Innocent

Eight

I wake to a knock on the door at six in the morning. The sun is just rising through my window, light seeps through the cracks of the curtains and shines in beams over the bed. I look over to see Lance sleeping with half his face buried in the pillow and when I sit up his arms slips from around my waist. Another knock sounds at the door so I skip down the stairs and check through the peephole. Police? What the hell are the police doing at my door at six in the morning.

I open the door, the smell of morning dew wafting into the house, "Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes, we are with the Fredericksburg police department and were wondering if we could ask you a couple questions about a recent video that you were apart of?" One of the two officers, a short, stout man questions, looking me over. I nod and invite them in.

We sit around the coffee table. My mom has come downstairs finally and is making coffee for the lot of us.

"So regarding the prank and the video that five other students pulled on you, that probably hurt quite a bit." Officer Garrett, the short and stout one starts.

I nod, "Yeah it sucked but its blown over now."

"It probably made you pretty upset though. Being humiliated and outed at school?"

My mother sits and clears her throat, "There was nothing to be outed about officer's, Keith was just confused and looking for a friend."

I try not to roll my eyes and face the officers sitting on my sofa. "I feel worse for the two kids that just died. What they did sucked but no one deserved that."

"Well actually as of this morning it's three kids." Officer Holt, the taller cop with tattoos down his left arm, informs nonchalantly.

My head throbs, "What? No... don't tell me..."

"Luis Rodriguez was found dead this morning. At first glance it looks like some kind of suicide. He was hanging in his closet from a water pipe. But looking further there scratch marks and bruising on his arms, almost like he'd been in a fight. We are investigating foul play at the moment and the only suspect we could turn up and connect the other deaths too, was you, Keith."

I shake my head, "No way, I wasn't even awake this morning."

"We believe he was killed around ten pm last night." Garrett adds.

"I was with a friend all night, I swear. This has to be a mistake." I stutter, I can feel my palms starting to sweat. They can't possibly think I'm responsible.

"Could we have the name and number of the friend?"

"He's upstairs right now. His name is Lance McClain. I can go get him."

"The Lance McClain from the video?" Holt questions.

"Yes... No... the real Lance. After the video spread he approached me and we became friends. We were hanging out and he stayed over last night it was late." I panic and wipe my hands on my PJ bottoms.

"Can you corroborate this story, Mrs. Kogane?"

"I got home from work around nine last night. I could hear the boys up watching movies all night. Now if you have no further evidence, I think you gentlemen should leave." My mom stands suddenly and moves to the door. The officers follow, exchanging glances and shaking their heads. After they leave my mom turns to me shaking her own head.

"You were with Lance McClain last night?" she demands, crossing her arms and standing over me.

"Mom, he's a really good guy, it's not a trick anymore." I push to my feet and she backs up.

"You don't know that, Keith, this boy could just be finishing what his bitch of a sister started! Kids are cruel, sweetheart, we're the only ones we can trust."

I shake my head, "You can't talk like that about someone you don't even know."

"I don't think you should see that boy anymore. You needs to cut ties with him and anyone else involved in what happened to you. To us."

"What happened had nothing to do with you! I'm an adult now mom. You can trust be to handle this. You can trust me to be friends with the people I choose to be friends with." My voice is straining, we've never argued like this before. It's terrifying. I've seen my mother angry but it's never been at me. And it was scary enough then.

"You're still just a child. A baby. You don't understand evil and you don't understand the things I've sacrificed to protect you."

"Lance is my friend. I won't budge on that."

"Fine. I guess it's a mother's job to let her child learn from his mistakes when he has to."

Getting back into my room I find Lance sitting up in bed, twiddling his thumbs uncomfortably. He tries for a smile at me but I can tell he's nervous or worried... maybe even hurt?

"I don't want to be the cause of any rifts in your family. I've been the cause of enough in mine." I can see so much pain in his eyes. It breaks me only further.

I crawl back onto bed and sit on my knees across from Lance. "You aren't the cause of any of that to me, Lance. You've been the only person keeping me sane and... happy through all this."

He nods but grimaces once more, "Do they really think you killed someone? I mean... there's no way you could be capable of that. Besides, we were together all night."

I sit next to him, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, that's what I told them. I know I didn't kill anyone but I still almost feel responsible-"

"Let me stop you right there, Keith, you are not responsible for anything. They were assholes and the guilt of it all finally caught up with them and yes it's horrible but it's not your fault." Lance reaches and touches his fingertips to the back of my hand. I hold back a smile and turn my palm up, letting his warmth spread over my skin as our fingers intertwine.

"But wait, it doesn't make sense still. They suspect foul play and if we know it's not you then... who is it?" Lance's grip tightens and a frown spreads across his face.

"I don't know, but the police are on it. They will figure it out. It's still pretty early... should we go back to bed or go get breakfast?" I try to change the subject.

Lance slips back down under the covers and buries his face back into the pillow. I take that as my answer and join him, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep but at least I'll get to watch his angelic face drift back off to sleep.

My mom leaves for the day again. She's been so strange. I'm beginning to think it has less to do with my newly found sexuality and work. She's never been this way and I can only think of one thing that would set her off this much. My dad. I don't remember him. Not even slightly. Everytime I bring my dad up my mom either shuts down or flies off the handle. He's a quick pull trigger. He must have resurfaced. Maybe he's some kind of scumbag who's come back to ask for money. Maybe he's in some sort of trouble. Maybe he wants our family back after all these years? Too late for that, but it would definitely be enough to put her off like this. Oh god... What if he saw the video? No. It definitely didn't go that viral. I need to figure this out. Maybe I could get on her phone or her computer and find messages from him. Something to explain her mood.

"Keith?" Lance stirs next to me and turns around to face me, "What're you thinking about?"

"My mom... and well, my dad."

"Your dad? You haven't mentioned him before." Lance sits up on his elbow and nudges me.

"I don't know him. Mom says he left after I was born and we have never heard from him since but... it has me thinking about why she'd be so upset lately." I puff up the pillow and lay on my back.

"That could make sense for sure. Think you could ask her about it?"

"I'm going to try tonight but in the past she has never opened up about him. If that doesn't work I might need to do some uh... private investigating." I smirk slightly.

Lance grins, "Mm, private investigating? Sounds hot."

I punch his arm and laugh, "Not what I mean. I'll figure out what's up. Don't worry."