Torres and Coach Moore, Ms. Torres began to talk.

"We're investigating who's behind all this," she started. "The harassment, the threats, but, above all, the pictures uploaded of Zion and the beatings directed to, both, Zion and Hattie. All of those who are involved will be punished," Ms. Torres announced, looking over all of the girls before looking at the coach.

"So if anyone knows anything please approach us privately," the coach added in. "Don't become into the accomplice of the one responsible--or those responsible."