Nets and Lies

by Katie Ashley

  When we got inside, she motioned for me to have a seat. I eased down in the leather chair, never taking my eyes off of the two men in suits.

  They must’ve noticed my apprehension because they smiled. The tallest one stepped forward and extended his hand. “Melanie, my name is Jay Pendley. And my partner is Lewis McKay.” He paused for me to shake both of their hands. “We’re investigators with the SVU of the Sheriff’s Department.”

  My heart pounded in my ears. “SVU? Like the television show?”

  Detective Pendley laughed. “Yes, I suppose so. We’re here to investigate a claim of sexual misconduct.”

  “S-Sexual misconduct?” I repeated, lamely. Don’t let your voice crack, Mel. Then the familiar Miranda rights echoed in my head... Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law.

  “Yes, by one of the coaches here at the school,” Detective McKay replied.

  I glanced across the desk at Dr. Micheltree. She briefly met my gaze before averting her eyes to her desk calendar. Keep yourself together. Don’t blush, don’t stutter, don’t give them anything.

  I played dumb as best I could. “Um, who are you supposed to be investigating?”

  Detective McKay exchanged a glance with Detective Pendley. There was so much eye-shifting and strange looks it made my skin crawl. Finally, he spoke. “Mark Thompson.”

  I jolted back in my seat like I had been stunned with a taser. Oh God, they know. How do they do possibly know?

  At my reaction, Detective Pendley nodded. “I know it probably sounds unbelievable at the moment, but we do have some evidence to back it up.”

  Evidence? What kind of evidence could they possibly have? Pictures, video, an eyewitness? “But what does this have to do with me?” Give them something good, Mel. Push the heat off you anyway you can. I gasped and brought my hand to my chest almost theatrically. “Did one of the other players accuse him of something?”

  “No, it wasn’t one of the other players.” Detective Pendley hesitated. He looked over at Detective McKay who nodded. “It was Jordan Solano.”

  I was stunned. It took a moment for me to even put a name with a face. Suddenly, a scene flashed before my eyes. It was of Jordan and Coach T at the ball game a few weeks ago. Plainly, I could see her flirting with him, but I also saw the look of amusement on his face. He certainly wasn’t reciprocating her advances. I couldn’t imagine why she would lie about such a thing.

  I shook my head at the officers. In a voice that didn’t sound like my own, I blurted, “Coach T would never do something like that.”

  “Melanie, we—”

  For Will and for my fractured sanity, I continued coming to Coach T’s defense. “She’s lying. I know she is.”

  “That’s a pretty hefty claim,” Officer McKay countered.

  “But I know her. Jordan’s always in trouble. And when she’s not in trouble, she’s lying to get herself out of trouble. Don’t you know she’s a slut!”

  “Melanie!” Dr. Micheltree admonished.

  I couldn’t blame her shock. I acted like someone even I didn’t recognize. The Old Melanie would have never thought of calling someone a slut in front of the principal. I would have blushed and died a thousand deaths. But the Old Melanie was dead—staked through the heart on an old futon in Coach T’s office.

  So, the New Melanie shrugged my shoulders in total apathy. “Well, she is.”

  Detective Pendley shook his head. “Ms. Solano’s character outside of this investigation is not our concern.”

  “But how can it not be?” I protested. “I watch enough TV to know that an accuser’s character is always taken into consideration.” When they didn’t respond, I continued on, “I know she had crush on Coach T, and she flirted with him all the time. But I know he would never have acted on it.” Right, Mel. He’s one hell of a stand up guy. He doesn’t hit it with the flirty slut. Oh, no, he just rapes his star player on the futon in his office.

  Detective Pendley held up his hand. “Melanie, there’s more.”

  I shifted nervously in my seat. “More?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Ms. Solano alleges there was another victim.”

  “Who?”

  Detective Pendley cocked his eyebrows. “You.”

