How I Saved Harley Matthews

Chapter Eighteen: The River of Lies

I shoved the office doors open as I fled into the hallway. I pressed my shaking hands against my clammy cheeks and let out a huge sigh. A rough hand snaked around my upper arm, and I jumped as I was jerked to the right.

"Audin. Hey look at me, are you okay?" Harley demanded.

As nodded the office door behind me cracked open, displaying Principal Evans. Harley's eyes narrowed, and he began pulling me to the main school exit.

My short steps struggled to keep up with his long stride, and he was practically dragging me to Frazer's jeep. "Harley!" I yelled as I jerked my arm away from his grasp. "I can walk."

He didn't respond, but merely placed his same hand on my back as we continued to Frazer. I climbed into the back seat, and Harley slammed the door behind me, and got into the passenger seat.

"What happened?" Frazer asked.

"Drive." Harley dead panned.

"And to where?" Frazer asked as he glanced back at me.

"Your house." He breathed.

"Okay..." Frazer dragged out. "Audin, what happened back there."

"They know. I mean, about me being at the cornfield fire, and they have suspicions about Harley. Witnesses confirmed me at the scene, but just a person fitting Harley's description."

"Shit." Frazer mumbled.

"Logan told them. I'm sure of it." Harley said.

"Can they pin Audin with this?" Frazer asked as he pulled off into a residential neighborhood.

"Not yet, they don't have enough evidence to make it stick. They're positive they have the culprits though, accusing people plainly like that. They'll do anything to get us, but she's going to be fine. I won't let them convict her."

I sat like a statue in the back seat. They were talking as if I wasn't even there, making plans and preparing in case the cops decided to come back for more questioning.

By now we had arrived at Frazer's modern house, and I was hopping out of the jeep, trailing Frazer as Harley pursued us. I had just barely stepped into the threshold before I felt a brush of air circling around my legs.

"Stop it Hunter!" A brown mop headed boy shrilled.

"I'm gonna catch you Nicky!" An identical mop head called.

"Never!" The boy named Nicky yelled.

Two puny hands belonging to Hunter, latched onto my legs, and he began shuffling side to side, pushing Nicky to the opposite direction. The twins moved around like magnets, chasing each other.

"Nicholas Fuentes! Hunter Fuentes!" Frazer yelled. "Stop behaving like you were raised in the wilderness.

"Why Frazer?" One boy questioned.

"Are you worried about what you're friends think?" The other asked.

"It's just Harley." The first boy said as he ran to Harley's side.

"What's up Nicky." Harley said, and they bumped fist.

"But who is she?" Hunter asked with his hand still clutching my upper calf. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Don't be stupid Hunter. Frazer could never get a girl like her." Nicky said.

Frazer shot a glare toward his little brother, and I swear I heard Harley chuckle behind me. "You're right." Hunter said. "She's clearly with Harley."