“They think someone faked the evidence?”
“Maybe. Or they might be questioning who gave it to them.”
“But you don’t know who it is.”
“It had to have been someone who was at the party that night.”
“You were there that night. Do you have any idea who it might be?”
“The only person I could think of is Alyssa.”
“Alyssa? The girl in my class?”
“She was best friends with Andrea, or had been until a few weeks before Andrea died.”
“Why’d they stop being friends?”
“Andrea got pissed when Alyssa accused Braden of trying to rape her.”
“Braden raped Alyssa?” I ask, shocked she’d still be friends with him after that. She sits right next to him at lunch.
“She said hetriedto rape her, but she got away. She said it happened at a party when they were both really drunk.”
“Did she tell the police?”
“No. She told the school. They, of course, took Braden’s side, not wanting anything to happen to their star football player. They called Alyssa into the office and after that, she said it was all a misunderstanding.”
“But she never said it wasn’t true?”
“No, but she didn’t mention it again. Andrea was pissed at Alyssa for making Braden look bad and stopped talking to her.”
“Wait, did this happen during football season?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Braden said he doesn’t drink during the season.”
“He doesn’t before a game butaftera game? Hell, yeah, he drinks, or he did. Maybe he doesn’t now.”
“Why would Braden come to your house and tell you there was new evidence? If he hates you, why was he trying to help you?”
“He wasn’t helping me. He was helping himself. He panicked and had to tell someone and I’m the only one he could tell other than his dad, but Brock wasn’t around.”
“He could’ve told Trystan.”
“Trystan would’ve told him he was screwed and then laughed. He’s not someone you go to for support. When Braden and I were friends and he’d panic like he was doing today, I was the only one who could calm him down. I think he was hoping I’d do that today.”
“And did you?”
“Fuck no. Not after all the shit he’s done to me. I’m done helping him.”
“Going back to Alyssa, if she’s the one who turned in the new evidence, why would she wait until now? Why wouldn’t she have given it to the cops right away?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even know if it’s her. I’m just guessing here. The only reason I thought of her is because she has motive. If Braden really did try to rape her and got away with it, she might be wanting revenge.”
“I can’t believe that happened. She’s always so nice to Braden. And sometimes I swear she’s flirting with him.”
“She does it to survive.”
