Chapter 30
"It still looks the same as it did back then."
Present time
"Yes, and that's pretty much how it all happened," I said at the end.
I was relieved... the last time I told the story was to the officers and since then I have been suppressing it somewhere.
While telling the story Cedric decided to park on the street.
I also decided to sit in the back after a while.
The whole time the two of them listened to me with attention.
"Wow." Cedric exclaimed while running his fingers through his hair.
Lizzie, sitting next to me, had to process all the words herself.
"Back then you told me what happened to your school, but you never mentioned that you were there," she said.
"I know... I know. But what I told you was true somewhere."
"I miss that little bastard, you know?" spoke the gray-eyed boy to lighten the serious mood.
"So do I... believe me." I answered him.
"What happened after that?" asked the green-eyed one, nervously.
"Police came... I was questioned, of course, but I just wasn't in the right state of mind at the time. But I knew I had to talk... so I tried to do everything I could to get the guys caught, but it never happened." I said with a sigh at the end.
"Why?" asked the older one.
"Not much proof. A 15 year old girl standing alone and a statement against 3 guys with families who had lots of money for good lawyers."
"Your parents... where were they?" the dark blonde asked again.
"Police became aware when there was an attempt to contact the parents and both were unavailable and out of town. Lawsuits followed and I was then sent here to my uncle... my mother's brother." I explained in full detail.
"Also, of course, both of them were then home at some point since they were obligated to help me pack... including Alex's stuff, of course."
Lizzie lightly squeezed the girl's hand which linked with her at some point during the story.
"Cedric... what happened to you then? Why am I only hearing about you now?" I asked now.
"Between me and your brother everything was always good Bella... as I said he was my best friend, but there was a time when we both had different opinions. And one of them was that I didn't believe your brother back then what he had told me."
While telling the story, he kept both hands on the steering wheel.
"I regret it to this day. But instead of getting angry I decided to finish what your brother started Bella."
I nodded as I listened.
"As you know the school covered it up what happened to your brother and I had the luck to hear it from your mother at the time."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"I didn't get any more calls or messages from your brother.. for days I didn't. It really bothered me that we didn't were on good terms. I got worried and then headed to your house, where I was never usually invited. You must know that he always told us that visitors are never allowed at your house for some reason." he said with a smirk at the end.
"So I went there and saw boxes and furniture being carried out of your house... there I met your mother... she even recognized me, she knew me when I was little. Yes.. and that followed her telling me about you and him."
"I was probably already on my way over here by then," I commented.
"Good possible. I only know how your mother asked me to take things from your brother, because they wanted to throw away a lot of things. And that's where I found his tapes."
"So those were the cassettes. I didn't think anything of them back then," I said, slightly angered.
"You didn't know.. me neither at that time. Anyway, I took them and I've kept them ever since. I've tried to keep the friendship with Masons group ever since, but kept in mind what your mother told me at the time. She had told me bits and pieces back then.. now it's different to hear your perspective and his from back then." he finished.
"I see."
A short silence fell.
"Do we have a plan for what do we now?" I asked.
"More or less, yes. There's not enough time left in today to talk about it, though." the older boy said before starting the car again. "What is definitely planned for us is that we have to go to the football game."
"Why?" I asked.
"A football game. Victory or not what does that mean? A party... and who's going to run it? Mason Donavan."
"He's already expecting us anyway." spoke up Lizzie beside me.
The boy was now driving back down the road that led in the direction of our houses.
"Bella... before that, what did you mean by the idea that you might need me?" asked the dark blonde next to me.
I look beside me to see the questioning face of the Olsen girl.
Shortly after, I looked ahead to the gray-eyed boy whose driving.
"Cedric if the Olsen Twins are so close with Mason and the boys is it possible they know something?"
"Quite possible. I'm actually not that close with them. I'm more of a fan of the Olsen next to you." he said with a smile. "But what are you getting at?"
"Lizzie, if one of your sisters has been with Mason before... surely there's a possibility that something similar might have happened to one of them, right?" the Brooks said in a tone not wanting to upset the Olsen.
The girl's eyebrows furrowed as she looked away.
"Now that you mention it... well maybe. Do you think I should take it as a task to find something out?"
"If you'd be okay with that... because I think it would be a help to us for later to get your sisters on our side at some point."
"Bella you are thinking way too simple." said Cedric.
