Drop Dead Gorgeous 〰 Jake Fitzgerald

31

"I can't believe this, I - I don't understand," my math teacher protested. Halfway through the school day, most of the Lakewood PD had decided to intervene with everyone's day and grab apparent "witnesses" out of the school classrooms, or what were known around here as suspects who they didn't have enough information on but would still decide to pester on until found guilty.

"Sorry miss, it's protocol," one of the two officers said.

"It's a load of bullshit," I heard someone mumble out, turning around to see it was some guy with thick framed glasses and light brown hair. After rolling his eyes halfway at the cops, his eyes landed on mine, straightening up a bit once he realized I'd heard him.

"We need to see Felix Grant and Lexa Villa," the girl cop loudly spoke up, causing me to stand up reluctantly.

If I had learned anything about my first experience back in Lakewood, it was that you either listened to the cops or you'd be an immediate suspect.

Pretty much my life story.

"I don't understand why I have to go, I wasn't part of anything - I wasn't even there, in the hallway-"

"Shut it down, Glasses, we didn't ask," the girl cop said once we were outside the classroom. I turned to see that same boy from before, the one who'd made that awfully honest comment, following close behind me as the two cops walked beside us.

He remained quiet after that.

Soon after we reached a classroom that was used mostly for art purposes and we were instructed to sit down while one of the officers guarded us. The other went back out to the hallways to do who-knows-what.

"Listen," the guy who's name I managed to remember as Felix called out, "I'm not guilty-"

"Yeah well, around here everyone is guilty. Nice speech you gave her by the way, it made all the difference."

"I didn't know what to do," he pressed on, turning his body towards me now that he found it safe to engage in conversation. "I'm just trying to get through the year, why'd they pick me to interrogate? They could have asked the real suspects, like-"

"Me?" I cut off once again, turning my head to look at his baffled expression.

"W-well," he stuttered out, gulping afterwards. "I didn't say that-"

"Of course not."

It stayed silent for only a couple of seconds before he, once again, spoke up.

"You know, after this entire thing ended with that guy, Kiro-"

"Kieran."

"Yeah, him. After they caught him, I thought it was over." He stopped to glance at the floor before continuing. "I just want to graduate, make my mom proud, marry some local girl - you know, typical small town business."

"Unfortunately for you, this small town has a different method of creating traditions. Kinda adds a whole new meaning to 'typical'."

"Yeah, exactly."

"Lexa Villa?"

I turned to see the face of the female cop who'd led us into the room.

"Yes?"

"Follow me."

-

"So you left the school campus during school hours, and then decided to come back to check out the murder?"

"Well, when you put it like that..."

The principal stared at me incredulously as Sheriff Acosta bowed his head downwards. "Miss Villa, not only did you violate school code, but you also decided to come back to inspect a crime-"