Before Killing Was Cool ➊ FRERARD

25: Guilt Tripping Mikey Way

She's telling him this now? After eight goddamn months? 'A suspect for harassment', like he's worried about that. He almost can't wait to tell her about how he committed a breaking and entering offence, before calling her up to sleep soundly on her sofa. She knows his main motive is Pete and this has nothing to do with his boyfriend, but rather a mass murderer who is long gone. Needless to say, he's hardly thought about it and has no clue what she's babbling about.

Mikey shakes his head dumbly.

"You're facing prosecution." When she sees his look of shock-horror, she quickly continues. "Don't worry, okay? I'll find you the best lawyer money can buy. The thing is, the parents of those dead kids," she grimaces at her choice of words, "need someone who's actually here to pin this on. They're furious because it's been over half a year and we've arrested nobody. It was a mass murder, as you're well aware, and things like this don't just disappear."

"You can't be serious." He sits back further on his chair in disbelief. They can't blame him. He was a child caught in a shooting, the 'lucky' one who got away after seeing his friends murdered. He realises why she's bringing this up now soon enough. "There's something new, isn't there?"

"Yes, someone has come forward and told me some stories." She shakes her head. "Come outside, I need a cigarette."

He follows her and each step he takes feels closer to impending doom. Gone is that initial annoyance at being brought into the station for yet another day, and in its replacement is white-hot dread. She lights a cigarette impatiently and starts sucking on it.

"Pete told me you bullied Frank," she tells him.

He frowns. This doesn't make sense. Sure, she hasn't known this truth until now and he wants to strangle Pete for letting her in on it, but so what? People are bullied on a daily basis and while he's not proud of what he did by standing back and letting it happen, this can't be worthy of any charges. Mikey isn't the one who picked up that gun and decided to commit multiple homicides.

Upon noticing his bafflement, she continues, "He said you told Frank to do it."

"To do what?" He still isn't catching on. This is like yet another bad dream. Alicia's stare hardens.

"To kill all your friends," she remarks. The comment is like a whip to his cheek. This traitor, this wicked man he loves to death.

He could cry. Isn't it bad enough he's already lost so much?

"I never wanted any of this!" His sudden outburst surprises neither of them. "Pete's lying! You know what he's like, he's a manipulative snake who gets off on twisting people's opinions and toying with their emotional wellbeing. I never knew Frank would do what he did and it's Pete who's being charged as some sort of accomplice here, not me—"

"His father called in this morning," Alicia interrupts him and his words die in his constricting throat, "and said you broke into his house last night."

Damn it! Why did he think everything might be alright for once? He supposes he had this coming. Mr Wentz doesn't know him and he had every right to report the crime, so Mikey can't blame him. He is, however, at a loss for words. "I..."

"This is a serious allegation," Alicia says angrily.

"What did he say?" Mikey chokes out.

She replies, "That you were looking for money for Pete's bail. And that it was probably because you didn't want him talking."

"Talking about what? I've done nothing wrong regarding the shooting!" He wants to rip his hair from his scalp. Everything is unraveling so fast and none of it makes sense. He just hopes she isn't buying any of the lies. "Everything I've ever confessed - Jesus, you saw the marks he left on me. You saw the footage of the notebook in his locker and you've heard my statements and you - you accuse me of what, encouraging someone to violently slaughter my friends?"