ONE MONTH LATER
"Edward! Hanna is here already!" Edward's mother called from downstairs the moment she opened the door. "Come in dear, have some cookies while you wait."
Hanna smiled warmly at Edward's mother who has been so kind and accommodating. She'd been ecstatic about the prospect of Edward bringing home a girl to introduce to her parents and the two of them got along like a house on fire.
Hanna's been over to their house a few times already and she was always made to stay for dinner which eventually led to dessert and card games that lasted into the night.
She followed her past the living room and stairwell as they headed straight for the kitchen. Hanna sat on a stool and took a fresh cookie from the oven tray lying on the counter.
"How have you girls been?" Mrs. Delgado asked as she fussed around with the knobs on her built in oven.
"We've been good. Just keeping track of the trials like everyone else," Hanna replied within bites.
Just like the rest of Wisconsin, Mrs. Delgado was well aware of the news that has been plaguing the entire country for the past few weeks.
The news of the murders, Eva's confession implicating Lennox and Tyler and Julian subsequently being acquitted were all everyone was talking about whether it was on the news channels, online or even regular conversations at dinner.
Everyone was shocked that Julian turned out to be innocent and worst of all framed. Tyler and Lennox were the villains everyone had now turned to hate and Eva remained a huge topic of debate.
Because even though she had been involved, she had also helped save Hanna and her friends. There were people who defended her and there were those who protested for her to be charged with the same prison sentences as Tyler and Lennox.
Julian was now seen as an innocent victim and the justice system has been receiving the harshest blowback from the public. People are saying he wasn't tried fairly and blaming the unfair judicial process.
The real mud on the authorities faces occurred when Julian admitted to Lola and her friends helping him clear his name. There was a public furore. People were appalled that a few teenagers were able to do what the justice system had failed to do to begin with.
Needless to say Lola, Hanna, Nalini, Edward and Damien had now become the public's unsung heroes to the entire county, maybe even the state.
Hanna's twitter and instagram handle blew up within a few days and so did her friends, Damien's being the most popular. On a rare occasion, some even stopped on the street to get their autographs.
The whole thing was crazy and felt like a dream or a k-drama. Come to think of it, this whole story made the makings of a killer k-drama.
Hanna was busy imagining herself as the lead character when Edward came bounding down the stairs.
"My queen! Sorry for making you wait," Edward pushed up his glasses and ran a hand through his styled hair.
It took him about thirty minutes just to get his hair right for their outings and Hanna had grown tired of telling him that none of that mattered to her. Nevertheless, a guy wanted to look good for her and she secretly liked that he took such an effort.
"If I had a penny for every minute you make me wait."
"I know. I know. But don't worry I'll be a billionaire soon and then you'd never have to think about pennies, only notes." He sidled up to her and pecked her on the cheek before grabbing the rest of her cookie.
"Hey that's mine! There are so many others on the tray," Hanna reached out but he swallowed it down before she could grab it back.
"I know but yours is always tastier," He smiled at her cheekily making her cheeks warm.
"Edward, behave. And take your own cookie next time," His mother warned with a smile on her face. "You two should hurry on or you'll be late for dinner with your friends. Hanna, take some cookies for them."
Hanna hugged the Tupperware to her chest, the warmth from the freshly baked cookies seeping through felt like a comfort hug. Edward took her hand in his and she felt small tingles of excitement spread across her skin.
She always felt this way with him, it was amazing that she had never noticed him before and now she couldn't get enough of him. She loved his lame jokes, his laughter, his smile and the way he looked at her through those thick rimmed glasses.
They sat in his mother's car and he started the engine.
"Hanna, did I mention that you look beautiful today? Red is definitely your color."
Hanna leaned against her seat and smiled at him fondly. "You said that the day before yesterday when I was in blue."
"Damn, why do you have to look good in everything!" His complaint was met with her laughter as she hit him lightly on his arm.
"Edward Delgado, you are a nut sometimes but I'm crazy about you," She admitted and he stopped the car. "Edward! We are in the middle of the road."
He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips, just before someone honked at them from behind. "My queen, I'm the lucky one here. I'm seriously the luckiest guy in school."
"Shut up, your so cheesy." Hanna hit his arm again.
"Is everyone there already?" Edward asked and Hanna pulled out her phone to call Nalini.
"Hey Hanna, just left the detention centre. Heading to the restaurant now." Nalini's voice crackled through the phone.
"You visited her again?" Hanna asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, I'll see you guys soon, okay." She hung up before Hanna could ask more and she looked at Edward who was just as perplexed as her.
***
Nalini almost nodded off to sleep before her name was called and she got up abruptly earning a look from the gruff looking woman beside her.
