Nets and Lies(24)

No! No, it’s not all right. I don’t ever want to see you again, least of all talk to you! You’ll keep on and on until you break me to get the truth. Before I could respond, Dad said, “If it’s feasible with her attorney.”

Detective Pendley nodded. I didn’t say anything else as I sidestepped past him out the door. I blushed at the looks the secretaries gave me. “Melanie, do you need a pass?” Mrs. Tillery asked.

Staring out the glass office, I saw the bell ending first period had just rung, and the halls were crowded.

“No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”

“All right. Have a good day.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

Even though I kept my head down in the hallway, I could feel the looks burning into me. I quickened my pace, desperate to make it to the gym. At the mere thoughts of walking through those doors, my chest tightened. There would be no Coach T there. For four years I depended on him as part of my day. I was guaranteed to find him dribbling basketballs balls or setting up the volleyball net.

But he wouldn’t be there today. He wouldn’t be grinning and joking with the other coaches. He wouldn’t be there to tease me or ride me about missing an easy shot.

Bitter tears stung my eyes. You’re so stupid, Mel. Did you honestly think it would ever be the same? That you could just walk back in those doors like you did on Monday and pretend that it never happened? I was almost to the gym door when someone caught me by the arm.

It was Will.

“I need to talk to you,” he whispered.

I didn’t bother arguing. Instead, I let him lead me past the gym out the back door to the parking lot. We stopped when we got behind the field house.

I dropped my book bag and purse and stared expectantly at him. When I did, I gasped. I’d never seen him so shaken. His body trembled, and his face was ashen. His emotional pain crushed him physically. And that broke my heart.

He stood with his lip quivering like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

“Will?”

Finally, he lowered his head. “Is what they’re saying about my…” he choked on the words.

No, please don’t ask that. Ask me anything else. Ask me about the weather or how many shots I’m averaging a game.

I had to think fast. His gaze burned into my face. Once again, I vied for a Best Actress Academy Award. I gasped and reached out for him. “No, no, of course not!”

Tears of relief shimmered in his eyes. “Really?”

In the last forty-eight hours, I had never wanted to tell someone so much as I did at that moment. The words scorched my tongue. All I had to do was open my mouth, and they would tumble out.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I kept my mouth firmly shut and nodded. He exhaled slowly before pulling me into his arms. His breath warmed my neck against the cold. “Thank God. I don’t know what I would have done if it had been true.” He kissed the top of my head. “I would have died, I guess. I couldn’t have lived with myself if Dad had done that to you.”

A sob caught in my throat at his words. Of course, he would have died. How does one survive the news your father raped your girlfriend? Your heart would stop instantly, and no matter how many people pumped up and down on your chest or how many times they shocked you back, you wouldn’t survive. How could you?

But in the same token, I wondered how I was still standing. Why wasn’t I six feet under from the shock of what had happened? How was I living, breathing, and lying like nothing had happened? Part of me might have been living, but the other part of me wished I was dead. I shuddered at the thought. I closed my eyes and pressed myself closer to Will. For the first time all morning, I felt safe.

He sighed, this time his breath warmed my ear. “I feel like a real prick for even thinking it. I mean, he’s my dad. I shouldn’t have even questioned it.”

No, Will, your dad is the prick. I pulled away to stare into his eyes. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s only natural for you to question it.”

“I mean, when I heard it was Jordan, I didn’t believe it. I know what kinda girl she is, and I’ve seen the way she struts her ass in front him.” He angrily shook his head.

I nodded. “I can’t believe they took her word. I tried telling the detectives today what kind of girl she is.”

Will’s face softened. “You took up for him?”

“Of course I did. He’s been my coach for four years.” I paused and drew in a deep breath. “And he’s your dad.”

Tears welled in Will’s eyes. “You don’t know what it did to me when they mentioned your name. When they said, he’d…” he shut his eyes before he continued. “that he’d raped you, too.”

“Will, don’t,” I urged.

He opened his eyes. “I-I didn’t want to even imagine it.”

Neither do I. That’s why I’m lying—for you and for me. I brought my hand to his cheek. “I’m sorry you had to hear it from the gossipers.”

“I didn’t hear it from them…I heard it from the police.”

My hand jerked away to rest over my mouth. “What?”

He nodded. “They read off the charges when they came to arrest him.”

“They actually arrested him?”

Will leaned back against the field house wall. “Yeah, with handcuffs, reading his rights, and putting him into the back of the police car in front of all the neighbors leaving for work.”