"Tristan wake up!"
The girl peaks her eyes open, jolting up from her sleep when she sees her brother pacing around her room, "Justin, what the fuck?"
"Clay still hasn't shown up."
Color drains from Tristan's face. She gets out of her bed and moves closer to Justin, "He never came home?"
"No note. No call... he's never done something like this." Justin runs his hand down his face as he falls onto Tristan's bed.
"Have you tried calling him?" The panic is finally setting in Tristan, she is scared.
"The cops took his phone, remember? He's gone."
Tristan sighs, "We need to tell his parents."
Justin runs his hand through his hair before meeting his sister's eye, "This is going to get him in a shit ton of trouble."
"Do you have any idea where Clay is?" Lainie's voice is urgent as she looks between the Foley's.
Tristan shakes her head as Justin speaks up, "I have no clue. When I came home last night, he wasn't there."
"What time was that?" Dennis Vasquez looks at the boy as he leans against the Jensen's kitchen counter.
"Around midnight... When I woke up this morning, his bed was still made. I tried calling his phone, but then I remembered that the cops took it."
"And he gave you no indication that he intended to flee?" Dennis presses.
Justin shakes his head, "No warning at all."
"Well can you blame him?" Matt interrupts, "The police just kicked our door down, for Christ's sake. He's scared shitless."
Lainie turns to the teenagers, "I know you three protect each other, but if there is something you're not telling us-"
"He didn't say anything," Tristan says, distress overtaking her face.
"He clearly didn't want us to know." Justin bites down on his tongue and looks away from the adults. He feels guilty for not being there for Clay.
Matt sighs as he stands up, "You two need to get to school, and if you hear anything from Clay, you call us immediately."
Justin and Tristan nod at the man's words and they quickly leave to grab their stuff.
"Tristan," A voice shouts over the busy crowd in the hallway. The girl looks around and sees Caroline maneuvering her way towards her, "Hey, where were you this morning? You missed practice."
Tristan glances around her before focusing on her friend, "Clay ran."
Caroline looks taken aback, "What? Why would he do that?"
"I don't know. He never came home. Caroline, I don't know what we can do."
The blonde girl hates seeing her friend upset, something that she has seen a lot of, "Tris, he's going to come back. We know Clay. He could never just leave, he cares too much."
Tristan nods, she knows Caroline is right. He wouldn't leave his friends. His family.
"Attention students, please make your way to the gymnasium for the assembly."
"There's an assembly?" Tristan looks to her friend after the intercom shuts off and her classmates start shuffling towards the gym.
"Yeah, they mentioned it this morning. They didn't say much about it." Caroline says as the two start walking with the others.
"Hey, you two." The girls look over and see Charlie St. George catching up with them. He wraps an arm around Caroline's shoulder and smiles at Tristan, "Everything good, Tris?"
The girl nods at Charlie as the three enter the gym with the other students. She forces a smile, "Yeah, fine."
They walk further in and Tristan catches glimpse of her brother sitting on the front row next to Zach Dempsey. She goes towards them and when Zach sees her, he quickly moves his crutches so that the girl can sit next to him and Justin. Caroline and Charlie squeeze into a spot a row behind them. Zach nudges the girl and she turns her head, "Tris, I need to talk to you. It's important."
"Zach, we can't just leave." Tristan whispers as Principal Bolan steps behind the podium.
"Welcome everyone. And a very special welcome to our guests from Hillcrest." The man starts.
Zach leans closer to Tristan and whispers, "Tristan, please."
"We can talk after, okay?" Tristan retorts, knowing that if they get up now that they will bring attention to themselves. Zach sighs and leans back.
"-The interruption of our homecoming game inflamed feelings on both sides," Bolan continues with his speech, "And it was followed a few days later by the news of the tragic death of former Liberty and recent Hillcrest student, Bryce Walker. Now I have spoken at length with our student leadership and Hillcrest administrators . We agreed that it was time to bring our schools together for a day of accountability and healing. And with that in mind, Jessica Davis, student body president and organizer of the protest, would like to offer a few words."
There is scattered applause as Jessica Davis stands from her seat and takes Bolan's place at the podium. Her eyes roam the crowd before speaking, "Thank you, Principal Bolan. You are absolutely right that in times like these, people need to be held accountable for their mistakes. And after something traumatic happens, it is important to focus on the healing.
"But the thing is... how is anybody supposed to heal if all we do is cover up the wounds and hope that they will just go away? We have to look at them and recognize them for what they are. We have to be honest about who actually got hurt and how."
Tristan releases a shallow breath as Jessica's words resinate with her. She is right.
