Shades of Limelight

6: Reunion

Corey was the first boy I ever loved, and as much as I never wanted to see him ever again after he proposed to me unexpectedly in front of a crowd, he probably didn't want to see me even more. But there were some problems that were bigger than anything between us, and I hoped that he would see that.

"Is this going to be too much for you right now? If you want, I'll just talk to him so you don't have to," Ryan said.

I shook my head. "I'm fine, Ryan. I wouldn't have come up with this plan if I didn't feel strong enough to handle it in a professional manner."

"I don't doubt that at all. You just don't trust me to ask the questions you want, do you?"

I didn't answer that. That was one hundred percent the case. Instead, I knocked on the door to Corey's dorm room, and judging by the somersaults my stomach was doing with every passing second, I hoped he was at football practice or class or something. Someone rustled inside, though, and it looked like I would have to face him.

"Layla," Corey said as he opened the door with his eyebrows raised.

I didn't even give him a chance to say anything else before I began my script. "I'm not here for you. I'm here because I need to do my job and talk to you about something that happened at the party the other day."

"Is this about Courtney?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm just trying to get to the bottom of what happened. You know, get some justice for Courtney."

He stepped aside to let Ryan and me into his room. "Let's talk."

A gesture as simple and patient as that was why I let him lead us to the University of Wisconsin where we could both follow our dreams, but I couldn't let that distract me now. I had work to do.

"If you're here to accuse me of drugging her, I would never do anything like that, and I hope you know that," he began as I sat down at the desk next to his bed. Ryan stood beside me as I took out my notepad and pen to scribble down whatever specifics Corey could give me.

I shook my head. "I absolutely don't think you would try to hurt anyone like that, but I can't write an article based on that. I need as much information as you can give me. I was sitting next to her and talking to her right before it happened, and Ryan and I found her unconscious on the bathroom floor, but maybe someone else saw something that they are willing to tell us."

"I'm Ryan," Ryan said and extended his hand.

Corey hesitated before he shook it. "Nice to meet you."

I took in a breath. Could they be any more awkward? "He was the one who encouraged me to go to the party, for, um, obvious reasons," I said and left it at that.

"Well, if you're expecting one of the boys to narc on another, I think you're in for a sad reality check," Corey said and finally took a seat on his bed across from me.

"I thought about that, but I couldn't be proud of myself if I didn't even try."

He nodded. "I wish I could tell you that I saw something, but you know more about what happened than I do. I had just arrived when I heard all the commotion upstairs."

"Do you know anyone who was there earlier? Have you heard anyone talk about anything?"

"I can help you with that," he said. "What do you want? Names?"

I nodded. "That would be great, and I'll handle it from there. I could also use your written consent that I'm allowed to talk to them after our incident."

Corey took in a breath and stood up. As a lineman, he was a big guy, but I was used to him towering over me when it could have easily been intimidating. "Layla, would you stop referencing that if you're not willing to have a discussion about it? It's done. I thought you'd like a good surprise for once in your life."