Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 4 Chapter 3a

During Winter Break, Ophelia had told Ani and Jessica about the video. She also told Marisa about it. She might have told Justin, if he had been home. But he hadn't been, so she tried to forget about it. She didn't want to bring it up after he got back, it would only stress him. Ophelia would rather be stressed alone than bring someone down with her.

This did not seem like something Justin could have forgotten.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Justin yelled at him.

Zach sent him a sharp look. "Oh, piss of, Justin."

"You fucking sent Ophelia a fucking sex tape while she was trying to mourn Montgomery?" Justin asked in disbelief.

"Montgomery was dead and gone by then," Zach snapped at him.

"You're so fucked up," Justin told him.

"I am? Weren't you the one fucking snorting at the funeral where everyone was trying to mourn Montgomery-"

"Enough!" Jessica told him. "Jesus, you guys. We need to learn to work together."

Ani spoke up, saying, "Has anyone else heard Ophelia express doubt? Clay?"

"I don't talk to her," Clay mumbled.

"She's at your house all the time," Ani huffed. "Think."

"She talks to Justin, and my parents," Clay said. "I-I don't think anyone brings Montgomery up."

Ani swiftly turned to Justin. "Okay, then Justin? She confides in you. Has she expressed any doubt?"

All eyes turned to Justin.

Ani pressed, "At anytime at all?"

Justin gulped. "Um..."

He could just imagine them hopping onto what happened the other day. Some of the pieces were starting to fall through the cracks. But Ophelia would be fine if left alone, he was almost sure of it.

He cleared his throat. "No. I haven't heard anything about it."

Ani let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good. Actually, that's great."

Alex and Tony walked up to the group.

"What the fuck is going on over here?" Tony asked.

At the same time, Alex said, "You guys are gonna be late for the busses."

Ani paced impatiently.

"One of us needs to stay by Ophelia's side today," she said. "Make sure whoever spray painted the doors doesn't bother her."

"I'll do it," Zach said, casually.

"We need someone to walk with her, not make her run in the other direction," Jessica told him. "It should be Tony."

"I don't mind," Tony said. "We could catch up." That had been something Tony had been desperately trying to do. But Ophelia stayed home as much as possible now, and she would not let anyone come to her house.

Tony did not know what happened between Ophelia and her mother that made her temporarily move in with him, but part of him was sad it got resolved so quickly. He missed her.

Justin frowned. "She's in my group, I'll stay with her."

Jessica started to say, "But Tony can-"

"We were gonna tour together, anyway," Justin said.

For a moment, Jessica just watched him suspiciously, before turning back to Ani.

"Who's gonna be watching Tyler?"