Lacey didn't show up at school today. I had naturally wanted to check on her this morning, but the anger I had felt when I learnt that she was not only engaged to Dane but pregnant by Saint still lingered. I don't know if I can call it anger or sheer jealousy. I couldn't fool myself any longer, I loved Lacey, and as much as the news had devastated me, I still wanted her to be a part of her life. Anyway, she would have me. Like Saint, I didn't know how to deal with my complex emotions regarding the petite raven-haired beauty. She was all I could think about. The guys and I had discussed at length today the video of Lacey. We were now all on board with uncovering the truth of it, for better or worse. Saint had been withdrawn all day, the shock of Lacey's announcement no doubt weighing heavy on him. He scarcely spoke a word unless we were talking about the video. We had decided that we would seek Lyndsay out at the party being held at my place this weekend to uncover the truth. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. The idea of it not being consensual had bile rising in the back of my throat. I would tear anyone who dares touch Lacey without her express permission limb from limb and then piss on their body. I may be an asshole, but I would never force myself on a girl and despise anyone who did. If Lyndsay had anything to do with the video, her days would also be numbered. Speak of the devil, and they shall appear, I think cynically, as Lyndsay approaches our table in the cafeteria with her posse in tow.
"Hey, Ry. I am looking forward to the party this weekend," she purrs as she paws at my body. "I am looking forward to spending time with you, if you know what I mean". Her friends laugh knowingly at her comment, pulling their skirts higher and batting their eyelashes at us as if we would give them the time of day. "Be careful what you wish for", Lawson warns with a deadly tone. "I am sure you could make our time enjoyable, just not how you think", he continues. Lawson is sure that Lacey was raped and that Lyndsay had something to do with it. And I know what he would love to do to Lyndsay if he had it his way. "Eew, I am not talking to you, asshole", Lyndsay sneers at Lawson. "Watch your mouth Lyndsay" I reply through gritted teeth. "Whatever you say, Ry. See you later, stud", she smilingly responds with an air kiss that leaves my skin crawling. "Why do you put up with her," West asks from across the table. "I am playing nice West because we need her at the party on the weekend, not to scare her away before we can get the answers we want. I need access to her phone", I snap. "I think I owe Lace an apology," Saint says solemnly, changing the subject. "You owe her more than an apology Saint" Lawson replies between bites of his sandwich. "Wifey deserves the world, and it was unacceptable how you treated her yesterday", he continues, pinning Saint with an angry scowl. "I know. My behaviour was out of line. I just hope she will talk to me this afternoon. I want to try and make things right with her", Saint counters sadly. I feel for the guy; I can't imagine what he is going through. "I think we all need to apologise to Lacey and make things right with her. It is killing me not being able to hold her in my arms", West states. "Why don't you all come over to our house this afternoon, and we can talk to her. Maybe we can surprise her with dinner or something", I suggest hopefully. I know in my heart that I will be the last person that Lacey forgives for everything I have said and done to her, but I hope that she can find it in her heart to do so. The guys are right. She deserves the world. I want to clear the air with her more than ever and start over. All the guys agree to my plan, and for the first time in weeks, we are all happy and are on the same page. We plan to stop at the grocery store after school to buy ingredients and bouquets of flowers as a peace offering.
When the final bell sounds to signal the end of the day, I make my way down the hall towards the front parking lot. Before I reach the doors, there is suddenly a loud uproar behind me, and when I turn, I see why. Mr Marone is handcuffed, his hands bound tightly behind his back, and he is being escorted out of the school by four police officers. "Wonder what that is about", West laughs from beside me. "He probably propositioned the wrong student. Not everyone is as eager as Lyndsay to ride his cock" I reply sarcastically with a laugh. As they pass by us, Mr Marone is suddenly tackled to the ground.
