The Thrashers(19)
“We’ll be right there.” He hung up and looked at Zack. “That was your dad. There are cops at your house.”
She felt the air thin between them all. Paige brought a hand to her mouth, her blue eyes wide.
“We have to go.” Julian gestured for them to follow. “Before we’re seen.”
Jodi’s legs were moving, her shoulder bumping into Zack’s arm every few steps.
Before we’re seen.
They slithered out from underneath the bleachers, and Jodi’s gaze landed on her own face, broadcasting out over the field as the opening chords of “Abide with Me” trumpeted from the orchestra. She searched for Detective Harding, but she’d vanished.
Paige’s phone rang, and she silenced it quickly before answering. “Mom?” she whispered.
They darted around the empty concessions stand.
“What’s on TV? What do you mean?”
Paige stopped, chewing on her lip and staring at the grass beneath her feet. Jodi paused with her. Mrs. Montgomery’s voice was tinny but clear through the phone: “They say that girl killed herself because of you. All five of you. Criminal harassment, they’re calling it.”
Jodi’s mind stuttered over the words, attempting to piece them together. Her eyes unfocused and her skin was cold. She heard nothing but the wind and a whispered melody.
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Lucy ran her hands through her hair. Zack stared blankly at Paige as she promised her mom she’d be home soon and hung up.
Julian spun to Jodi, grabbing her arm. “What did you tell that detective?” His tone was accusatory, like this was somehow her fault.
Jodi wrenched out of his grip. “Are you kidding me? What could I possibly have said?”
“We can’t do this here.” Lucy tugged Jodi’s other arm toward the parking lot, but Julian dragged her back.
“What did you say about Zack specifically?”
“I didn’t say anything, but”—suddenly Mrs. Mills’s words came to her—“Emily’s mom said she didn’t want to see Zack.”
Julian locked eyes with Zack over her head, his expression filled with something unreadable—irritation? Fear?
Jodi turned over her shoulder and watched Zack tug at his hair, squeezing his eyes closed.
“Let’s get out of here,” Paige said. She marched forward, taking charge and leading them to the parking lot.
Jodi was still trying to decipher the look on Julian’s face when they rounded the final bleacher set and found the news crew.
The five of them halted, like finding a bear in the woods. Julian was the first to move, taking Zack’s elbow and shifting him to his other side. “Don’t look at them,” he whispered, and Zack ducked his head.
They edged to the cars, but a voice called out.
“That’s him! That’s Zack Thrasher.”
Light blinded her as Jodi tried to look over. It was more than just one news crew. At least three cameras turned on them, their bulbs bright as sunlight.
Julian and Zack kept walking. Lucy took Jodi’s arm.
“Zack! How would you like to respond to the allegations—”
“Did you tell Emily to kill herself?”
“Over here!”
“Zack, are you sorry she’s dead?”
Lucy tugged her to the right as Zack and Julian continued to Zack’s car. She looked over her shoulder as Julian moved to the driver’s side, but there was a camera still following Lucy, Paige, and her.
“How long have you girls known Zack Thrasher? Which one of you is dating him?”
Ripping her keys from her pocket, Lucy turned Jodi and Paige sharply through two tightly parked cars to lose the camera crew.
Paige started running, and Lucy and Jodi jogged to catch up. Lucy beeped open her Jeep, and Paige was inside and buckled before Jodi even got her door open. Lucy squealed out of the parking lot just as the camera caught up to them. The light beamed into the back seat, whiting out Jodi’s vision. Paige panted in the front seat, hyperventilating.
Barely five minutes later, the car veered into the Thrashers’ driveway, speeding down toward the red and blue swirling lights.
Julian and Zack were joining Greg Thrasher and two officers on the porch. Lucy shut off the engine, and Jodi stepped out just in time to see Zack turn around, hanging his head as one of the officers pulled cuffs from his pocket. The click of the cuffs was drowned out under: “Zackary Thrasher, you’re under arrest for the harassment and statutory rape of Emily Mills.”
Case No. 4512420
Excerpt from the journal of Emily Mills
Entered into evidence 6.08.2024 by Det. Chelsea Harding
AUG. 21, 2023
I DON’T THINK THERE EVER WAS A BOY AS PERFECT AS ZACK THRASHER. I WANT TO WRITE POETRY ABOUT HIM. REALLY BAD POETRY THAT I’LL NEVER SHOW ANYONE (ESPECIALLY HIM) BUT I WANT TO WRITE IT ANYWAYS. I WANT TO USE METAPHORS TO PERFECTLY CAPTURE THE SHADE OF BLUE IN HIS EYES, AND THE TEXTURE OF HIS HAIR. I DON’T THINK HE STYLES IT. IT’S JUST … PERFECT.
I SAID ON MONDAY THAT MY FIRST DAY AT MY NEW HIGH SCHOOL WAS OFF TO A ROUGH START, BUT NOW I KNOW MY LOCKER IS JUST ACROSS THE HALL FROM ZACK’S. EVERYBODY KNOWS HIM. PEOPLE STOP TO ASK HIS OPINION ON STUPID THINGS LIKE NEW KINGS PLAYERS OR THE SHAWN MENDES RUMORS. TODAY SOMEBODY WAS TELLING HIM A STORY ABOUT A PARTY IN TAHOE OVER THE SUMMER, AND ZACK STOOD THERE AND LISTENED TO THE WHOLE BORING THING EVEN AFTER THE BELL RANG.