“We were having sex,” Jaxon lies. “I’m sorry, Lauren—I just need to confess this before I die. It’s true that Mandy and I are in a relationship. I will never forgive myself for lying to you.”
“You slimy little worm. I should have just slit your throat.” Salinger’s completely lost it. He leaps up and lunges at Jaxon.
The police shout at him and reach for their batons. I grab the leg of his suit pants and am dragged cross the floor.
“You orchestrated all of this!” Salinger roars. “You’ve been stalking my girlfriend for months!”
One of the cops pulls out a Taser.
“On the ground,” the other cop yells to Salinger.
“Salinger, please just cooperate,” I beg.
He looks to the window.
“Don’t even think about it, big guy,” a female cop demands. “On your knees. Hands behind your head.”
Through the blood, Jaxon is smirking.
I’m not afraid anymore, just freaking furious. “Jaxon is lying.” I’m so upset I can barely talk. “He’sruining my life.”
“We’re going to sort this all out at the station,” the lead cop says, taking out his handcuffs.
“I can’t go to the station. I need to go to the hospital.” Jaxon writhes on the floor.
“Ambulance is on its way,” the cop assures him. “You two.” He points to Salinger and me. “Let’s go.”
The cops force my hands behind my back, snap the cuffs around my wrist, then march me down the stairs.
My mother has her hands pressed over her mouth. “You’re going to jail, Mandy? You were supposed to be the reliable one. Patrick, hold up a blanket. I can’t have the neighbors seeing this.”
Unfortunately for my mother, the sirens and flashing lights have already attracted nosy neighbors. Nancy stands in her front door, narrating my arrest to her fellow neighborhood gossips. Other residents peer out of windows as Salinger and I are led outside, followed by my upset parents.
Jess’s car screeches up. “Mandy!” The cops yell at her as she runs to me.
Jess changes direction and rushes to my mother. “Gale, what happened? Why are they arresting Mandy? Why aren’t they arresting her stalker?”
“Mandy has a stalker?” My mother sobs while Jess comforts her.
My father looks so frail and old. “My baby girl.”
It kills me that he had to find out like this because Salinger made everything spiral out of control.
“Don’t worry,” Salinger calls to my parents while the police pat him down. “I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.”
“This is why I didn’t tell you about the stalker!” I shriek at him. “I knew you wouldn’t help—I knew you’d just make it worse!”
He has no remorse. “The only reason it’s bad right now is because you didn’t tell me sooner.”
“You can’t have a stalker, Mandy.” My mom runs after me. “Jaxon’s such a nice boy—it’s not really him, is it?”
“He’s not nice. He’s evil!”
“That’s libra!” Lauren cries.
“Libel, Lauren!” I shout at my sister. “It’s called libel, and I’m not spreading falsehoods because he has been stalking me for months, and he attacked me in my own room.”
“And of course,” Salinger spits, “there’s no thank-you to me for saving you.”
