Chapter 3

In the principal's office, the air was thick with tension. The leather on the chairs creaked.

Jessica started first, tears streaming down her face. It was a performance I had seen before.

"He was there, Principal Thompson. Last night in the parking lot. Bryce... he got aggressive. Liam saw everything. He just watched. He didn't help me."

Principal Thompson looked at me, his face stern but fair. He'd always been a decent man. "Liam? Is this true?"

I met his gaze without blinking. I remembered the consequences of telling the truth. I remembered my father' s grave.

"No, sir," I said calmly. "I left the game early to help my dad at his shop. I didn't see anything."

I paused, letting the silence hang in the air. Then I added, "Besides, even if I had seen something, saving her is not my legal responsibility. I have a scholarship to protect. I can't get involved in... whatever this is."

I looked at Jessica, my eyes devoid of emotion.

"It almost sounds like you're looking for someone to blame, Jessica. Maybe even a scapegoat."

The words hit their mark. A flicker of panic crossed her face. Principal Thompson's eyes narrowed, a seed of doubt now planted. He knew my record. He knew how hard I worked. My story made more sense than hers.

"That's enough," Principal Thompson said, his voice firm. He sent Jessica to the nurse's office. He let me go back to class.

It wasn't over. I knew it wasn't.

An hour later, it happened just like before. The classroom door opened. Two police officers stood there. Jessica was behind them, her eyes red, pointing at me.

"That's him," she said, her voice trembling for the officers' benefit. "He's the one who assaulted me."

But this time, the script changed. My classmates didn't gasp in shock. They exchanged confused looks. They had all seen her slap me in the hall. They heard her scream that I had done nothing.

The officers approached my desk. I stood up slowly, calmly.

I didn't wait for them to speak. I looked directly at Jessica.

"This is getting ridiculous, Jessica," I said, my voice loud enough for the whole class to hear. "First, you assault me in the hallway because I didn't do anything. Now you're telling the police I did? Your story keeps changing."

I turned to the officers. "Officers, I have a full scholarship to Harvard University. My father is a disabled Marine veteran. Why would I throw my entire future away for this? It makes no sense."

I pulled out my phone. "I'm going to start documenting this. This feels like a malicious false accusation."

I started a social media thread right there. 'Being publicly accused of assault by Jessica Miller. An hour ago, she attacked me for NOT helping her. Now she says I'm the attacker. #FalseAccusation #HighSchoolDrama'

Some of the students in the class pulled out their own phones. The narrative was no longer just hers to control.