Meeting Me Halfway (HSMTMTS Fanfiction)

Chapter 30

Ricky
"Thanks. I really appreciate this," I say as Lachlan hands me a key.
  "It's no problem. Really. I'll still be here until 11 and just come here if you need anything," he gives me a look and points at me, "no parties."
  I laugh before nodding.
"Right. Thanks again."
   I walk out of the place station to where Nini was waiting outside. She was leaning on the brick wall.
  "Took you awhile.." she says with a big grin on her face. I give her a smile and wrap my arms around the small figure once again.
"Did I hurt you?" I ask quietly with hesitation.
"No," she sighs, "just. I didn't expect you to do what you did. It doesn't matter now. Let's just go, alright?"
  She lets go and smiles before walking forward.
"Let's head to East High first. We can be early there for once."
I nod and follow her.

  "Y'know. I never said this out loud but I don't necessarily remember half of the things in here," she says, walking into the auditorium.
  "What? Really?" I question. "6 months away and you don't remember anything?"
  She nods.
  "Your joking. I haven't been here in 3 years and I still remember the closet hidden in the corner over there." I point to the right corner.
  "Holy shit! I forgot about that!"
I was going to say that she shouldn't curse but who am I to say. I follow the her.
  "I didn't expect that this is the place I'd be once I got out of jail."
  "Trust me. I didn't even know that you'd be in jail."
  It was weird seeing her so happy. After that horrific image I saw of her, I didn't think I could see her genuinely happy the same again. I was going to ask her but...

  "Why did you ever te-" Lachlan cuts me off by doing a motion with his hands. He swipes at his throat to tell me to not question her about anything.

It would've been bad if I said anything. We reach the closet and open the door. I immediately notice the old blanket I hid when me and Nini would have mini picnics in here when it got too cold out.
"God..." I say quietly to myself. "I miss this place."
She walks in with her jaw dropped, causing me to laugh at her reaction.
"We've got to have a picnic here again someday." She says, still looking around the room.
"I don't get it," she gives me a look. "How are you so calm? I literally just got out of a jail cell."
"Because..." she pulls me inside the room and looks around. "We are only here for a short amount of time. And...yeah..we have a story to tell now but we just need to ignore it. We can have fun! Even if you just got framed.."
I grin at adorable human being and just ignore the bad thoughts. For a moment, just for a moment, I was willing to forget about everything and kiss her, but I needed to control myself.
"Alright fine. How about this," I squeeze her hand, "the day before we leave, we can have a picnic here."
She makes a fake thinking face.
"Fine. Let's just hope we have our stuff by then."
I nod and sigh as I pull her out of the room.
"C'mon. Let's head to the drama room."

"Sorry I wasn't here yesterday," I say to Hunter, who still looks scared of me. "Now. Where were we?"
"I-I..don't know?" He's...shaking? This guy...I didn't even do anything to him. I raise a brow.
"I don't know if this is about what I did to you, but we just need to forget it. I'm sorry, but you really got on my nerves. Okay? So what'd you do yesterday."
"Uhm. We went over stick to the status quo..."
"Great, but you aren't in it. What did you do while they were rehearsing?"
This kid can't speak for shit.
"I just waited and rehearsed some of my lines.."
"Okay uhm. That's something. What did you rehearse?"
"We're all in this together. The choreography...it's..almost..cheeky?"
"What?" I grab the sheet out of his hands. "Dude. It's the original one. Be lucky. We did a remake of it."
Why am I jealous? Well..why wouldn't I though?
"C'mon. Let me teach you the dance."

  Nini
"Your awfully shaky.." I say as Willow hold the script in front of her face. "Are you alright?"
She puts the script down.
"I-...I don't think I can do the play.." she says, eyes watery.
"What? Why?" My voice is high and soft. "Your made for this role!"
"I want to do this but with my personal...problems..right now, I don't think I can."
  I don't know her situation, but the least I could do is comfort her. I hug her dearly and it wasn't until a couple of seconds later that she begins crying.
  "Here, c'mon." I grab her hand and lead her out into the hallway. "If you don't mind telling me, what's going on?"
  She wipes her eyes and I could tell immediately she was reluctant.
"Like I said you don't have to.."
"I know but..okay. My parents..they're...they're divorcing."
  Oh god. This is giving me too many flashbacks. I look around and immediately get an idea.
  "Hold on." I head back inside and immediately go up to Ricky. "Ricky. Hey."
He turns around and smiles.
  "What's up?"
"Can you do something for me?"
"Uh...sure. Wh-"
I grab his arm and pull him out the hallway.
"Her parents are divorcing and I need you to help her get through it."
  He gives me a look before returning it to Willow, who was wiping her eyes.
  "Uhm. Okay but how do I....do that?"
  "You had to go through the same thing...can you just...help her?"
  He stumbles on his feet and looks around the place before nodding his head.
  "Thank you..." I say before I head back inside

Lachlan
"This isn't normal..." I say as I shuffle through my desk. "Sir how could you know that the photo was missing when it was in my desk?!"
"Who the hell told you to put it there. Besides the point, I thought you were happy he's free." The chief responds, hands on hips.
"I am but that's not the point! It's the point that the girl got raped! Did you look at the background? How could you have known it was him?!" I continue to pull open drawers.
"Who the hell do you think you are Woodson?! It doesn't matter anymore. The case is closed and that's all you need to worry about."
I scoff as he walks away. I pull out the file of Ricky and Nini and open Rickys. I totally forgot that he said his dad was in this place and I think I have only one option.
I get up and go to the holding room. Using Rickys file, I point out his dad and drag him outside without any comment. I handcuff him to the chair.
  "What the fuck?" He says, shifting in his chair. "Can I help you?"
  "Your son. Richard Bowen,"
  "Yeah? What about him?"
  "Let.Me.Finish..." I take a deep breath. "Richard. He dated Nina Salazar Roberts."
  "Mhm..."
"And she's a victim of rape. There was a photo randomly given to us by an anonymous person. That's why he was with you last night, but today he was freed. The evidence, it's gone."
  "What does that have to do with me?"
"Do you know anyone who could possibly have something against Nini or was maybe close to her that could possibly a suspect? Ricky even, though I'm pretty sure he's fine."
He gives me an annoyed look and doesn't respond.
"Y'know," I begin frustrated, "I can just throw you back in that jail cell of yours an-"
"No! I don't. Ricky hasn't seen her in 3 years for all I know. Same for me."
I look around the room and lick my lips. It's become a habit.
  "Alright uhm well. Do you know anything about Nini's dating past?"
"The hell? Why would I know anything about her?" His eyebrows are furrowed.
"Because she was your sons girlfriend?" I respond.  He twists and thinks for a bit.
  "Some kid..." he begins.
"What kid?"
  "A kid. I think his name was..." he snaps with his free hand. "EJ! EJ Caswell."
I write down the name and nod.
  "Alright. Thanks. That's all I really needed."
  "Wait what!?"

  Holy shit! Sorry guys! School just came up and I just went crazy! I'll post more. I'm so sorry!

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Word count: 1551