She hurried to the security check point and handed in her belongings. She then walked through the scanner and held her breath while the tall security officer checked her entire body.
She'd already been through this a few times and but somehow she never got used to it.
"You're good to go," The woman said and she was led through a set of doors to the visiting room with it's bland tables that stretched from the entrance to the other end of the room. There was a panel of reinforced glass separating one side of the room from the other and half of the room was already occupied with visitors.
They held the connecting phones to their ears as they spoke to the inmates on the other side of the room.
The tall man pointed to the seat meant for her and Nalini rushed away, not wanting to annoy the grumpy looking officer.
She took a seat and her fingers tapped on the smooth metal table as she waited for the door to the other side to open.
A few seconds passed by and she started to feel a whirlwind of panic as she wondered if she wouldn't show today.
Just then the doors to the other side of the juvenile detention centre swung open and out walked Eva, dressed in dark orange overalls.
The drabby colour would have washed out any other persons skin but to Nalini she still looked as beautiful as she always did. Her hair was tied up into a messy ponytail and there were small dark circles under her eyes but she still stood out as the most stunning person in the room.
Eva took a seat in front of Nalini and gave her a tight smile. "Aren't you tired of coming here?"
"No, I have carcerophobia. Figured this was a way to fix my fears. It has nothing to do with you." Nalini pressed the phone to her ear as she spoke.
Eva laughed which made Nalini smile.
Nalini couldn't explain the joy she felt whenever she managed to make Eva smile during her visits. Ever since Eva had been charged and detained in juvy without bail, the entire town had practically abandoned her.
Her so called friends were now defaming her on their social media platforms and pretended they were never friends to begin with.
Eva had refused to implicate her mother but Tyler's statement had caused Mrs. Maximus sudden disappearance. It was like she had disappeared off the face of the Earth.
Even her father refused to acknowledge her as his daughter anymore. He was now fully focused on his long lost son Julian.
Nalini knew this because it was all over the news. Eva, Tyler and Lennox were all everyone was talking about once the charges were filed and trial would be commencing.
"You ready for trial? Who's the lawyer representing you?" Nalini asked.
Eva's smile immediately vanished and she leaned back, looking withdrawn. "Some lawyer doing pro bono for the publicity. I don't even know why I need a trial, I've already confessed."
"Eva don't be dumb. Some of those charges are very serious. You need to make you case so that your sentence is reasonable. And you need a good lawyer for that."
Even though Eva hadn't committed the murders personally, she was still involved in instigating them and then hiding about the real killers. Because of this she had been charged with one count of obstruction of justice, one count of being an accessory to murder after the fact and one count of murder by accomplice.
The third was the most serious and Nalini was worried for Eva. She could be sentenced to life.
"I'm honestly fine here. It's not like I have anyone else out there waiting for me," Eva shrugged her thin shoulders non chalantly. Nalini never noticed how much weight she had lost.
"I am waiting for you," Nalini burst in a fit of anger and then her eyes widened when she realised what she had just said.
Eva leaned forward, her gaze curious. "Why? I thought you hated me. You should hate me after everything I've done. I'm a horrible person."
Nalini pulled up her sleeve and showed Eva the burn scar on her forearm. "You saved my life. If it wasn't for you I would be dead. Yes, you made some terrible mistakes but who doesn't make mistakes?"
Eva's eyes grew watery and she wiped them with the back of her sleeve. "I suppose some of that is true. I mean you're clearly not an idiot. Sometimes."
Nalini scoffed in response. "Hah, try first in class."
"Second."
"No, first."
"Always second."
The two girls laughed and Eva put her hand on the glass window. "I appreciate you coming here."
Nalini hesitated as she stared at every line on Eva's palm and then she placed her own hand on the other side of the glass. Her heart beat in her chest as she imagined what her hand would feel like.
Most likely soft just like her gaze right now.
"You're going to have to get used to me coming here. It's not because I want to see you. I just have nothing better to do in life," Nalini shrugged.
Eva teared again and she looked down to her lap. "Thank you."
"So do you want to know what happened to the principals car?" Nalini asked and Eva smiled, nodding eagerly. She looked forward to these distractions all week. It made her feel like a normal girl sometimes.
As Nalini droned on about the carrot stuck in their principals engine pipe, Eva stared at the girl she was in love with and just for a moment, a single perfect moment, everything in her life felt better.
***
It felt weird to have Julian come in through the front door instead of sneaking in. This was the first time Julian would be meeting her parents and Lola could immediately see how nervous he was when he walked inside.
His mother came in after him, carrying a huge basket of fruits and a cake. She had been adamant to meet Lola and her parents now that Julian had recovered and his charges had been dropped and name finally cleared.
