I Killed Jason Hargrove

Chapter 7: You've Committed A Crime

"Wait. I- you- I don't- that doesn't-" Vera stuttered. "What?!"

I had somehow managed to get a miserable and crying Vera halfway across the school, into my car, and my room without having her jumping out the window in guilt or cutting my head off in frustration.

To say I feel accomplished would be an understatement.

So now she was pacing around my room like a very confused Bambi. Like, literally Bambi. She ran into the bookshelf four times. And then tripped over the chair. And then nearly slammed my head against the desk after she fell on top of me because she tripped over the rug.

I don't think she should be legally allowed to walk anymore. Or drive. How did this girl ever get her driver's license?

Not to mention she's, rightfully, cuddling with the giant stuffed Bambi toy that my sister got when she was five. But that's not the point.

She's also ruining my carpet with her heels. That's not the point either.

"Ok," she said, after finally managing to get a hold of her words. "So you're saying that you actually killed Jason."

"Yeah."

"That he didn't die when I pushed him."

"Yep."

"But instead he died when you pushed him."

"Yeah."

"Wait, let me get this straight. You and Julia were hanging out and climbing trees, for some strange reason, in the woods while I was walking home on Lakeside Path. And then I accidentally pushed Jason off the bridge and screamed and you guys heard me and decided to follow my voice. Somehow, Jason survived the fall and you guys found him when he was still alive and breathing at the bottom of the bridge. And then you argue and accidentally pushed him, so he fell down into the ditch at the bottom of the bridge while I was still trying to find my away around the bridge and down to the ditch. Then you guys heard me coming and left. And you didn't even realize it was me until I found Jason dead," Vera summed up. "Right?"

"Yeah," I confirmed. I had to admit, it was hard for me to process too. I never heard Vera's side of the story and the fact that she pushed him off the bridge and thought she killed him was a lot to handle.

"That's why Julia confessed, isn't it?" Vera asked. "Because she was trying to defend you."

I nodded.

She plopped down into the bed next to me, thankfully not falling on top of me again and butchering my face with my own desk.

Vera ran her hands through her long, brown silky hair. "This is so, crazy."

"Yeah, it is."

"I didn't take off my heels yet."

"What?"

"My heels," Vera clarified as she shoved the heels off her feet, "It's crazy that I didn't take them off yet. What was I thinking?"

"I... um... I don't know?"

"You're right. I probably wasn't even thinking."

"Um... You're welcome?"

"I decided to put mascara on when I knew I was mentally traumatized. So stupid."

"Okay?"

"Maybe it was just because a break down just looks cooler with mascara on?"

"Sure?"

"God I sound evil. And suicidal."

"You do?"

"Who would ever classify their own mental breakdown as cool?"