Beyond the Reasons || JUSTIN FOLEY

Twenty-Nine

PRESENT TIME
HO ROOM
IMOGEN'S POV

"Why is the door locked? Why are we even in here?" Justin asked me when he knocked on the door to where we usually hold the HO meetings, because I asked him to meet me in here. I needed to talk to him, about well everything Bolan just said to me and Jessica. "We're not a secret anymore." Justin said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Listen to me, I've been thinking about my activism, and what I've been putting people through and what I've been putting you through. And Bolan just gave me an ultimatum, and. . I'm starting to feel like he's right. This is a bad time for me to start drawing attention to myself, and to Jess too." I said.

"Why is it a bad time for you guys?" Justin asked, which made me sigh.

"Jess told Ani that you and I were together after Homecoming. The day the police brought all of us down to the station. . and Ani was asking around, Jess covered for both of us. She said Ani was getting suspicious, and then Ani asked me, so I confirmed the story because I wanted to protect you." I said.

"I didn't ask you or Jess to do that for me." He said, and I nodded my head.

"I know. . I know, I didn't know she was going to do it either. Okay, I think she panicked, so I did too. Really, I was home in bed, and that's what my dad told the cops, which is why I can't be getting in any more trouble. If they start looking at me, if they start asking questions. . it could be really bad for you. You need to get your alibi straight." I said.

"I just. .-I just don't understand. Why did you lie to Ani? Why are you just telling me this now?" He asked. Which, I will admit that he makes a very good point.

"Because there's a lot going on, Justin. Can't you tell?" I asked, and my voice slightly broke. Everything felt super overwhelming right now, and it was taking everything in me to not break down into tears right now. "I'm just trying to help you. ." I said.

"Yeah, right. Got it." He said, but it didn't sound like he was very sincere about it, so I rolled my eyes and scoffed before walking to the door, and I heard Justin sigh and his footsteps coming after me.

"Goodness." I mumbled, rolling my eyes as I walked out.

"Mimi. .-Imogen!"

―

THIRD PERSON'S POV

After Imogen left, Justin texted Clay and asked him to meet him in the room where he and Imogen just were, and he explained their entire conversation to him. To Clay, it sounded like Imogen was just trying to protect Justin, which he completely understood. She loves him, and she knows he didn't kill Bryce, so she'd do anything to protect him.

"She was probably trying to protect you, right?" Clay asked.

"But now she's totally changed her story. I mean, she's saying she was in bed, but I have like five missed calls from her that night." Justin said.

"Did she leave you messages?" Clay asked.

"Yeah. Just 'call me back,' but it wasn't like. . 'Hey, I'm in bed. Come sneak in through the window.' It was like, 'call me back, I need something.'" Justin said with more urgency in his voice, wondering what it could be that Imogen would call him for. Clay didn't have any missed calls from his sister that night, and surely if it was a big emergency that happened.

She would call him too, right?

"The other day, did the cops ask you about where you were that night?" Clay asked.