  The wind left my body, and I wheezed. Detective McKay stepped forward, but I shook my head. Slowly, I tried calming myself down. Breath Melanie! In and out, in and out, in and out. Finally, my voice came back to me. “She said he…” I couldn’t even utter the word. I thought if I said it, then it might make it true. Worse, it might give away my secret. The one I clung to so viciously it hurt.

  Keep calm, don’t freak out! Frantically, I searched my mind for answers. There’s no way she could know. There were no windows in the office, so she couldn’t have seen what happened. But why? Why was she saying that? What could she possibly gain by telling such a thing about me?

  Detective McKay nodded in response to my last question.

  Heat radiated through my face all the way down to my neck. I burned so hot I felt like I was on fire. I imagined flames licking at my arms and legs, scarring me physically like the ones I carried on the inside. Stop it. They’re watching you. Tell them something, anything, so they’ll stop staring at you.

  Thankfully the New Melanie took over. I threw my shoulders back. “That’s crazy! Why would she tell such a lie?”

  Detective Pendley stepped forward. “Is it a lie, Ms. Reeves?”

  My mouth gaped open. Keep it together, Mel. Don’t let him in. Don’t let him see through to the truth. “How can you even ask such a thing?”

  “You didn’t answer the question,” he pressed.

  Rage like I had never known spilled out of me. I bolted up out of my seat. “Yes! Yes, of course it’s a lie! Coach T would never do that to me!”

  Screaming those words was almost liberating—like I really could pretend it never happened. That’s right. He would never do that to you. You don’t have to believe it, think it, or feel it because there was no way it happened.

  Before I could say anything else, I heard a commotion outside of the door. There were raised voices out in the hallway, and I could hear Mrs. Tillery, Dr. Micheltree’s secretary, arguing with somebody. She wasn’t successful because without even a knock, the door blew open.

  Then my parents burst into the office.

  “Excuse me, this is a closed meeting--,” Detective McKay began, but my dad stopped him.

  He pointed his finger in McKay’s face and shook his head. “Oh, no, this isn’t a closed meeting. That’s my daughter you’re interrogating right now, and she has right to counsel!”

  My face flushed. Leave it to my dad to go full on lawyer mode. “Dad,” I began.

  “And if you think you’re gonna ask her one more thing without counsel, you got another thing coming!”

  “Daddy,” I said.

  “She’s seventeen years old. What could she have possibly done?”

  “Sir, she hasn’t-” Detective Pendley started before Dad interrupted him again to continue on his tirade.

  “She’s an A student, Captain of the Varsity Basketball Team, and a Who’s Who in American High Schools—”

  “DAD!” I shouted.

  Finally, he glanced over at me. “Please calm down. My rights haven’t been violated!”

  He raised his eyebrows, and I nodded. He then sighed and backed out of McKay’s face.

  “Please, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves. Have a seat,” Dr. Micheltree said.

  Mom eased down into one of the chairs, but Dad kept pacing around the room.

  “Can someone please tell me what is going on? I mean, my wife and I get a call to get down here immediately since our daughter is being interrogated by detectives from the Sheriff’s department, not to mention the deluge of calls we’ve received from other basketball parents about something with Coach Thompson.”

  Detective McKay stepped forward. “Your daughter has been named as a victim in an investigation of sexual misconduct, Mr. Reev
es.”

  Mom gasped, and Dad’s face reddened. “Excuse me?”

  And there they were. The looks I’d imagined—the looks I had feared—were etched across my parents’ faces. I had to do something, so I blurted, “It’s not true!”

  My parents ignored me. “What do you mean sexual misconduct?” Mom asked, her voice wavering.

  “We’ve had allegations that Coach Thompson raped a student here. When she came forward, she gave your daughter’s name as another victim,” Detective Pendley replied.

  Mom slowly shook her head in shock. “Mark Thompson a rapist? I can’t believe it,” she said in a hushed voice.

  Dad grunted. “Well, I don’t believe it. We’ve known him since Melanie was a Freshman. There’s no way in hell he could have done anything to anyone, least of all Melanie!”

