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I can hear as she falls back onto her bed. "At first, no. But don't you think it's strange that he still won't tell anyone what happened that night?"
She's not wrong. Even with the trial coming up in a couple of months, he still is yet to disclose the details of Davianna's death. Finn has been on him about how he doesn't know what he's working with if he doesn't have Jace's version of events, but still nothing.
"I mean, would you be able to talk about an event where you watched someone plummet to their death?" I ask her.
"Uh, if it meant proving my innocence so I don't go to jail for their murder? Absolutely."
I lay my head against the headrest and close my eyes. "I don't know. All I know is that he didn't do it. I don't really know what else to say other than that."
She takes a deep breath. "I just want you to be careful. I'm not saying he would ever hurt you, but you're going to get hurt if he ends up being found guilty."
A knock on the passenger side window makes me jump. I open my eyes to see Jace standing there, waiting to be let in. Fuck. I hit the unlock button so he can open the door.
"I know, but I've got to go."
Before giving her the chance to answer and possibly say something she shouldn't when Jace can hear, I hang up the phone. Jace looks at me intently.
"Who was that?" he questions.
I shake my head and act casual. "Just Becca. I figured I'd call her while I waited for you."
The two of us buckle our seatbelts, and he doesn't say anything else on the topic, but I know he's suspicious. He's always suspicious these days. It's like he's waiting for everyone to walk out on him.
He just needs a bigger support system. People who love him and won't let him fall. And when it all comes down to it, he needs his best friend.
MY CLASS LETS OUT, and just as he promised, Carter is waiting right outside the building. He's leaning up against the wall, talking to some chick, but the second I approach, he leaves her. She gives me a dirty look as she walks off. If only she knew how unwarranted her jealous
y is.
"Hey, Paige," he greets me.
I give him the best smile I can manage. "Hey."
The two of us start walking together towards the parking lot, but Carter keeps looking over at me. I can't even say I blame him. My hair is thrown into a messy bun, and I'm wearing baggy sweats. I look like I just rolled out of bed and ended up at school somehow.
"Is everything okay?"
No. "I guess." Ugh, not what I meant. "Actually, no. I'm really worried about Jace."
Carter's face drops the same way it does any time I mention Jace. It's been almost a month, and he still refuses to talk to him. And it's not for a lack of trying on Carter's part. He has called, texted, and showed up at his house. At one point, he even sat outside of his room for six hours, waiting for him to open the door, but he never did.
Regardless, he hasn't fully given up. "What's he doing?"
"He's moody. He's restless. He won't talk about anything—he would rather just fuck out his problems. I mean, he barely even eats anymore and works out more than anyone I've ever seen."
He listens intently but there's not much he can do about it. "I don't know what to tell you, babe. He's home all day, just waiting for the trial that he's already convinced himself he's going to lose. My dad said he even considered just pleading guilty."
I stop dead in my tracks. "He what?"
"That's just what I overheard my dad talking about with Finn." He shrugs. "I don't know if anything became of it, but he doesn't seem to have much fight in him."
"See? This is the problem!" I shout in frustration. "He needs people that can convince him he needs to try here! Carter, he needs you."
He instantly starts shaking his head. "He doesn't. He's made that perfectly clear. I mean, the second my phone rings and he tells me to come, I'm there, don't get me wrong. But he doesn't want me there. I don't know if he ever will."
I'm about to give up when an idea comes to mind. "What if I make him talk to you?"
Cocking a brow, he looks at me like I've lost it. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
