Nets and Lies(29)

“Seems like I remember a time when you and Jordan were BFFs,” Lauren mused.

Kara rolled her eyes. “Please don’t remind me!” She kicked a loose pebble with her shoe before climbing back on JT’s truck bed. “Besides, that was before she was a sleazebag ho.”

“She dated your brother, too, didn’t she?” Breanna asked.

“Ugh, yes, on and off for like two years. Why, I don’t know. Carson is the biggest ass**le I know!”

Paul nodded his perfectly coiffed Afro while JT snorted. “Yeah, he is a pretty big ass**le.”

Through all the affirmations for his dad, Will remained silent. He stroked wide circles with his finger on my palm. I pulled my hand away and took his hand in mine. “It’ll be fine,” I murmured. I said it more for my own benefit than for his.

He stared into my eyes for an eternity before he finally smiled. “Yeah, I hope so.”

Paul stood up. “Well, I say we do something besides sitting around on our asses.”

Kara and Breanna exchanged glances. “And just what did you have in mind?” Breanna asked.

Paul shrugged. “I dunno. Something like a protest—you know, like in the 60’s.”

“Like a Coach T rally?” Kara asked.

JT nodded slowly before grinning. “Dude, that sounds like a hell of an idea!”

Through the hair shrouding my face, I peeked over at Will. His face lightened up instantly at the idea of a supportive rally for his dad.

“Okay, ace, where would we do it?” Lauren questioned.

“Like here at the school?” Paul suggested.

“Nah…” JT murmured.

Everyone fell silent for a minute then Paul snapped his fingers. “We could do it in front of the jail!”

I gasped. “The jail?”

He nodded as a big grin spread across his face. “Yeah, I mean, he hasn’t gotten bonded out yet. And maybe he could hear us!”

It took a moment for it to sink in with everyone, but then they began talking at once.

“I bet we could get the news to come.”

“We could start it at the school and drive in a caravan.”

“And have posters and signs.”

“I know my mom and dad would be in on it.”

The voices blended around us like a hornet’s nest of activity. Will squeezed my hand. His deep brown eyes had the first flicker of light in them since his dad had been arrested. It didn’t matter how I felt that all my friends were organizing a protest in my ra**st’s honor. No, those thoughts were the farthest things from my mind. As long as Will was okay, I was okay.

***

By the next morning, word of the protest had grown to a frenzy. Once the booster club found out about it, they’d enacted the phone chain—the one usually only used in case of snow days or deaths in the family. It was truly something to behold. Every parent of a player had been called and sworn their allegiance to help in any way. Paul’s dad even called all the local news stations and the newspapers.

Lauren organized a banner painting that afternoon after practice. Her mom and Breanna’s mom were raiding Home Depot for paint, brushes, and signs while we were at school. Several other parents offered to buy pizza and drinks for all the workers. It sounded like it was going to be a fun time—at least whatever fun was supposed to be now, after everything that had happened to me.

That afternoon as I ran out of the locker room, my dad’s partner, Garrison Michaels, stood outside the door, briefcase in hand. When he saw me, he stepped forward. “Melanie, we need to talk,” he said sternly.

Lauren and Kara glanced at me before they ran to meet Coach Simms at half court. “Um, okay.”

As I looked around for somewhere private, Garrison motioned to Coach T’s office. “How about there?”

My stomach churned at the thought of being closed into the scene of the crime. But I managed to bob my head and follow Garrison. The moment the door closed behind us, tiny beads of sweat popped out on my forehead. The room never seemed so small, and I had to fight to keep breathing.

“Maybe you should sit down?” he suggested, motioning at the futon.

I stared at it in horror before turning my back to it. I took my anger out on Garrison by shooting him a seething look. Not only was I pissed that he had shown up at school, but I also didn’t like his tone. “No, I’m fine. What is it?”

“I’m sorry I had to interrupt your practice like this, but we’ve got to set up a time to take your deposition.”

“Oh, that.”

Garrison nodded. “I wanted to try to give you some time to process everything that had happened. Since I was already here speaking to Dr. Micheltree, I thought I would catch you.”

“When do you need me to do it?”

“As soon as possible. How about this evening after practice?”

I shook my head. “Tonight’s really not a good time. You see I’m supposed to go help paint banners and signs for the protest we’re having.”

Garrison’s expression darkened. “Yes, I heard about the protest.”

“Can’t I do it another time?”

He shook his head. “Melanie, there’s another reason why I’m here besides the deposition.  Earlier today, the DA brought forward some evidence in the case against Mark Thompson.”