Deal With It

forty five

A cloak of silence fell over the room and just when I saw Arissa open her mouth to speak, I stopped her. "I know," I said. "I know I should have made a run for it but I panicked. I found ending him and saving my life easier than running like a coward. Although, now I think shooting him was a lot more cowardly."

"I had no idea how hard things were for you. You were just a kid," she said. I looked at her strangely.

"I just told you how I shot someone and that's what you say?"

She smiled, pulling me up to sit beside her. "You just told me how you defended yourself and most people in your position would do that. It just comes down to the fight-or-flight response, and you, Tyler, I believe are a fighter."

I shook my head unbelievably. "How did I get so lucky? I don't deserve you, Arissa."

Her cheeks turned red and she gave a nervous laugh, "that's not true. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you," she muttered, being ridiculous.

I was still curious to know how she knew and on asking, she informed me that Daniel had found out. She described their conversation and said she would tell him to keep it hidden, not wanting to risk me being jailed. However, I told her not to. I would testify, I would tell them it was self-defence and then the judge could decide whether to let me go or not. Lies and guilt were things I didn't want to pull along with me into my future. I needed a fresh, clean slate, without having to look behind my back every step of the way.

"So that's why Gabriel did it; revenge," she stated, shaking her head. "If you hadn't pulled through, I'd probably end up in a jail cell too."

I laughed, mockingly holding my hand over my chest in shock. "Oh, really? Sweet little Arissa would never," I gasped.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "I would in this case."

I slumped back against the sofa, folding an arm behind my head as I thought about what Arissa said regarding Gabriel's motive.

Revenge. It was a nasty thing, no doubt, leading people to do things they would usually never even bring to mind. But did it really make him shoot me? Why was I being drawn away from him and towards Jake, then?

"I don't think Gabriel did it," I said. "I really don't. It's too much of a coincidence that I went there for Jake, but conveniently got shot at the party by a different guy who hates me. It's the perfect plan, right? Easily shifting the blame from one person to another?"

She tucked her bottom lip in, thinking deeply. "It makes sense," she said after a minute. "But Zach said—"

"Zach's a liar," I interjected, surprising her. "I don't understand why you trust him so much. He works for Jake, remember? Right tosser, he is."

She frowned. "He's the only reason I found you."

"That doesn't prove anything," I huffed. "Tell me, why exactly does he think it's Gabriel?"

She gulped. "He said he knew something wasn't right when you went to Gabriel's house."

"Bullshit!" I exclaimed, standing up. "Nobody knows what happened between me and Sawyer, and I didn't even know Gabriel was his brother until he told me himself!"

"Oh," she said. I whipped back so I could see her and the corners of her mouth were still turned down into a frown. She spoke again, "I'm sorry, it was stupid of me to believe him so easily."

"Don't apologise," I told her. "It isn't your fault that you're too nice," I laughed. "But I do really need to talk to him."

"I can arrange that," she quickly said, standing up too. "I'll call him now." She pulled her phone out and turned away to walk out of the room.