The Last Blue Rose// Reggie Mantle (1)

Chapter Seven

By the time Cheryl was escorted inside the principal's office, word had gotten around the school and everyone was curious to know what exactly Cheryl was guilty of.

As Caia made her way to her next class, she noticed the huge crowd gathered outside of the office. They were trying to get a glimpse of what was going on inside, but the shades were closed. The only ones who knew what really was going on were inside of the office.

"To clarify," Cheryl began, looking up at the people standing in front of her. "I didn't mean guilty of killing Jason. I loved him more than I do myself." She paused. "But I am guilty of lying about what happened on July Fourth."

Sheriff Keller was perched on top of Principal Weatherbee's desk. Weatherbee stood tall behind his desk. "The Autopsy puts his death about July eleventh. When was the last time you saw your brother?" He questioned.

"It was July Fourth," Cheryl replied truthfully. "I don't know what happened the week after that but-"

"Cheryl, in your own words, what happened at Sweetwater River?" Sheriff Keller was cutting to the chase.

Cheryl started her story. "The plan was banannas. Even for me." Her eyes became glossed over as the memories started to return. "Jason wanted to leave Riverdale and never come back. He asked for my help to stage a tragic accident so that Mom and Dad wouldn't come after him. Our story would be, we went for an early morning boat ride and the boat tipped and capsized and Jason drowned. In fact, we made it to the other side dry as bone. We said goodbye on the Greendale side of Sweetwater River. He promised he'd call me as soon as he was in a place where he couldn't be reached or pulled back by our parents, one month at the most. Every day I waited for him to call, for an email." She looked from Keller to Weatherbee.

Keller continued with his questioning. "Did you tell anyone about the plan? Anyway you can coroberate it?" Cheryl turned her gaze to the floor. "You have no idea why your brother wanted to run away? Fake his own death?" Cheryl still didn't answer. "Doesn't that seem- cruel?"

This broke Cheryl. "No he wasn't!" She exclaimed, her voice whispery. "Jason wasn't cruel!" She exclaimed.

Keller continued to press Cheryl. "So maybe this is all just a web of lies your spinning to cover your own tracks," he probed.

"I didn't kill Jason!" Cheryl exclaimed, finally cracking. "There was a gunshot that morning. We heard a gunshot on July Fourth. Maybe whoever killed Jason took a shot at him and missed that morning." Cheryl was doing everything she could to prove she didn't do it, but it was almost like Keller didn't believe her.

"You heard a gunshot and you're just telling us this now?" He asked accusingly.

"I was upset, my brother was murdered!" She exclaimed in her defense.

The sheriff knew Cheryl was getting agitated but he continued to press her. "You were so upset that you sang and danced at a pep rally yesterday."

Suddenly, the door burst open and Clifford and Penelope Blossom burst in the room. "What the hell is going on here?" Clifford asked, referring to the questioning of his daughter.

"Mommy," Cheryl breathed as her mother neared her.

Penelope bent down and put her mouth close to Cheryl's ear. "Don't say another word, Cheryl. Get up," she commanded forcefully. She forced Cheryl up out of her seat. "Why didn't you call us?"

"Because she's a liar, Penelope," Clifford replied, accusing his daughter.

As the family walked down the hall, Cheryl's parents didn't stop hounding her. "When we get home you're telling us everything," her mother commanded.