Page 63 of Boys Like You

“What did you just say?” he demands.

Saul laughs while Levi and Rory try to hold Mercer back Saul’s table crashes to the floor. The teacher is yelling but it’s hard to hear over the girls screeching and Saul and Mercer arguing.

A voice sounds over the loudspeaker, “Mercer Cole, Rocky Hunter, Maximus Sawyer, Rory Vincent, Levi Parker and JD please come to the office.”

“This isn’t over. Watch your back, Davidson,” Mercer spits as he shrugs the guys off. Saul just laughs.

“Mercer, see the principal while you’re at the office, I’m writing you up.” Mercer ignores the teacher, grabs his backpack and storms from the room. The rest of us follow behind.

The office lady tells us to take a seat. After a few minutes, we’re told to head into Mr Turner’s office. Rory walks beside me, linking our pinkies.

Mr Turner isn’t alone in his office; Lissa and Deacon turn to face us, they are in uniform.

“What’s this about?” I ask.

“We need you all to accompany us to the police station,” Lissa says.

“You know we’re all minors. Have our parents been contacted?” Mercer asks.

“I would like to call my lawyer before we leave, my mother isn’t reliable,” Rory says.

“It is nothing serious, we just have to go over the events the night JD was found. We have had some information come to light, but we can’t discuss it here.”

Since no one was under arrest we’re allowed to follow them in. I ride with Levi, my nerves almost sending me into a panic attack.

“Do you think they know who I am?” I ask.

“I don’t know. There could be numerous reasons they need to talk to us. picking us up at school is a way to catch us off guard,” I like that he tries to reassure me everything will be okay. I wish I didn’t have this pit of dread in my stomach.

Fifteen minutes later, we all pull up at the police station and are led into separate rooms to wait while parents or guardians arrive.

Beth is brought into the interview room, Lissa sits across from me.

“There is no need to worry, JD, this is all just routine. Levi mentioned you were starting to get flashes and we thought we would go over everyone’s version of what happened. Can you tell me anything you remember?”

I look around the small room, just a desk with chairs either side. No windows, just one door. I don’t know why I notice that, it’s not like I would run, because where would I go?

I finally look over at Beth and she nods. “You know how I’ve been having nightmares? Well, normally I just get this feeling of fear after them, but then I started seeing flashes of Rory in my mind, but in black and white. Then when we were at a party, this song came on and it sent shivers down my spine. I felt dizzy, and I saw the face of a guy. He was like a gangster, or at least, the way one would be portrayed in the movies, but really good looking, older than me by a few years. I also see a scene of silhouettes; two people with their backs to me and someone lying on the floor. I don’t feel like I was the one on the floor, more like I was watching.” I shake my head. “Everything is fuzzy and doesn’t make sense. I was going to tell you, I just wanted something to be clearer, so I didn’t waste your time.” I rub my sweaty palms down on my skirt. For weeks I have wished not to remember, but the closer we get to finding out who I am, the more I’m thinking knowing would be easier. At least then it would all go away.

“Which is understandable. You still have no memory from the day you were found?”

I shake my head. “No. I wish I did, I want this to be over.”

***

When we’re allowed to leave, Levi asks Beth if I can hang out with him for the rest of the day. She agrees as long as he has me home by a reasonable hour.

Levi drives us to a small part of town, and up to a gated apartment complex. He punches in a code, and big metal gates slide open. He follows a paved road, pointing out the gym and pool as we pass. He pulls his Jeep into a double garage.

“I realised today I hadn’t shown you my house yet, so here we are.” It’s quite nice; the duplex is in blocks of two, surrounded by palm trees to give it an exotic feel.

“I’m kind of excited to see your room.” He smiles like a Cheshire cat. “Not for the reason you think.” I whack his arm. “Boys, you all think with your second head.”

He leads me inside and gives me the tour; lounge room, kitchen, dining room. He takes me up two flights of stairs. Unlike the other floor, this has only one door at the top. He pushes the door open, and I look around. The room is so him; a double bed in the centre, a grey striped comforter, dark wooden bedside tables, a larger set of drawers with a medium-sized flat-screen TV on top. Behind his bed, framed on the wall are three basketball jerseys. He points to each one. “Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Steph Curry.”

I sit on his bed so I can slip off my shoes.

Levi loosens his tie and pulls it off from around his neck. I watch as he slowly unbuttons his school shirt. I swallow hard. His body is well defined. Seeing the trail of hair from his navel to his pants has me licking my lips.

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