And If... {completed and edited 2024}

And If... You give me the answers ?

•Chapter 14.

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RICHARD'S POV:

"Hi." I sat down, hoping to get some well needed answers.

"Hey." He greeted back, not once looking up from his crossed hands on the table. I observed his face and to me he seemed very nervous, he didn't look sure about what he was doing right now. So I knew that someone must have told him to turn himself in for something that he didn't do.

Thanks to Ignito, I was able to have a sit down with Patrick, so we could talk real quick. We only had fifteen minutes, so I had to go straight to the point with this conversation.

I really couldn't believe that he was the guy who tried to send me to jail. It was really making nonsense. Why would he do that for in the first place ? We weren't friends, but we weren't enemies either. We never really paid attention to each other like that for him to put all of this together to ruin my life. If it wasn't for Tinashe and her crazy dad that was trying to control her life, I wouldn't know that he existed.

"So ? Why are you doing this ? " I decided to ask just to see what he would say.

He shook his head, sighing. "You wouldn't understand."

"That's what you think, but I'm more understandable than that. I know you're innocent. Why would you do that for ? We don't even know each other like that. We never really talked before. I thought long and hard about this, and I really couldn't find a motive behind this action for you. You didn't try to send me to jail. I refuse to believe that." I shook my head.

He seemed to be a good young man and someone who had a lot of potential to succeed in life, so why was he trying to destroy everything right now ?

Someone is definitely telling him what to do, I said to myself confirming what I thought since the beginning. After more reflection, it didn't sound so crazy. We had more in common than we both thought.

"And how can you be so sure about this ? "

"I think I know what exactly is going on. Is somebody blackmailing you ? "

He suddenly looked up at me, at first showing shock, but then he put a straight face on, so I couldn't read more in his emotions. But it was too late.

"Listen, just go along with this shit. Don't worry about me, I know what I am doing."

"And if you don't do this, what's gonna happen to you ? Or should I say to your loved ones ? " I questioned, still trying to break his shell. He didn't know it yet, but I could help him. We actually could both help each other.

He furrowed his eyebrows, "wh--what ? "

"Listen, if it was only up to me, the charges would already be dropped. Cooperate with me and the real culprit will pay for this, not you. I just need you to confirm my suspicions. We can't keep letting him get away with everything. He needs to be punished for all the shit he's done in his life."

He sighed, hesitating. He wiped his face, then looked at me. "Can I really trust you though ? Like you said, we don't know each other. So why should I trust you ? "

"We are on the same team, I promise. I'm getting you out of this shit." I held my hand out. He looked at it first, then reluctantly shook it. I could see in his eyes that he was still unsure about this, but it seemed like I was his only way out, so it wasn't like he really had a choice at this point. "Okay, cool. Now, tell me exactly what he told you to do."