ARCANE

015

            "Can you state your name for the record?" The officer asks, leaning in closer.

"Percy Coleman." The girl leans back in the cold chair. Its icy touch is a comforting sting. Though Percy tries to believe, I think, therefore I am, more often than not, she believes I feel, therefore I am.

In the room next door, another officer curls his fists under the table. He thinks the girl across from him can't see him, but she can tell he is just as angry with her as she is with him.

"You're full name."

"Novalie," Lee bites the inside of her cheek with her crooked wisdom teeth.

"I just wanted you to walk me through that night, now that you've had time for the shock to set in." The officer responds. Percy expects him to start grinning at any second.

"We were taking a short cut," she continues.

"Who's we?"

"Percy and me," Lee really hates this line of questioning. "I take that way back as a short cut."

"Did you take it the previous night?" The officer continues.

"No," she balls her fists under the table. If the officer can do it, then so can Percy. "Don't take my word for it. Check the cameras."

"Did you know Dorothea before that night?"

Lee scoffs. Her head hurts from rolling her eyes at everything the officer says, including when he first said hello. While Percy rationalizes that even though this is a waste of her time, it is also a waste for the police. It would be easier for her to agree with Percy, but Lee doesn't believe in taking the easy way out.

"Don't you think I would've mentioned that before now?" Percy turns the question back on him.

The man hands Lee three photographs. She is thankful that her face isn't in any of them. Instead, they are three headshots. One is of Thea. Her face is turned towards the sky and her eyes are closed. She looks peaceful, almost happy. The sight makes Lee nearly gag.

Percy tries to keep her face still when she looks at Cara. It's a photo of her high school graduation, which Percy assumes was years ago. She has never seen Cara radiate with so much joy. Fucking keener.

After years of lying to her mother, Lee's poker face has gotten better. However, she lets out a snort at the picture of Eden. He wears his football jersey, his helmet tucked under his arm. His face is so tight that Lee imagines someone below him must be grabbing him by the balls and squeezing.

"I know him," Percy taps on the photo. "Eden something or other. He's my neighbour and he's always a prick. I recognize the girl too. Pretty sure that they have been screwing since she comes over quite a bit."

"Was she there that night?"

"I already told you I wasn't at the park!" Lee shakes her head back and forth. "I went the long way because I didn't want to run into any drunk or drugged up college kids. Instead of questioning me, you should be out there dealing with those idiots."

"Listen, there is no need to become agitated."

Percy shakes her head back and forth. She isn't sure why she answered with such animosity at such a simple question, but there it is. Anger bubbles up inside her even if you can't stop it.

"Are you done now?"

There is a tap at the window. The officer stands up and walks away from Lee.