One Last Chance - Z.Dempsey

TEN.

CHAPTER TEN

I ended up staying at Zach's house that night. When we went downstairs for breakfast in the morning, his mother and sister were already there, his mother reading an envelope addressed for Zach. A subpoena to talk at Hannah's trial.

"I'm surprised at Andy and Olivia. I'm sure they miss Anna" She said picking up the envelope again.

"Hannah" Zach and I corrected her at the same time.

"Hannah, of course. But this is a witch hunt"

"I don't know," Zach said fiddling with his spoon.

"Well, they're wasting their time. You're not that kind of kid. I know how kind you are, I see how you take care of your sister and your friends" She said smiling at me at the end.

"You're not going to jail, are you?" His little sister asked.

"He's not going to jail" His mother laughed "I mean how well did you know this girl?"

"I asked her out once" Zach answered awkwardly looking at me and then back to his mom.

"How about you, Natasha. Did you get a letter darling?" She asked.

"Um, I'm not sure Mrs. Dempsey. I haven't been home to check" I replied looking down at my food.

"How are things at home sweetheart? Who gave you that bruise on your face?" She asked suspiciously.

"Mom, it's too early for all these questions," Zach said trying to stop her before I got upset.

I took in a deep breath and smiled at the woman "They are great. I got the bruise from a stunt gone wrong at cheer practice" I said laughing and the end.

She smiled and nodded before going back to her food.

...

"The first thing we need to do is find out what they know" Marcus started.

"The first thing we need to do is tell the truth," Alex said.

"I'm with Alex" Zach agreed.

We had all met up at the coffee shop to discuss what was going down with the subpoenas and Hannah's trials. Zach had come with me to my house during first period so I could get some clothes. Luckily, Zach's mom said I could stay in their guest room and didn't ask why.

"I don't think it's as easy as you think. I mean, what exactly is the truth?" Marcus asked.

"Profound, Marcus. Truly profound" Ryan said amused.

"And bullshit" I spoke for the first time lifting my head from staring at my coffee. Tyler then walked in making us all turn to him.

"My God, how did you find us?" Courtney asked.

"I deserve to be here" He answered still standing.

"No, you don't" She argued. I rolled my eyes sharing a look with Ryan.

"Because you don't like me? Cause I embarrassed you? I'm getting it worse than any of you"

"Just let him stay" Alex mumbled.

"Yeah, Courtney. And how did you get to run this meeting anyway? It's not the fucking dance committee" Zach spoke up. Ryan snorted as I high-fived Zach.

"I sit, or I start taking pictures" Tyler threatened.

"Ugh, sit down," Ryan said moving his bag off the spare chair.

"And calm down" Marcus warned.

"I think it's clear what they know. I mean, look around. What do we all have in common?" Rush started the conversation again.

"We don't know who got subpoenas. Sherri didn't. Neither did you Natasha" Marcus looked at me suspiciously but I just glared back at him.

"Or they didn't get one yet" Ryan pointed out.

"I told her to come anyway. Maybe she's hoping she'll avoid the whole thing" Marcus said.

"Your dad must know something from the other deputies" And there's that annoying voice again. Courtney.

"My dads more of a "sweep it under the rug" kind of guy" Alex answered.

"Works for me"

"I don't think he gives a shit about you Marcus"

"If we don't get the story straight. Then it's bad for all of us" Courtney suggested.

"Well, what is the story exactly?" I asked her.

"Hannah was a liar. She was jealous and needy and emotionally unstable. She thought everyone was out to get her" She answered.

"Aren't you describing yourself?" Tyler said making me laugh.

"We tried to be her friends. We did. She blamed us when things went wrong. But she was the one with the problems"

"That's the story?" Zach asked unimpressed.

"What would you say it is?" Marcus challenged.

"I would say it doesn't matter what I say it is. Cause three people aren't here right now who are pretty likely to say whatever the fuck they want" Zach argued.

"Where are Jessica and Justin?" Marcus asked.

"They weren't at school," I told the group "Either of them" Zach, Alex, and I shared a look, us knowing the probable reason they weren't in today.

"What?" Courtney asked sensing we knew something.

"Justin went to Bryce's last night. He freaked because Jess was flirting with Bryce and that Tasha was hanging out with him. So he called Bryce a rapist and told Jessica and Tash that everything Hannah said on the tapes was true" Zach explained, I put my face in my hands not wanting to look at everyone else.

"No fucking way," Marcus said shocked. Ryan put his arm around my shoulder to give me some comfort and I grabbed onto his hand.

"Monty and Jamie and a few other guys overheard everything," Zach told them.

"wait, wait, wait, they know about the tapes?" Courtney panicked.

"Well, Justin didn't go into fucking detail about the tapes, no, but they heard him call Bryce a rapist and that everything Hannah said was true" Zach finished.

"Good for Justin. And Bryce is a rapist" Ryan stated.

"If you believe Hannah"

"Fuck you Courtney" I raised my voice at the girl but Zach's hand on my shoulder stopped me from saying anything else.

"Seriously, you're the only other girl here and that is the position you take?" Ryan defended me.

"Hannah lied we know this" She continued. I shook my head in disbelief making eye contact with Zach who looked at me the same.

"I don't know this" Ryan said.

"We can contain this. We have to control the narrative" Marcus told us.

"You're deluded. The narrative is, Jess and Nat know Bryce raped them" Ryan continued.

"We are two moves away from being checkmated," Alex told us.

"Not if we bring Bryce into it" Marcus suggested.

"What? You can't be serious" I breathed out the same time as Ryan said "Bryce? The rapist?"

"Alegged rapist" Courtney argued.

"Fuck off, Courtney" Ryan spoke loudly at her.

"I can't sit here and listen to this any longer. Go to hell Courtney" I said standing up and collecting my stuff "You too Marcus" I walked out of the coffee shop and slammed the door behind me. I couldn't contain my tears any longer so I leaned against the wall and let it all out.

"Hey, come here," Zach, who had followed me said brining me into his arms and smoothing down my hair.

"Can we just go home" I whispered.

"Yeah, let me get my stuff" He answered.

I took out my phone and quickly texted Jessica asking her if she was doing ok. Cause I'm not.