Mystery Loves Company

Chapter 29 - File #4.9: The Blame Shifter

Avery

The last school bell rang, but instead of going home, Danna and I went to the empty cafeteria to discuss our fate. We only had one day left, and I assured Danna that we could get this done by tomorrow.

"Jake was applying to Bensworth earlier this year. He's still in the wait list—that's why he wanted to eliminate us. If we got kicked out of school, or at least suspended for a certain time, it would be his advantage," I opened the conversation while showing her the bundle I got from Rhett.

Danna was quiet for a while. "Jake?"

"Yes, the boy in my physics group. It's not Troy, but he's friends with him. He probably got your file from Troy since both of you are in the same class," I added.

"McMillan?"

"Yes!" I yelled at her vacant face. "What's with you? Focus, Danna!"

"No, no, no. It can't be Jake McMillan," she denied.

"He told me he was with his friends on lunch break last Thursday. But when I asked Troy, he said he didn't see Jake, neither did the other guys. Jake lied... because that time, he went to the academics' office to upload the fake papers."

"Avery," Danna called. "You're right, he wasn't with his friends. He was with me."

I stared at her momentarily, wondering if we were still talking about the same person.

"Jake and I are... kind of going out," confessed Danna with a wry smile. "We didn't want anyone to know, so we always did this secret meeting. His father worked for Derek Rickard. I can't be seen with anyone from opposite team."

I was still surprised that I let my mouth form a big 'O'. Was that why she deliberately ignored Jake when she bumped into him? Was that also why she chose me as her plus-one, not anyone else, particularly Jake—the boy she allegedly dated?

"From your reaction, I know that anyone would never thought of it—but it happened, okay?" She tried to defend their relationship, but that wasn't the problem now.

"One question," I finally spoke, "Did you tell Helen to excuse Jake from redoing the physics project? Because I know that she was selfish and she would never think about anyone else if it came to her own benefit."

Danna nodded, admitting it. "Back when I thought she was my friend, I asked her for a favor." She pursed her lips. "I might or might not convince her that... you were the one who deserved the punishment, not them."

Another surprise—Danna was actually the one behind it!

"I'm sorry, Avery, I didn't mean anything by saying that. It's just... If Jake was busy with that project, how could we see each other?" She frowned. "But, I can assure you, he's not our suspect. There's no way he would do that to me."

"But there's no reason he wouldn't do that to me," I said. "The fact that he's your boyfriend makes the proofs even stronger. He could easily obtain your file."

"Trust me, he wouldn't," she insisted. "You've told me that your friend was once accused too. How did that happen if three years ago Jake wasn't even a student in this school?"

I put my hand across my forehead, slowly massaging it. "Maybe the same methods are just coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence if something happens three times!" She asserted. "How about this—we go to Mrs. Goldfire and just bluntly ask about all of this, just to be clear? Then you can accuse Jake all you want."

I stood up, feeling encouraged and confident. "Sure, let's find out."

Mrs. Goldfire, like usual, was still in the office. She looked pretty busy, but I knew she really wasn't. She stayed late in school on purpose, probably to avoid something at home.