train wreck // justin foley

49

we were talking to matt and lanie about that night and lanie asked clay another question.

"so you didn't see bryce after that?" she asked. "over the summer, this fall?"

"no." clay replied.

"you have no contact with him at all?" lanie asked. he looked at me and justin.

"no, no contact at all." clay replied.

"never went over to his new house? threatened him again?" lanie asked.

"no." clay replied.

"can you think of any other reasons why the police would suspect you?" she asked him.

"it's mrs. walker, she's out to get me. look, you have to believe me. i didn't do anything." clay told his mom.

"clay, we believe you. we just... the more we know, we can better protect you." matt told him.

"there's nothing to know."

"dennis has agreed to represent you. he started out in the PD's office. he knows criminal defense." lanie said.

"i'm not a criminal."

"we know." matt said to clay.

"clay, we need to take action. we need to protect you." lanie said.

"so, what... what can i do?" clay asked.

"nothing. dennis was very clear about that." lanie informed him.

"you don't wanna give the police or mrs. walker anything they could use against you." matt said.

"we'd like you to see dr. ellman." lanie informed her son.

"why?" he asked.

"it's just a check in. this is a tricky time. it might be useful to... talk it through." matt said.

"so you think i'm like... crazy?" clay asked.

"we don't." matt reassured.

"mental illness might come up—"

"we don't! we just thought it might be with talking to him. but right now, you guys have to get to school." matt interrupted. justin and clay got up to go into their outhouse.

"right now, analeia is asleep, but she has milk in the fridge, ready for when she wakes up." i said, hugging them both.

"have a good day, kiddo." matt said to me. i smiled and walked away. i walked into the outhouse and saw justin cursing to himself.

"where's clay?" i asked.

"guess." justin said to me.

"he went to go see mrs. walker, didn't he?" i asked, crossing my arms.

"yeah. he did."

"and you didn't try to talk him out of it?" i asked.

"yes, i did, kylie. but you know as well as i do that he never fucking listens to anyone." he replied. i pushed my hair back and sat on his bed.

"alex is still juicing. he screamed at me yesterday and now the whole school knows we're back together." i said to him.

"are you fucking kidding me?" he asked.

"don't, justin. look at me. don't." i said, holding his face to face me. he softly kissed me.

"i love you." he said to me.

"i love you, too." i replied, smiling. we walked out and went to school.

when i got to school, i sat in my class and opened up my books. suddenly, alex sat next to me.