Sweat drenches my T-shirt, giving the dust from the road something to stick to, and by the time I reach the school I’m damp and dirty. There’s not a cloud in the sky and the sea breeze barely teases my heated skin.
I hesitate at the gates. They’re way more majestic than the buildings they guard. All wrought-iron magnificence protecting ordinary concrete.
This is a place I thought I’d never see again, and truth is, I wouldn’t miss it. But I’m going to claim my future, and facing up to what happened here on Friday night is the first step.
The number of cars around the grounds tells me something is happening, but there’s no-one in sight. There’s a sinking feeling in my gut. I’d forgotten the scholarship award assembly was today.
No-one notices me slip into the back of the hall. This is the oldest building on campus and there are huge curtains back here from long-forgotten school plays, and an overhanging balcony that allows people to watch basketball games from above. The seats are packed with bored students and townsfolk. There’s someone from the local paper in the far corner. Are they here for the scholarship?
Ando is droning on up on the stage about school activities. He’s talking about a fine academic record and representing the school and he’s building up to the scholarship announcement. It will be Callie and I can’t blame her for taking the out that I offered.
I shift in the shadows. I’m too late. Maybe if I could have talked to her before … There has to be a way to clear my name without hurting the girl I love.
There’s a rustle from behind me and Timmy enters the same way I did. He stops when he sees me, then leans back against the wall and folds his arms. ‘Heard you’d skipped town.’
I shrug. ‘Seems you heard wrong. Sorry to disappoint. I know it would make things easy for you.’
‘None of this has been easy.’
‘Sure looked that way Friday night. Easy to corner my sister. Easy to blame me for something I didn’t do.’
His gaze shifts past me to the stage.
I follow it. Callie. My heart flips. I must have missed Ando calling her name. She hasn’t seen me but I can’t look away from her. She’s so self-assured and every step is full of purpose.
‘I’m sorry,’ Timmy murmurs. There’s genuine regret in his voice. ‘I was ashamed of being there at all, and I panicked when Hayden wasn’t moving. I guess I thought if I backed him, Sean wouldn’t rat me out. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. We all make mistakes, you know?’
‘I know.’
The applause dies down and Callie steps up to the microphone with a regal nod to Ando. Now that I know she’s human underneath, I can admire her poise, and the elegant length of her neck and tilt of her head. She doesn’t need her glasses to look smart but they don’t hurt. I know there’s a tiny butterfly on the side of them, waiting to fly free.
I used to think she believed she was smarter than everyone else. Better, because of her perfect life. But now I know the truth. She’s just clinging on like the rest of us, as life sends yet another tsunami at her.
She clears her throat. ‘I’m glad to have this opportunity to speak to everyone because there’s something I need to say.’
I can’t breathe.
She waits for silence. ‘Most of you know something happened here during the dance on Friday night, but only a few of you know the truth.’
‘I don’t think we need to hear any more,’ Ando stands and interrupts, but Callie stops him with a look.
‘Unlike you, I was there.’ She swallows. The nervous slide of her hands over each other is missing. She’s sure. ‘A terrible incident occurred on Friday night only a few metres from here. Someone innocent has been blamed.’
Holy crap, I think I’m going to cry. I press my fists as hard as I can into my thighs.
She’s telling.
Even though she believes I’ve run, she’s still telling.
I think for a second my chest might burst open with the wonder of it and I have to bite my tongue to stop the whoop of glee. She’s telling.
There are murmurs from the crowd, but Callie ignores them, standing tall on the stage, never more beautiful. ‘Mr Anderson will tell you that there was a fight between Hayden Chapman and Rhett Barker. That’s his first mistake. Rhett wasn’t fighting, he was going to the aid of … an innocent victim.’
I see Scarlett’s red hair in the crowd and I’m thankful Callie chose to keep her name out of it. There are enough rumours about her already.
‘When he tried to help,’ Callie continues, her audience spellbound, ‘Rhett was attacked by Hayden and his friends. One of those friends threw the punch that felled Hayden. It was an accident.’ As she speaks, she’s looking towards the side doors and I recognise Hayden’s dad, who’s just come in. ‘A terrible accident. And Rhett was the one who attempted first aid.’
Mr Chapman’s glare takes in the whole room. ‘I couldn’t stand in that hospital, doing nothing, a minute longer. Someone needs to pay for what happened to my son. And you are standing up there saying this is somehow his fault?’
And then I get it. Hayden’s dad is here looking for me.
Well here I am.
I force my legs to move. One step, two, and then people are turning towards me, including Hayden’s father. I dare to look at Callie then. Her small smile gives me the strength to stand tall before the hate in Mr Chapman’s eyes.
I take a deep breath. ‘I didn’t throw the punch.’
Man, it feels good to say it aloud. To stand up in front of all these people and tell my side of the story. For a second I believe I deserve this moment of truth.
Then Mr Chapman speaks. ‘You’re lying.’
The whole room seems to freeze. I would swear that not a single person breathes or shifts or turns away from the drama unfolding in front of them. My heart thumps and I can’t think of a single thing to say. Everything is in balance.
‘He’s telling the truth.’ Callie’s voice from the stage doesn’t register with Mr Chapman. He’s looking at me and there’s rage in every tense muscle.
‘They’re telling the truth,’ Bree calls from the stage, where she’s now standing with Callie. I blink. I didn’t even see her move.
‘They are,’ Scarlett shouts.
‘It wasn’t Rhett,’ says Timmy, from where I left him at the back of the hall. Sorrow and shame deepen his voice. ‘I lied. It wasn’t him.’
People are talking. The room buzzes.
It’s not enough. I’m grateful to all of them, but it’s not enough because Hayden’s father is shaking his head. ‘I don’t care what they say. You better hope the sergeant takes you away fast, son, or I’ll deal with you myself.’
Sergeant Peters steps forward. ‘Come with me, Rhett. We’ll need to speak with you at the station.’
‘But I didn’t do it.’
His eyes dart to Mr Chapman. ‘We’ll talk about it away from here.’
The room closes in around me.
‘Wait.’
There’s the sound of steps behind me and like everyone else I turn towards the desperate cry. Sean Jones stumbles past me.
His whole focus is Hayden’s father.
‘I hit him.’ Sean’s words are whisper quiet, but they’re dragged from a hell I can only imagine. Tears are running down his cheeks but he doesn’t try to wipe them away. ‘They’re all telling the truth, sir. I hit your son, not Rhett. I did it.’ His throat works like the words are stuck deep inside. His head bows. ‘It was one punch. One stupid punch. I’m so sorry.’
And it’s over.