The past few weeks have been madness for him with the news trucks constantly parked outside his house and school, bombarding his family with questions every chance they got.
Julian had to lay low till his hearing which meant time away from Lola and her friends.
They spoke on the phone every chance they got but Lola didn't realise how much she missed him until he walked in.
He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and jeans but he still looked like an Abercrombie model who took her breath away. He smiled at her briefly before turning his attention to her parents.
He definitely looked nervous.
Lola's parents stood awkwardly by the door as he greeted them and Lola's heart hammered in her chest as she waited for her parents reactions.
They weren't exactly ecstatic to know that Lola had been helping him secretly while he had been running from the police, not to mention hiding out in her room when he needed to. They had listened to her give her statements with shocked faces and the silent treatment had lasted almost a day.
That was until Lola and her friends were declared heroes to the entire state.
She released a breath when her mother finally smiled at him warmly and started asking him questions while her dad welcomed Julian's mother.
"Handsome boy." She murmured into Lola's ear as they made their way to the dining table making Lola blush.
Julian's mother rushed to Lola the moment she saw her and then she pulled her into a huge hug. "Lola, dear. It is so nice to finally meet you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done for my family. You are a literal angel and Julian's lucky to have you in his life."
Lola hugged her back tightly when she saw the tears of appreciation in her eyes.
Once the parents were busy in conversation Lola took the opportunity to sneak her hand into Julian's. His fingers tightened around hers as he finally looked at her and all the tension in his face disappeared.
"I've missed you," He admitted before she could.
"Me too," She whispered.
His smiled widened and his eyes raked over her face and then her body. "You look so good. I almost want to cancel our dinner plans and sneak up to your room again."
She shushed him quickly. "We can't do that anymore."
At hearing this his smile grew mischievous and he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "We'll see about that tonight. You still keep the key under the same rock, right?"
Lola hit him on the shoulder but inside she was exploding with excitement. "I guess there's only one way to find out."
"Stop flirting you two and join us for tea before you hurry off to meet your friends," Lola's father admonished and they walked over to join the parents.
Once it was time to leave they greeted everyone goodbye and then rushed to Damien's jeep, who was waiting outside.
"My favourite people!" He chimed as soon as they got in.
"My man!" Julian slapped him on the back and then grunted in pain.
"You need to be careful! You haven't fully recovered." Lola scolded Julian worriedly and then she smiled at Damien. "Hey Damien!"
"It's like she's more excited to see you," Julian complained earning a gentle slap from Lola.
"It's the charm I swear. I just can't turn it off. So lovebirds. How's the dating life going?" Damien asked and Lola blushed again as Julian's eyes met hers.
"It's only just starting but one thing's for sure, I'm hooked. Lola Marie Ann, I'm sorry but you're stuck with me from now on."
Damien laughed at Julian's words. "I feel bad for you Lola."
"I know. It's such a hassle," She teased as Julian grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him. He kissed her cheek just as they parked the car.
"Thank God we're here. You two are making me feel very single," Damien complained.
They saw Edward and Hanna waiting by the entrance of the restaurant and then Nalini as she got out of a cab.
Lola felt Julian's fingers intertwine with hers and she looked up at him.
"You okay with being out here in the public?" She asked him. This was the first time he had come out after recovering from his injuries and being acquitted. Lola knew he was going through a lot; the media attention, the coverage about his dad being Mr Maximus.
The attendant by the door rushed up to him the moment he recognised them.
"Mr. Maximus's son? We reserved a table specially for you and your friends."
Julian's expression hardened. "He's not my father."
He then pulled Lola and everyone followed suit.
"We could always eat at the pizzeria over there." Edward pointed at the pizza parlour across the street.
"Sounds good," Julian said and everyone caught up with each other as they walked. They were all so happy to be reunited again.
Once they got seated and the orders were taken, Nalini looked at Julian curiously before asking, "Are you really never going to reconcile with your father?"
"He was never a father to me. He's only blabbering about it now because I'm not guilty and his daughter is. Look at how he abandoned her. He hasn't even visited her once," Julian said angrily and Nalini nodded.
"You have a point."
Julian put out his hands and stared at each and everyone of them earnestly. "Guys, you were the ones who were there for me from the very beginning, from when I needed help the most. You believed in me when no one else did. I don't care about some bullshit bloodline. To me this is family. You guys are my family."
Everyone smiled in response and Lola could feel herself getting emotional. They had really come a long way, from hiding Julian to actually exonerating him. Not to mention escaping an arson.
She lifted up her glass of water and waited for the others to follow suit. "To family."
Everyone then cheered in response. "To family."
THE END
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