  My face flushed with heat again, and I stared down at my hands. Their response was something I never expected. No arguments, no need to be convinced by me that it wasn’t true. Just an open and shut case of the unwavering innocence of Coach T. It was at that moment I knew there was no going back. If my own parents found it so appalling, how would I ever convince anyone it was true?

  Detective McKay sighed. “Look, I understand your frustration and disbelief, but we’ve had an allegation of misconduct. We have to investigate it to the best of our ability.”

  It was then a thought popped into my mind, and I blurted, “What’s going to happen to Coach T?”

  Dr. Micheltree finally spoke up. “He’s been put on leave pending the investigation.”

  The news sent the Old Melanie kicking into high gear. My eyes widened in shock. “But you can’t do that! We still have five games left in the season, and we’re undefeated. Coach T has to be there for us when we go to the playoffs.”

  Once again, I didn’t think about me. Just like I’d put Will first and then my parents, I put my team’s happiness above my own. The reason seemed obvious enough to me. They were like my family. We would be broken without Coach T.

  Dr. Micheltree shook her head. “I’m sorry, Melanie. We had no choice. We will have to pull Coach Simms up from JV to take his place or something. We haven’t had a chance to figure that all out yet.”

  Tears of frustration stung my eyes. “It’s so unfair.” Good God. Did you really just say that? Do you honestly think so highly of the man who raped you two nights ago? You are seriously losing it.

  Detective Pendley cleared his throat. “We will need to question Melanie further. I know this has been a great shock to her today, so I’d like to wait until tomorrow to do that. It isn’t necessary, but you might want to obtain an attorney for the hearing.”

  Dad nodded and mumbled he would ask one of his partners. But I ignored him. All I focused on was ‘hearing’. “You mean, I’ll have to go to court?” I asked.

  Detective McKay nodded. “Yes. If what you say is true, that Coach Thompson never raped you, then you will have to testify under oath.”

  I started to feel shaky. Testifying meant talking in front of a crowd of people. A crowd who would all be staring at me. And all of it under oath and on the record. I would be lying under oath, which from my Government class I knew was a felony. I could perjure myself.

  But how would I even get that far. First of all, they’d put a Bible in front me. A Bible I would be forced to swear on that I would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God. Even though I was in a crisis of faith, I still didn’t think I had it within me to swear on a Bible and lie.

  It was all too much.

  I needed out. I didn’t want to be closed up in that room with them anymore. I frantically searched for an escape. I was slowly unraveling, and I needed time to regroup.

  When I rose from the chair, my knees almost buckled underneath me. “C-Can I go now?”

  “Sweetie, are you sure you want to go back to class?” Mom asked.

  Dr. Micheltree nodded. “Your mom is right, Melanie. I’m afraid by now, word has spread throughout the school about what’s happened. It might be better if you went home and took it easy today.”

  After experiencing what I had earlier in the day, leaving school was a tempting thought. But one person’s face flashed before me.

  Will.

  Pain radiated through my chest at the thought of what he must be feeling or going through—if he was even here at school today.

  I glanced at the faces peering expectantly at me. I shook my head. “If I did that, then everyone would think I’d bailed because it was true.” But it is true. You were raped, Mel. I jerked my chin up. “No, I want to go to class. I want to be with my friends.” Why? So you can become exhausted by keeping up your little façade that nothing happened? So you can reassure each and every one of them it isn’t possible Coach T raped you when you know good and well he did?

  Mom exchanged a look with Dad, and he nodded. “I suppose it’s all right if you stay.”

  “Thanks.” I gathered up my purse and backpack.

  Mom hopped up and hugged me. “It’s going to be all right, sweetie.” In her comforting embrace, I almost believed her. But deep down I knew it wouldn’t. Too much had happened for things to ever be all right.

  “Thanks, Mom,” I murmured.

  Before I could make it to the door, Dad stepped forward and hugged me, too. Oh Daddy, I wish for just one instant you could have wrapped your mind around it, considered it, contemplated it. I’m not your little girl anymore. You’d kill him if you knew the truth. You wouldn’t stand here and defend him. You’d break his neck. “Call us if you need us. I’ll call Garrison when I leave here to represent you,” he said.

