In Six Years' Time

Crash

I didn't even know what to say.

Obviously the gun wasn't mine.

And obviously it belonged to Jenson.

But what do I do in this situation?

It'd be incredibly easy to just tell the truth. The gun belonged to Jenson. They could kick him and the threat of him shooting up the school, out for good. It's such an easy concept.

Yet... Why did I hesitate?

"Talia?" Principal Hopkins said nervously. "Do you have any information to share?"

"Well, I can tell you it's not mine." I replied, still having an internal debate. I wasn't so sure I was ready to throw Jenson under the bus just yet. After our chat earlier, I was starting to get a grip on why he was the way that he was. A bad home life could mess anyone up. All it takes is for someone to listen and help. It wasn't too late. Yet.

"Miss. Johnson," one of the officers interrupted my internal monologue. "From what I hear, you've had a recent image change."

I raised a brow. What does that have anything to do with this? "Not like I had much of an option after I cracked open my skull."

He didn't find my joke amusing, and didn't even smile. Neither did the other two, but from the impression of them I got, they were just here out of formality. This guy was the top dog. "Does shaving half of your head change your personality too? I can tell your attitude is about the same, but I heard you used to be a bit of a trouble maker."

This guy was really starting to piss me off. "You seem to have heard a lot about me." I stated, giving him a look. "Yet, I'm almost positive we've never met. I've heard a lot of things about corrupt cops, but I at least have the decency to make judgements based on my own opinions."

"That's quite enough, Talia." Mr. Hopkins intercepted, standing from his chair. He seemed like he was actually a little amused by my retorts, but had to at least play nice. "We're just trying to keep the school safe." Turning to the officers, he spoke on my behalf. "Talia, along with the student council, has just implemented a new anti-bullying program. With that in mind, I'm inclined to believe that she was telling the truth about the gun not belonging to her."

I could have hugged principal Hopkins right then and there if it weren't for the fact the door abruptly opened, the secretary looking in with wide eyes. "I'm sorry to interrupt; Principal Hopkins, there's a student in the office who states the gun belongs to him."

Things were a bit of a rush after that. The other two officers, along with principal Hopkins rushed out of the room into the office where the guilty party, no doubt Jenson, waited.

The officer who had attempted to interrogate me lingered, however, his eyes on me. The door had shut behind the two others, so it was just us, alone in Mr. Hopkins room.

"You've got quite a mouth on you, kid." The officer stated.

I didn't disagree. "But I don't have a gun. May I leave? I imagine you're about to be pretty busy." I stood, grabbing my bag and made my way to the door, but the officer reached out, putting his hand over the wood, effectively keeping the door from opening.

"You may not have had the gun, but it's awfully convenient that the gun's owner stepped forward only after you were called in."

I couldn't believe my ears. Was this dude really accusing me of trying to be some kind of a mob leader with low level rats to turn themselves in just to save me? For christ's sake, I'm supposed to be a teenager. What did this guy take me for?

"That's a bold statement." I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. "What exactly are you accusing me of?"

He didn't immediately answer, the air so thick with tensity that I doubted even a butcher's knife could cut through it. "You don't talk like a regular kid. What are you, seventeen? Eighteen?" I didn't answer. He studied me a little longer. "There's something strange about you. And I'll be sure to figure it out, especially if you had any hand in this gun incident."