I look on in shock as Matt straddles him and begins reining punch after punch down on Mr Marone as two police officers scramble to haul Matt off him. When they succeed, Mr Marone has a broken nose, split lip and is coughing up blood. "What the fuck" I state, wondering what that is about. Matt cautiously raises his hands in the air in surrender, showing that he will not hit Mr Marone anymore, and to my surprise, the police don't arrest him. Mr Marone licks the blood from his lip. "I guess I deserved that", he grits out. "Oh no, that is just the beginning, teach. You deserve far worse, and I will make sure you see it," Matt hisses before he roughly pushes through the crowd and out of the school. The police officers grab Mr Marone tighter, shouting at the gathered students to move out of their way. At the back of the crowd, I notice Lyndsay. She looks as though she has seen a ghost. She fumbles nervously for her school bag and then turns on her heel and runs in the opposite direction. Weird, I think. Wonder if Mr Marone's arrest has anything to do with her. "Come on, let's go," Saint says with enthusiasm. I get the feeling that he has come to terms with the pregnancy shock and is now eager to see Lacey. I can't blame him. I can't wait to see Lacey, either.
I follow the guys home one by one so that we can all go shopping in one car. After bickering, we ultimately agreed to make prime rib and salad for dinner, followed by an apple pie and fresh cream. None of us knows how to cook but will try our hardest nonetheless. It can't be too hard, right? It is after four PM by the time we finish up in town, and as soon as we get home, we start prepping the ingredients. "I'm going to talk to wifey", Lawson announces as soon as the last shopping bag has been brought inside. "Leave her Law", West replies."I think we should surprise her once we have finished dinner, don't you?". Lawson pauses at the bottom of the staircase and then grins. "Good idea", he responds promptly. "Wifey will be so excited that we cooked for her". "Let's just see how we go first, Lawson", Saint replies with a laugh. "We might burn the place down yet". It is nice to see Saint enjoying himself. The fucker doesn't know how to relax, and this is the first time he has smiled and laughed in a long time. As expected, Lacey doesn't leave her room. We are free to work on our surprise and cook and set the table for dinner without interruption.
As the last dinner plate is placed on the dining table, my mother, stepfather, and two police officers burst through the front door. "What's going on? I wasn't expecting you guys' home until next week?" I ask with concern. Seeing police twice in one day can't be a good omen, and I wonder if there is a connection between the two? "Where is Lacey" my stepfather bellows, his hoarse voice filled with desperate concern. "She is upstairs in her room. Why?" I ask, a heavy feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. "Is everything ok?". "No. Nothing is ok, Ryder. We got a call earlier today that Lacey's math teacher, Mr Marone, was being investigated for raping her prom night, so we caught the earliest flight. The police officers are here to interview her," he replies soberly, his body vibrating with fury. "What did you just say" Saint asks, the salad bowl slipping from his grip and smashing on the kitchen floor. My mother races out of the kitchen and up the staircase, her high heels clicking loudly with each hurried step. "Lacey" she calls out desperately. Suddenly Matt's violent behaviour towards Mr Marone makes sense. He knew what had happened. "I am going to kill that mother fucker" Lawson screams, pulling roughly at his pink hair in a rage. Before I can go after my mother my phone starts to ring in my pocket. Pulling it out I frown at the unknown number but answer it anyway. "Where is she?" the voice roars. "Dane?" I question. How did he get my phone number? "Where is Lacey? She sent a concerning message earlier, and I haven't been able to reach her since. If you have done anything to her, I will destroy you, pretty boy," he rages furiously. At the sound of my mother's ear-splitting scream, I drop the mobile phone and sprint towards it, West, Saint, Lawson and my stepfather hot on my heels. "No. No. No. No," my mother wails. "Lacey, sweetheart. No. No. No. No". I take the steps three at a time, almost tripping in my haste. When I make it to Lacey's bedroom, I can't believe my eyes. My mother is on the floor cradling Lacey's tiny body in her lap, sobbing bitterly and rocking her back and forth. "Please wake up, Lacey", she pleads earnestly. I am so shocked by the sight before me that I am frozen in place. My mind is trying to tell me this isn't real. That it is some sort of misunderstanding or a sick joke. My stepfather steps around me and collapses to the floor beside my mother, reaching for Lacey's unmoving body. "Somebody call an ambulance", he wails, pulling her body into his lap. The police officers enter the room, and within seconds one of them is radioing for an ambulance while the other springs into action, laying Lacey flat on the floor and checking for a pulse. It is then that I notice there is an empty pill bottle beside her and vomit all over the floor. Lacey has taken an overdose. "She hasn't got a pulse", the officer announces before checking her airways and starting CPR. "I should have fucking checked on her", Lawson cries out. His words hit me like a tonne of bricks; Lacey might still be alive if I had spoken up and told Lawson he could check on her when we first got home. The guilt starts to eat away at me. It is all my fault. If only I had believed her. If only I had protected her instead of tormenting her and making her life hell. Now I may never get the chance to make things right with her. To tell her how much I love her and what she means to me. I have been so blinded by petty jealousy and my feelings that I let the best thing in my life be taken from me because I am a stubborn asshole.
