Death of the Perfect Girl Book 2

6- Three Regrouped

    Charlotte stood in the middle of the hallway. Her head began to spin. Crowder knew what they'd done...what she'd done. They were all going to prison. The auditorium doors flew open and students began to flood the hallway. Charlotte's eyes stopped on Charlie the minute she could spot him through the crowd. His eyes met hers. She quickly waved him over, trying to remain calm. His brows arched. He shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way towards her. "What?" He asked bluntly, looking around the hallway to make sure no one was watching them out of suspicion. Charlotte glared up at him. Charlie squinted at her. "Look, I'm not your friend. I want nothing to do with you so whatever this is-"

"Crowder knows," Charlotte mumble just enough for Charlie to hear.

He froze. "H-how? Was he there-"

"We're in the middle of the hallway. Where's Mason?"

Charlie looked down. "He went outside...on the field. He couldn't take it."

Charlotte shook her head. "We have to learn to. We did nothing wrong-"

Charlie shot a wide-eyed look at her. "NOTHING-"

Charlotte quickly nudged his shoulder.

He cleared his throat and looked around. A few people were staring. Charlotte grabbed his arm. "Let's go find your brother," she smiled at those staring. "Okay?" She started to pull him down the hallway.

Fisher stared at them. He shut his locker then started to follow them. He watched them go out back then stopped and looked back down the hallway. He had promised himself that he would leave them alone, leave the past in the past. He would focus on school and the SATs. But something didn't feel right. He needed to know what was going on. He pushed opened the back door.

"Crowder somehow knows," Charlotte told Mason, aggressively pushing him under the bleachers.

"What are you talking about?" Christian shook his head. "That can't...that doesn't make any sense-"

"He has footage of us. Somehow."

Charlie folded his arms. "But no one else was there."

Fisher cleared his throat. "How are you all so sure?"

They all turned to him. "Why are you here?" Mason clenched his fists and stepped forward.

Fisher shrugged. "If there's so called footage, don't you think that I might somehow be incriminated as well?"

Mason looked at Charlotte. She folded her arms and squinted at Fisher. "Why should we trust you after you abandoned us?"

"I'm in this as well.  Besides, they all trust me more than they trust you guys-"

"But if you're on the footage-"

"I left that night. Crowder will trust me more than he trusts you three. And Poppy seems to suspect something... Let me go to them all first. Alright? If they trust me, we will have a foot in both camps. I'll delete the footage and I'll get Poppy to forget her suspicion-"

"What if we have to pin it on someone?"

They looked at Charlie.

"I...I suggest we pin it on Jenna."

"How?" Charlotte shrugged. "She will tell the cops we were all involved. Besides, I was the one expected to be here that night."

Charlie held his breath. She was right. He looked at his brother, then at her. "Nevermind-"

"Look," Charlotte shook her head. "Meet me at the cafe later. Alright? We can discuss things further there."

Fisher nodded. "I'll go regain Poppy's trust."

"Do whatever you want, Fisher." Charlotte walked past him.

Fisher and Mason turned to walk away when Charlie quickly stopped them. "Wait." They looked at him. "I think we should pin it on the girls."

Mason groaned. "Charlie, stop. We're not pinning it on anyone-"

"Do you want to go down for this? I'm not going down from this. I didn't do anything-"

"You held her arms."

"So what? We were in shock. I wasn't sure what to do. And I wish I had the balls to run away."

"The balls? Really? You think Fisher woosing out is him having the balls?"

Fisher shook his head. "I don't think you guys should set anyone up-"

"Because you'll get less time in prison than we would."

Fisher shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Maybe. But I don't think it's a good idea-"

"You have an alibi, don't you?" Charlie stuttered. "Be ours too-"

"I can't. I was at home with my dad-"

"Then...vouche for us that we were at home."

"I'm sorry, guys-"

Mason suddenly grabbed Fisher by his shirt, lifting him off the ground.

"Okay! Okay!"

Mason dropped Fisher, stepping over him and walking away. Charlie helped him up. "Get the footage, okay?"

Fisher nodded. "I will."