"The protest I led was an attempt to try and draw attention to the rape culture in boys' sports and throughout our school. And I admit, the way I went about it wasn't perfect. I'm sorry for how it all ended up. I really am. But making mistakes is a part of being a survivor. At first you think that you are permanently broken... but then little by little, you start picking up the pieces and you start realizing what you're making is a mirror. And the more of those pieces that you put together, the more you start to see yourself. But maybe we can start picking up those pieces of the mirror together, and we can finally see the truth.
"If you think sexual assault doesn't affect your life, you're wrong. There are survivors all around us. People you care about who you never knew were suffering in silence. Let them know that you are there to listen. It's time for you to know the survivors in your life. To hear their stories and know that their voice matters."
The girl takes a breath, "My name is Jessica Davis, and I'm a survivor."
Tristan looks down to her lap as tears sting her eyes. Is she a survivor? The fear that floods every inch of her body when she thinks of Bryce... when she thinks of everything that has happened to her, it doesn't make her feel like a survivor. She feels like the twelve year old girl who didn't understand what was going on and felt ashamed for what Bryce did to her. She still feels ashamed. Disgusted at herself. How could she be a survivor when she carries so many burdens on her shoulders?
"My name is Casey Ford, and I'm a survivor."
"My name is Janelle Martin, and I'm a survivor."
"My name is Maggie Kim, and I'm a survivor."
"My name is Tyler Down, and I'm a survivor."
Tristan's glossy eyes shoot up and look at the boy standing up in front of everyone. Her mouth parts, she doesn't understand. Tyler Down? How could he...
Tristan feels sick.
"My name is Lina Ochoa, and I'm a survivor."
Zach's hand rests on top of Tristan's as her lip quivers.
"My name is Robby Corman, and I'm a survivor."
"My name is Tanya Brown, and I'm a survivor."
Tristan feels the warmth beside her disappear and she watches as her brother stands up, "My name is Justin Foley, and I'm a survivor."
Tristan's heart drops to the floor. Her body goes numb as her mind drowns in questions. He has to be lying. He would have told her... wouldn't he?
"My name is Stephanie Rodriguez, and I'm a goddamn survivor."
Applause erupts through the gymnasium, but Tristan doesn't move. Jessica grabs the microphone from the stand and walks closer to her classmates. Her eyes land on Tristan, "To those of you who are still seated, I know a lot of you still have stories, but you aren't ready to share them yet. And that's okay."
Tristan's eyes lift to meet Jessica, who glances back towards the girl, "When you're ready, we'll listen. And we will continue to fight to make sure that no one is assaulted, harassed, or abused at this school. We will not sit down. We will not stay quiet. We will not rest until that happens."
"Jess?" Tristan's voice is quiet as she approaches the girl talking with some friends after the assembly. Jessica turns around and smiles.
"Hey, Tristan-"
"I'm sorry." Tristan adverts her gaze and chews the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry for what I said at Homecoming... and everything before."
Jessica shakes her head, "Don't, Tris. I knew you didn't want the group to go out there, but we wanted to get people talking. I wanted to make noise, even if it hurt people in the process. I know I'm more open with what happened to me than you are, and that's okay. I'm sorry that I hurt you, Tris, I really am."
Tristan swallows the lump in her throat and she smiles at Jessica. Jessica holds her arms out, "Come here,"
Tristan closes the space between them and the girls tightly wrap each other in an embrace. The disdain and hatred these two have battled within the past months growing silent.
"Oh my god," Tristan suddenly cries, backing away from Jessica and hastily going to where she sees Clay Jensen, talking to Tyler and Justin.
"Clay!" She shouts, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly. She has never been so relieved in her life.
"Where the fuck have you been?" Justin presses.
"I have to go." Clay says as he pulls away from Tristan, but the girl quickly grabs his arm to stop him.
"Clay, wait-"
"Are you fucking crazy? You can't run!" Justin exclaims.
"Justin-" Jessica quickly reaches her boyfriend.
Tristan turns to look at Clay, "Clay you can't go-"
"Clay Jensen!"
The four of them turn around and see the Evergreen Sheriff Department step into the gymnasium. Tristan's blood turns cold. Sheriff Diaz marches forward, "Clay Jensen, I have a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Bryce Walker."
The man jerks Clay from Tristan's grip, "Turn around and put your hands behind your back."
"Clay-" She breathes as she tries to step towards him, but another officer puts his hand out and prevents her from coming any closer.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court." Diaz harshly grips Clays shoulder as he holds his handcuffed hands with the other, "Let's go."
The police pull Clay towards the door and Tristan turns to Justin, what the fuck are they going to do now?