Thankfully it doesn't take long for the ambulance to arrive with lights and sirens blaring, and Lacey is strapped to a gurney and placed in the back of the ambulance. The first paramedic was still performing CPR on her. Wrapping my arms around my mother, I ask, "How did the police find out Mr Marone raped Lacey?". I hate asking, especially since Lacey, I can't finish my train of thought. I don't want to think about that right now, the idea of losing Lacey is too much to bear. But I must know. No, I need to know. "Mr Marone shared the video of him raping Lacey with a colleague who immediately called the police. Apparently, a student drugged her and filmed the whole ordeal", My mother replies scornfully between hiccups. "A student?" Saint roars. "That fucking cunt is dead". It doesn't take me long to work out what Saint already has. It has to have been Lyndsay. That bitch must have doctored the video of lacey being raped and dubbed a porn track, or herself moaning, over the top and cut the recording to make it appear as if Lacey was having consensual sex. My blood boils. My fists clench and unclench. Lyndsay had better pray that she is locked up until her court appearance. There was no way that she wasn't going to die a slow, painful death for everything she had done to Lacey and what she has cost us.
My mother and stepfather make their way back downstairs with the police officers, providing statements and making arrangements with their lawyer over the phone to ensure both get maximum jail time for what they have done. By the sounds of it, they plan on ruthlessly destroying Lyndsay and her family and making sure Mr Marone never sees the light of day. The stupid cunts have crossed the wrong family, that's for sure. The four of us sit down on Lacey's bed, numb and crying angry and heartbroken tears. When West lays down, he finds a small, folded note under the pillow. A suicide note? With a shuddering breath, he hands it to me to read. Taking a deep breath, I gradually unfold the note and clear my throat in an attempt to steady my voice.
Dear Ryder, West, Saint and Lawson.
First off, let me say how sorry I am for everything, especially to whoever finds my body. If I weren't such a coward, I would have found a way to disappear so that nobody had to go through that. Meeting you guys gave me hope that there were better things in life and for once I thought I had found it. I guess I was wrong. As you know, my life has never been easy, but I always fought for a better one anyway. I tried my hardest to leave things in the past where they belonged and not to let everything in my life get me down, even when Mr Marone raped me. What hurt more than that was your refusal to believe me when I told you I hadn't cheated on you. That I wasn't capable of it. I fell for each one of you. Hard. And I dreamed of a life together. Please believe me when I say I didn't intentionally fall pregnant. It was simply a stupid mistake. I don't regret having unprotected sex with Saint. I only regret that I erroneously believed that the pill would protect me from such things. I don't know what else to say. I guess everything that I had shoved away to the back of my mind to protect myself finally caught up with me. The pain of it all became unbearable. Because I know how much I suffered as a child, I don't think it fair that I bring one into my world. I am not fit to be a mother. It would be unfair to raise a child in poverty with a mother who had no education or means to gain employment with a baby at home. I only hope that one day you understand my actions and forgive me.
Love always, Lacey.
By the time I have finished reading the note aloud, the paper is wet with my uncontrollable tears. Lacey's words have destroyed me. Everything I had said and done to her make me sick to my stomach. Lacey didn't deserve any of that. I give myself a few moments to calm down before telling the guys it's time to go to the hospital. I want to be there for Lacey like I should have always been.