Justin Foley | Love It If We Made It

chapter thirty eight

But Tyler didn't shock Natalie - she knew he was brave. She knew he was past everything that happened to him. Justin standing up. That's what surprised her. She felt her body shift. She joined the crowd in applauding. Proud of her friends for their fearlessness.

"I'm so proud of you." Natalie hugged Tyler. They were approached by Casey, causing tension in Natalie.

"I just wanted to say I'm really sorry. For being a dick to you in the beginning. You're really brave." She nodded to Tyler and despite Natalie not expecting anything, Casey turned to her as well. "And I guess I judged you too quickly, Natalie Walker. I owe you an apology."

"Yeah, don't sweat it. And I'm sorry for slapping you, that wasn't cool." Natalie chuckled. She would always be the girl with the rapist brother who allowed her best friend to get raped after stealing her boyfriend. But maybe with the support she tried her best to give Tyler, she could be known for more than that. She could make up for her mistakes.

Natalie approached Justin with Clay. "Clay, where the fuck have you been?" Justin asked as he was confused to see him with Natalie.

"I have to go." Clay shook his head.

"What? You can't run now." Natalie exclaimed. "Was that real back then?" She asks Justin but was cut off by sheriffs entering the gym.

"Clay Jensen." They approached. "You're under arrest for the murder of Bryce Walker. Turn around. Put your hands behind your back."

That whole thing about her changing the view on her? Being the good guy for once? Yeah that was out the window after she convinced him to come back just to have him arrested "Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can not afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court."

The crowd began to watch them leave as Natalie called her mother quickly. "What the hell, Mom? Clay just got arrested!" She exclaims to the voicemail.

-

"Mom, you have to listen to me. Clay didn't kill Bryce. Monty did." Natalie explained. "Clay and Bryce spent no time together in those last months, I happen to know that Bryce threatened and confronted Monty the night of the Homecoming game. You've seen Monty, he's a roid monster with daddy issues. He acted out and killed Bryce."

"I don't know, honey. It just sounds like awfully a lot. Bryce didn't have too many friends, I can't understand why he would threaten one of the only ones he had left." Nora shook her head. "What was the confrontation about?"

Natalie looked around before taking a breath. "I can't say. It's private." She says slowly.

"Well then that proves nothing. I'm sorry, Natalie. I know you like to see the good in people but Clay Jensen is bad news." Nora responded, causing an upset Natalie to storm out of the room.

-

Her mother was right about one thing. Bryce didn't have many friends left - he had Monty and he had Natalie. Their lunch break and free period happened to coincide so once a week, they would hang out for lunch despite Natalie lying and said she had extra homework to her friends.

That Homecoming day, they visited their mother on their lunch break. "Good class, teach." Natalie winked at her mother as she walked into the yoga room Nora was in.