  I nodded. “Okay then.”

  Detective Pendley stood in my path. “Ms. Reeves, we’ll need to talk with you tomorrow morning. Is nine am all right?”

  No! No, it’s not all right. I don’t ever want to see you again, least of all talk to you! You’ll keep on and on until you break me to get the truth. Before I could respond, Dad said, “If it’s feasible with her attorney.”

  Detective Pendley nodded. I didn’t say anything else as I sidestepped past him out the door. I blushed at the looks the secretaries gave me. “Melanie, do you need a pass?” Mrs. Tillery asked.

  Staring out the glass office, I saw the bell ending first period had just rung, and the halls were crowded.

  “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”

  “All right. Have a good day.”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled.

  Even though I kept my head down in the hallway, I could feel the looks burning into me. I quickened my pace, desperate to make it to the gym. At the mere thoughts of walking through those doors, my chest tightened. There would be no Coach T there. For four years I depended on him as part of my day. I was guaranteed to find him dribbling basketballs balls or setting up the volleyball net.

  But he wouldn’t be there today. He wouldn’t be grinning and joking with the other coaches. He wouldn’t be there to tease me or ride me about missing an easy shot.

  Bitter tears stung my eyes. You’re so stupid, Mel. Did you honestly think it would ever be the same? That you could just walk back in those doors like you did on Monday and pretend that it never happened? I was almost to the gym door when someone caught me by the arm.

  It was Will.

  “I need to talk to you,” he whispered.

  I didn’t bother arguing. Instead, I let him lead me past the gym out the back door to the parking lot. We stopped when we got behind the field house.

  I dropped my book bag and purse and stared expectantly at him. When I did, I gasped. I’d never seen him so shaken. His body trembled, and his face was ashen. His emotional pain crushed him physically. And that broke my heart.

  He stood with his lip quivering like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

  “Will?”

  Finally, he lowered his head. “Is what they’re saying about my…” he choked on the words.

  No, please don’t ask that. Ask me anything else. Ask
me about the weather or how many shots I’m averaging a game.

  I had to think fast. His gaze burned into my face. Once again, I vied for a Best Actress Academy Award. I gasped and reached out for him. “No, no, of course not!”

  Tears of relief shimmered in his eyes. “Really?”

  In the last forty-eight hours, I had never wanted to tell someone so much as I did at that moment. The words scorched my tongue. All I had to do was open my mouth, and they would tumble out.

  But I didn’t.

  Instead, I kept my mouth firmly shut and nodded. He exhaled slowly before pulling me into his arms. His breath warmed my neck against the cold. “Thank God. I don’t know what I would have done if it had been true.” He kissed the top of my head. “I would have died, I guess. I couldn’t have lived with myself if Dad had done that to you.”

  A sob caught in my throat at his words. Of course, he would have died. How does one survive the news your father raped your girlfriend? Your heart would stop instantly, and no matter how many people pumped up and down on your chest or how many times they shocked you back, you wouldn’t survive. How could you?

  But in the same token, I wondered how I was still standing. Why wasn’t I six feet under from the shock of what had happened? How was I living, breathing, and lying like nothing had happened? Part of me might have been living, but the other part of me wished I was dead. I shuddered at the thought. I closed my eyes and pressed myself closer to Will. For the first time all morning, I felt safe.

  He sighed, this time his breath warmed my ear. “I feel like a real prick for even thinking it. I mean, he’s my dad. I shouldn’t have even questioned it.”

  No, Will, your dad is the prick. I pulled away to stare into his eyes. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s only natural for you to question it.”

  “I mean, when I heard it was Jordan, I didn’t believe it. I know what kinda girl she is, and I’ve seen the way she struts her ass in front him.” He angrily shook his head.

  I nodded. “I can’t believe they took her word. I tried telling the detectives today what kind of girl she is.”