Rape prevention was getting talked about more and more at Dulaney High. After those girls and the others who just said he was an asshole, more people were starting to come forward about their story. About what Nick did to them. Of course his parents were infuriated by all he claims that were being made against him, just like Jess thought. They would've never thought their Nick would do all that, and without word from him they will never believe he did. It had to of been hard to be in their place right now. Tons of people coming forward about your son being an asshole rapist after he killed himself. Which isn't what happened, but what everyone thinks happened.
Jess didn't really understand why the girls were coming forward now. It's not like they can get justice from a dead man. Jess already did that. Maybe they were thinking they could just make a difference. She didn't really know, but she wouldn't waste her time on it. Maybe they were tired of everyone pretending to be sad over his loss too, including Jess.
"Jess, can you believe people are saying this about Nick?" Mrs. Wheeler sighed as she began decorating Nick's tombstone. It was very surreal to be at his gravesite.
"Uh, I don't know. He was mean to the kids at school." Jess shrugged. Mrs. Wheeler stopped was she was doing and put her hands over her face.
"I never thought Nick would do any of that. Tell me, please, Jess. Did he ever do anything wrong to you? I need the truth, dear." She stood and grabbed Jess's hands, looking into her eyes. She would know if she lied. What would she say?
"Uh, well, I-" She stopped. "No, he didn't.."
"Are you being honest?" His mother tilted her head to the side.
"Y-yeah." Jess nodded.
"I don't think you are.."
"So you think he raped me?" She asked. Mrs. Wheeler nodded. "How could you think that about your own son and his girlfriend of two years and six months?"
"Well, how could you say that he was pretty mean to the kids there and imply that you did think he would've done that to all the girls?" Mrs. Wheelers eyes began to get glossy. Jess chewed her lip.
"Because he was mean and he did do that to those girls, because they wouldn't lie about something like that. But he didn't do anything to me." Jess put on such a show, that she almost brainwashed herself into thinking it was true. That he really didn't do anything to her.
"Okay, dear. I'm sorry. I just want the truth. I wish he was still here, so I could just ask him why. I want to know if it's true, but you did know him better than all of us. So I guess it is true. I'm a horrible mother." She sighed, placing more flowers around the grave until she was done. She took Jess home, and all she wanted to do was lay in bed and fall asleep. She wanted to ask how Mrs. Wheeler would've felt if she started dating another boy. But of course she didn't get to.
Another boy being Alex. Which she wasn't even talking to right now after his outburst of jealousy. Which she found jealousy kind of hot, but she was just mad that he was acting the way that he was. She just wanted to be with him. But she couldn't right now, and she didn't understand why he couldn't get that. It was just disrespectful. And she didn't want to hear the talk. But she never cared about it too much before she killed someone.
So, now she laid at home all day on the weekends and wanted to fall asleep. But she never could, because the thoughts would keep her awake. Sometimes the dreams she had were scary. Which would make them nightmares, not dreams. She didn't have anything to do and she was just sad, all the time. It was one in the morning now. She wasn't expecting to be awake, but she was. She got a text.
A: I know what I did was wrong. I know that I shouldn't have acted like that, and I'm sorry. I really like you Jess. Like, more than I've ever liked any girl, and I've had quite a few girlfriends in my life time. You just make me act a different way. I've been here a couple of months and I've already went through so much stuff with you. We're not even together, either. I'm sorry my anxiety makes me annoying sometimes, but I think you understand. I just don't want to lose you, because God knows Kade is better looking than me. He's cooler, and so on. Whenever he asked you out on a date I just got scared. That you were going to say yes and forget about me, because God knows I'm so forgettable. Between Tom and all my friends back home. I thought you'd forget about me too.
