Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Nine

ZACH DEMPSEY'S HOUSE
IMOGEN'S POV

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Mrs. Dempsey." I spoke to Zach's mother the next morning when Zach and I entered the dining room for breakfast. Zach's honestly been going through it. His dad died over the summer, it was a really rough time for him, and it was a rough time for me to see him hurting the way he was.

"Oh of course Imogen. After everything you've done for Zach since my husband's passing, this is the least we could do." She said to me with a smile. Knowing that Justin is in Clay's room, I can't  stay at the house anymore. My parents think I'm at Jessica's.

"Morning mom." Zach said as we sat down, his mother also had the newspaper in her hands.

"Have either of you seen this?" She asked us. "My goodness, was there anyone in your class that Hannah wasn't involved with?" She asked. Zach and I exchanged looks, knowing there was at least one more person she was involved with.

Zach.

But the bullshit Marcus said on the stand was just that. Bullshit.

"What? What do you mean?" Zach asked, looking at his mom.

"Everyday, there's another boy in this story." Mrs. Dempsey said before laying the newspaper down for Zach to see the front cover. "It's not surprising that she had a reputation. I will just be glad when this is all over for you tomorrow, and you are as far removed from this mess as possible." She said. Zach looked at me as we both ate the pancakes she made.

Oh yeah, Zach is testifying tomorrow.

•

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

"So, neither of your parents were pissed?" Alex asked Jess and I as we were walking through the hallway. Obviously, I came to school with Zach, my parents thought I was at Jessica's. I didn't tell them about ditching school and obviously Clay didn't tell them either, because I didn't get yelled at yesterday, so that was a good sign.

"No. They were disappointed." Jessica said.

"Oh, disappointed. I hate that shit." Alex said.

"Plus, they want me to go to group therapy, talk to someone." Jessica said.

"My parents want the same thing. They think it'll be good for me with helping me move forward past what happened." I said.

"You both can always talk to me." Alex said.

"That's what I said. That I have you and Imogen." She said.

"Yeah, I won't um, try to kiss you every time or anything." Alex said. I looked between the two of them while raising my eyebrows. When did they kiss?

"Uh. . I'll let you guys talk. . I'll see you later." I said, walking off from the two of them, but speaking of a kiss, I do have someone I need to go apologize to. I found Monty, thankfully alone at his locker. He smiled at me when I approached.

"Hey Mimi, what's up?" He said.

"I just wanted to apologize to you for the other day. I don't know what came over me. . it's not like that was the first time we've kissed or anything. I just, I don't know what happened, but it wasn't you, and I'm sorry." I said. Monty shook his head.

"You don't have to apologize, but I do think you need to figure out how you feel about Justin being back in town, I think that was the root of the problem." He said.

"I think you're right. The thing is, I don't know how I feel." I said.

"I think you might. . you may just not want to admit it." He said. I hated to admit this, I hated admitting this about anyone when it came to advice they gave me about Justin.