perfect? - montgomery de la cruz

Lies

Standing outside the interrogation room scared Ashley half to death, even though Monty stood behind her with his arms around her.

She kept fidgeting with her hands and looking Tyler, Zach, Jessica, Kat, Courtney and Marcus's families.

The first thing she did when she saw Jess was hug her. She gave her the hug and told her that everything would be okay.

She never really knew Kat though, she never got around to meet her but she remembered that Hannah used to talk about her a lot. The girl looked very angry and very sad, she looked like she needed a hug as well.

"You're fidgeting...", Monty whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so nervous.", she said quietly and looked at the ground.

"You ready about the questions about your family?", he asked her and laid his head on her shoulder.

"Not really.", she answered and watched as Tyler and his family walked into the 'interrogation room'.

"That freak is going to expose everyone.", Monty ranted angrily as he stared at the interrogation door.

"Probably.", she agreed, too tired to defend Tyler from her boyfriends harsh words.

"Isn't Corey's mom a lawyer?", he asked and nodded towards the door where Clay's mom  was sitting in the room with Tyler and his family.

"It's Clay.", she smiled, she had always thought it was kinda funny how Monty refused to learn the skinny boys name.

"Huh?", he asked and looked at his girlfriend confused.

"His name is Clay.", she repeated and chuckled.

He hugged her tightly and laid his head on her shoulder again.

Almost two hours later, The couple were the only ones left in the waiting room.

When Jess walked out of the room, she looked very down. Ashley walked up to her and decided to tell her how much she missed her at school.

"You alright?", she asked.

"Yeah, yeah it's fine. You're good, they don't ask that many questions about family.", Jess said quietly and looked at her friend.

"Okay, thanks...", she answered quietly.

"I miss you at school.", Ashley added quickly and gave her a little smile.

She watched Jess walk away with her family and she felt a hand around her waist.

"It's your turn soon.", Monty said and kissed her cheek softly.

"Shit, I can't do this.", she exclaimed and tried to walk away. Monty quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.

"Yes you can. Babe you are the strongest person I know, you can get through this.", he reassured her and made her want to stay.

She felt safe in his arms. She hadn't felt safe in his arm for a long time but she felt like they had finally fixed their relationship.

"Miss Bennett?", a woman asked and looked at the only people left in the waiting room.

"You don't have any family with you?", the woman asked.

"Uhhh no, they couldn't make it.", Ashley simply answered and shrugged.

"I'm sorry, family only.", the woman said when Monty tried to walk in the room with them. He looked at the woman with an annoyed expression.

"Hey Monty, it's fine, I'm fine. I'll meet you outside when I'm done.", she reassured her boyfriend who was getting angry.

"I gotta go to practice so I can't drive you home but I'll see you later.", he said and walked out.

She followed the woman into the room and was met with Mrs. Jensen and a guy with a suit, glasses and buzz cut. Hannah's parents were also in the room. Mrs. Baker gave her a smile.

"Ashley!", Mrs, Jensen greeted.

"Hi Mrs. Jensen.", she answered with a soft smile.

"How's your mom?", she asked since she had gone to high school with Ashley's mom and knew that she had problems with alcohol after her husband passed away.

"Uhh some days are better than others."

Mrs. Jensen just nodded.

"I'm Dennis.", the man said and smiled at her.

"Please sit down, we are going to be recording you while we ask you questions, is that okay?", he asked and looked at her.

"Yeah, Yeah it's fine", she scoffed and sat down in a chair in front of a camera.

"Miss Bennett, it's important that you speak only to what you actually experienced.", Dennis began to say as he turned on the camera.

"So you and Hannah were friends?", he asked.

"Yeah... for a while.", she answered vaguely.

"What do you mean 'for a while'?", he phrased.

"We just fell apart, I guess.", Ashley said and scoffed.

"Can you tell me why you think that happened?"

"Because... because she started to get involved in my relationship and I thought that she was trying to get with my boyfriend.", she answered and sighed.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because guys talk at our school and they do sh-... and they do things to girls that no one ever talks about and no one ever does anything about.", she revealed.

"Things like what, Miss Bennett?", he asked.

"Like what do you think?", she answered and looked annoyingly at him.

"It would be helpful if you could tell me.", he just said, ignoring the snarky comment.

"Miss Bennett, I know this is difficult, but it's important that you tell us."

"Argumentative.", Mrs. Jensen intervened.

"Hardly argumentative.", he answered.

"Dennis. Don't force her to answer.", Mrs, Baker said and looked at Ashley's wrists that were still bruised from an earlier fight.

He looked at her and then looked back at Ashley and continued "Okay, miss Bennett, uh, do you know anything about tapes that Hannah recorded about what happened to her?"

The lump in her stomach grew bigger when she answered "No."

"Okay... Has your boyfriend ever laid hands on you?", he asked out of nowhere as he looked at her bruises.

"Objection!", Mrs. Jensen loudly exclaimed as Mrs. Baker also loudly said "No! Don't make her answer that!".

"Listen! The bruises on her arms could be a reason that she fell out with Hannah!", Dennis loudly argued with the two women.

Ashley's hands were shaking and she felt trapped in the small room.

Both Mrs. Jensen and Mrs. Baker went quiet as they realized that he was right.

"Miss Bennett, you do not have to answer this question but you have to be ready that they are going to ask you about that in court.", he warned her.

"You don't have to tell us who your boyfriend is.", Mrs. Baker reassured her.

Ashley nodded and tried to slow down her breathing. She hid her arms under the table.

"Miss Bennett, has your boyfriend ever laid hands on you?", he asked again.

Her entire relationship showed in front of her eyes and she saw the bad stuff but also the good stuff. She realized that if she told the truth then it would turn bad again. Really bad.

"No."