"I mean don't get them to confess anything now. I just think it might be important for later." The car now pulled up to the street next to where the Olsen house stood.
"We're here."
"I'm going to try. I will see you guys."
The girl opened the door but before she put her foot out she turned around to give me a kiss on the cheek.
"We'II text later."
"Of course." I answered her with a grin.
The door closed and I squeezed back into the front seat.
The car drove on and suddenly I heard a laugh from the gray eyed one.
"Now I can understand why Lizzie never wanted anything from me... she really likes you a lot."
"So you've already tried it with the young Olsen?" I asked curiously.
"I'm not going to lie to you, yes. Lizzie is a nice girl... but when you showed up my chance vanished." he said with a smile.
I just grinned in response.
"So are you guys a couple now? Or what is it?"
It was weird.. yet I trusted the boy to talk about it.
"Well, we are somewhere. Unofficial I'd say."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"The "I like you" fell...the "I love you" fell--"
"Wow wait.. really now?" he said in surprise.
"Yeah yeah... just the "will you be my official girlfriend" hasn't yet."
"Do you need that? To me, you guys are already a couple."
"I don't know. I like it the way it is, I just like to overthink things and I wonder if maybe that's what she wants, you know?"
"Do you want me to give you an answer?" he said with a quick glance at me.
"Yes would be helpful."
"Just do it. It's something sweet and even if, what do you have to lose? You like each other and it wouldn't make sense for her to say no when the "I love you" has already dropped."
He was right.
"Okay... thanks Cedric."
"You're welcome."
We were now a few feet away from the road that led to the house.
"I have two more questions for you Bella."
"Shoot."
Now we were standing right in the driveway of the house.
My uncle's car was there, meant Lauren and Luke were home.
"Do you know anything about a USB stick?"
I looked at him questioningly.
"Your brother told me about a USB stick besides the tapes back then... not long before the school thing happened after that."
I thought about it for a moment but a usb stick said nothing to me.
"No... doesn't tell me anything. Am I supposed to know?"
"That USB stick would probably be another big piece of evidence, along with the tapes, to get Mason busted for good."
"What's on it?"
"My guess is on videos Mason shoots with girls while he's... you know." he said with empathy in his voice.
"Oh."
I know what he meant.
I can remember very well how there was a camera pointed at me in that night.
What Donavan did with the videos or photos was always an open question.
He hadn't published them or I would surely be the talk of the town by now.
"Anyway. My other one is... what happened to Alex's car, actually?" he asked with interest.
"Oh. This actually fits very well." I said as I got out of the car.
"Wait.. where are you going?"
"Come with me. I was planning on going in after you left anyway." I said as I walked towards the garage door.
The older boy still had a confused look on his face.
I removed the lock on the garage before swinging it open.
"Ta-da!"
A 67' Chevrolet Impala.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." the boy said with a laugh.
"I've been working on it for a while now and I'd actually have it running by about Thursday," he said.
The baseball player walked around the car with his hand brushing past.
"It still looks the same as it did back then."
"I know. I found out at some point back then that the car was nearby at the fire and had taken some damage. When I was in a rough condition I didn't even think about it, but I decided to make it look nice again and as you can see it's working." I said with pride in my voice.
The car was also one of the things that remained of Alex.
I remember how much the boy had worked to buy the car from an older man. He had earned it. Now I have the honor to drive it.
"Your brother was a celebrity with that car... screw the girls, even the boys fell to his knees."
I chuckled.
"How about we drive it to the game on Thursday? I'll pick you and Lizzie up."
He looked at me with a happy smile, like I just gave a 6 year old a lollipop.
"Absolutely."
"Good, then I'll see you Cedric." I said as we walked out of the garage.
He smiled at me before making his way to the open driver's door... but a few steps before that he turned around and walked back towards me.
I looked at him confused, but I understood what he was going to do.
He stretched out his arms, leading me into a hug.
"Thank you Bella. I'm glad that we know each other now."
"Me too, Cedric."
After a while, he pulled away.
"You have the exact same eyes as him.. that makes me happy.
I smiled.
"Well I'm really going to go now, bye Bella."
I waved after him.
As his car left the driveway I made my way to the garage.
"Well let's get you ready baby."
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I still haven't given Cedric a last name I realised.
Suggestions?
And I'm sorry when he sometimes has dark blonde or brown hair.. I actually forgot which hair color I gave him in the beginning lol.
-A