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My parents and Danny came back inside, stomping the snow from their boots.
“Jesse’s decided not to press charges,” Danny said.
“I already knew that,” I scoffed.
“Oh yeah?” My dad said angrily. “How could you be so confident of that, huh? Is it because you knew he was a decent kid who’d forgive even the most heinous of grievances for a friend who basically abandoned him? Or maybe because he just wanted to put this all behind him and forget about it so you wouldn’t lose your scholarship?”
“Is that what he told you?” I hollered.
“Yes, son, it was. He’s a good boy.”
“Damn it dad! He’s lying! Why can’t you just believe me?”
My dad slammed his hands on the desk beside him. “Enough!”
The entire room became deathly silent.
“You’re lucky that you’re free to go today. Do you know how close you came to ruining yourself? I know you think you’re justified in how you feel about Jesse but it’s got to end. These are my demands Elliott, you will not talk, look, breathe around or near Jesse Thomas, you hear me? Or I’ll transfer you to Charleston so fast your head will spin. I’ll call your Principal in the morning and see about rearranging your schedule. Are we in agreement?”
I only needed to nod my head. Jules and I were in this alone and that was painfully evident.
That night I sat at my kitchen table with a handful of my hair in each hand. My mom asked that Jules not come over that night so she could talk to me.
“Elliott, I need to know just how far you think things have gone with the ‘unexplained’ occurrences.”
“It’s serious mom,” I said, shocked she was taking me seriously.
“Did you see any of the things that Jules claimed she saw?”
It was her emphasis on the word claimed that made me feel uncomfortable.
“Jules doesn’t lie mom,” I said defending her.
“Son, I didn’t say she did.”
“But you implied it.”
“Did you see it, Elliott?”
I grumbled in vexation.
“I saw the note the first time they violated her security and that was enough to back up any claims, as you say, she has made. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be in my room.”
If she had anything further to say, I couldn’t hear it. I meant no disrespect but I was so hurt that she, above anyone, would think anything different than what I had told her. I was so hurt that she didn’t trust me. I launched myself onto my bed and let the weight of my body sink into the mattress, heavy with stress.
My parents never told me I was grounded but I was pretty sure leaving the house after my curfew was out of the question, whether I was or not. I had to check on Jules though. I hated that she was sleeping alone and tonight would be the perfect night for Jesse to terrorize her regardless if people’s guards were up. He reveled in that sort of thing. It was critical that I protect her, so I waited for the snores and tucked out of my window and onto the roof below. I swung from the Oak by my window and landed on the frozen ground. My boots pierced the snow and the sound was deafening. I braced myself to hear a rustling through the house but no one woke.
I was grateful it hadn’t really snowed for a couple of days. I treaded lightly through the parts where the snow had melted and my tracks wouldn’t give me away when my dad left for work in the morning.
I walked to Jules’ house because my missing truck would have given me away. I nearly froze from the bitter cold. I wrapped my coat as closely to my body as possible.
The night was dark, too dark for me to see but I followed the sparse streetlights and used them as a makeshift guide. Each time I’d pass underneath one I saw my breath freeze in mid air. I wondered if I would make it there in one piece. I hadn’t even thought about how I was going to get in without scaring her half to death. I’m sure she was on edge as it was. Not to mention, she was probably sleeping in the living room.
o;Alright, where is this painting?” Danny asked.
“Hanging on the large Red Maple at the front of the house,” Jules said.
“Alright, come on Elliott, it’ll look better if it appears you came willingly. We’ll swing by Julia’s house and remove the painting for evidence. Maybe we can get a print on it,” he said to me before turning to Jules. “Julia, you need to stay here and explain things to Shelby when she gets here later and help to calm her down.”
