Chapter 65: Chapter 65
It had been two days and I haven't talked to anyone. I mostly stayed in my room. Now that nobody wanted me, I decided to stick to those I already had. Tomorrow was school, and a big day for all of us. When Monica would be questioned in the morning, so would be me too, because I was the witness and the one to raise a voice. Just when I was about to doze off, my phone rang. I saw an incoming text from Tucker.
Tucker: You up?
I rolled my eyes and put the phone under my pillow again.
Tucker: I miss you.
Tucker: I can't sleep; can we talk?
I didn't feel that enthusiasm I used to have before, not for him. I didn't answer him back and closed my eyes, sleeping peacefully.
In the morning, Tucker left for school pretty early. I meant to talk to him in the morning because I felt like ignoring him was wrong, we were still a couple, but now that he was gone, Mr. Ben has dropped us to the school.
I entered the school and saw Tucker standing with Ken, who looked like hadn't slept the whole night.
"She is here," Tucker told Ken, giving him a reassuring look.
"What happened?" I approached them, noticing the nervousness in Ken's movement.
"He is mad about what Steven did to Monica," Tucker uttered, and Ken looked away, the pain was quite visible on his face.
"She will be giving her statement once the sheriff arrives." Tucker continued, patting Ken's back to calm him down.
"And we were thinking that," Tucker paused, coming forward and looking in my eyes, "since you have already confessed that you have seen them by the lockers and all, it will be a bit of a help if you would add a little more detail to the incident." Tucker continued, I closed my eyes to process through what he was trying to say.
"I mean she is a girl and where do you think is she going to gather proof from? But it will be so helpful to you if you say that you saw Steven forcing himself on her or anything that implies that." He finished and watched my face, I can't believe he would ask me for such a favor.
"But that's a lie," I stated, watching their faces.
"But you did see Monica mending her skirt and him leaving afterward," Tucker argued, I can see the pissed look on his face. He really thought that I would just agree with whatever he says? We all have talked about it before that's why they knew the details.
"If he had done something to her, he would have been the first one to leave not her," I stated annoyed, he just wants to blind me with his looks? The same looks I don't find fascinating anymore? I have realized that recently I would get annoyed at his every action, even his jokes weren't funny anymore.
"No one is asking you to be his lawyer, you can't help her, fine. At least say the details loud before the sheriff and the principal." Tucker aggressively babbled and then tapped his friend's shoulder without breaking eye contact with me, asking him to leave. They both walked away and behind them, a little far, I saw the orphans standing and watching me. They knew I would be in the office.
I reached them, Steven was looking away, he tried to look calm, but the rise and fall of his chest as evidence of his broken heart and esteem.
"I bet they taught you well," Sid muttered disappointingly, I didn't answer him because there was a time when I have falsely accused him as well, I have made so many mistakes that correcting them all would take years.
"Just to let you know that Giselle, I am not going to be by your side on this," Dina announced, there was sadness in her eyes. She obviously thought I was going to ask her to testify against him as she was there too. Sid and Dina walked away, leaving me and Steven alone.
"How are you?" I asked, honestly speaking, I was just here to see him, to see if he was fine.
"I am good, I hope you are too," he replied, not even looking at me, I wonder if he will ever forgive me, or maybe he was completely done with me.
"Just to let you know that I am not going against you, Steven!" I declared, making him veered his neck in my direction and watching my face in shock for the first time during this conversation.
"Are you mad?" He narrowed his eyes angrily at me, what? I was trying to help, "if you stepped back now, they will call you out for starting a false rumor, you idiot." He muttered, using all of his gestures.
"Why do you care; you hate me right?" I shrugged my shoulders, how can I forget the speech he gave me in the woods? And since I was the reason for their character assassination, I must face some backlash too.
"No! You will testify, I will take care of the rest." He ignored my comment and mumbled, his anger felt like evidence of him still having a soft corner for me because he was still thinking about me.
"I have made my mind," I mumbled, but he rolled his eyes.
"Giselle!" his expressions softened, "your whole grades will fall, everyone will hate you, they will call you names, think about everyone who has so much respect and faith in you, don't say anything extra but at least say what you saw." He murmured and then stared at my face, walking away slowly. I stood on the spot, he was right that with me stepping back, things would turn hell for me.
I stayed alone in the corridor, Tucker, Ken, and Monica approached me. She had bags under her eyes, Ken ignored to acknowledge her presence and the orphans were nowhere to.
"Remember not to make a mistake," Tucker whispered,
"The principal wants you inside." one of our teachers called us in, oh my! Why were teachers there? I had started to shiver now, of fear and for Steven.
"This is an awful event for all of us, this shouldn't have happened, but now that we have sheriff here and everyone included, I want Monica to state her side first." The principal stated loudly, he was ashamed of us. I saw the principal seated along with our math teacher, who looked disappointed to see us all. I gulped, looking down. Tucker, who had no business here was standing behind Monica, I was standing on the Left side of Monica with Steven standing alone on the other side.
"I was in the lockers, looking for some papers in my locker when Steven arrived, I didn't think much of it until he grabbed me and---and forced himself on me and then he left while I cried alone in the room. I then told Giselle everything he did to me, I had so many bruises." Monica went on the details and I can spot the disgust on everyone's faces for Steven, who lifted his face tiredly. Wait! That's not what happened. Didn't she leave before him?
"This is not what happened that day," Steven said tiredly, everyone who would watch his face would pull their nose in disgust.
"You don't speak a word," the principal pointed a finger at him angrily and then turned to me. "You tell us, Giselle, tell us what you saw that day." he continued, everybody's eyes looked at me. I gulped, letting go of the breath I was holding in.
"She is lying," I stated, looking blankly at the principal, I was determined, I knew I was doing right and there was this mixed feeling inside me for Steven that I had for Tucker before, where I was ready to do anything for him. It killed me to see everyone hating on Steven, I did right, ready for consequences, even if it leads to my humiliation.