"The same is true foryou, and they arrested you."
"Because they had to. It's a public relations move. They want people to think they're safe."
I push away from him. "Principal Edwards did this. He's the reason we're being accused. If it weren't for him—"
"They still would've arrested me. She was found on my property. And we HAD been fighting. That wasn't a secret. We even fought when we were dating. We'd go out and she'd start a fight and people would see us."
"Every couple fights."
"But it's different when one of them shows up dead. Then people remember the fight differently. It was louder. More violent. It wasn't just a normal fight."
"Is that what people are saying about you and Kristen?"
"From what I've heard, yeah."
My phone rings. I hold it up. "It's Brock."
"Answer it. He probably saw the news."
"Hey, Brock."
"The news just reported—"
"I know. I saw it. What am I going to do?"
"I've already called Ms. Wietz. She said not to worry. The police can't charge you based on a hunch. They need actual evidence."
"They have a statement saying I'm an accomplice."
"It says youcouldbe, not that you are."
"I'm not going back to Twisted Pine. I'm done there."
"You're still going. You just need to avoid Principal Edwards."
"I can't avoid him. It's a small school and he's always walking the halls."
"I doubt he'll be there this week. Kristen's funeral is Saturday. He'll need to manage that along with comforting Daphne, Kristen's mother."
"Are you saying I'm not going to be arrested?"
"As of now, no. Rumor, I need you to come home. You shouldn't be with Jackson right now."
I end the call, not wanting to fight about this. I'm not going home. I need to be with Jackson. I need him more than anyone else.
"What'd he say?" Jackson asks.
"The lawyer thinks I'm okay for now. She said they can't arrest me with what they have on me. Brock told me to come home so I hung up on him."
"Maybe you should."
"Should what?"
"Go home." He holds both my hands. "I want to be with you but I know the cops are watching us and I don't want them assuming you had something to do with this just because you're with me."
"They already assume that, and I'm not letting them, or anyone else, keep us apart. If we do that we're letting them win."
He sighs. "You're right. I'm just so desperate to keep you out of this."
