Chapter 352 - Tomorrow We Start

Chapter 352: Chapter 352 - Tomorrow We Start

Roxie glanced toward Angela on the bed.

For the first time since Friday, Angela looked like she was actually sleeping.

She had curled into Caleb sometime after everyone finally stopped questioning him, her cheek pressed against his chest and one fist still twisted into the front of his shirt. Caleb was stretched awkwardly beside her on top of the covers, one arm around her waist and the other tucked beneath his head.

He had tried to stay awake.

Roxie had watched him fight it for almost twenty minutes, blinking slowly every few seconds while Angela slept against him. Eventually his eyes stayed closed.

He looked like he needed it almost as badly as Angela did.

Roxie sat on the floor near the foot of the bed with her back against the wall while Karen occupied the chair beside her. The room had finally gone quiet after hours of crying, shouting and questions, and Roxie almost felt afraid to move in case she ruined it.

Angela shifted in her sleep.

Caleb’s arm tightened around her automatically.

Roxie watched him for another moment.

Earlier she had spent hours wondering why the hell he wasn’t here. She had even started wondering whether Kurt might be right.

Now Caleb was sleeping in a position that looked uncomfortable as hell because moving would probably wake Angela.

Maybe Roxie had been wrong.

She hoped she had been wrong.

Karen checked her phone. "My aunt’s coming to get me."

"What time is it?"

Karen showed her the screen.

Roxie blinked. "Fuck."

"Exactly."

She pulled out her own phone.

There were six messages from Zac.

You okay?

Anything happen?

Rox?

I’m assuming you’re alive.

Babe.

And finally:

Answer before I come back there.

Roxie rolled her eyes despite herself and typed.

Alive. Caleb showed up. Angela finally fell asleep.

The reply came almost immediately.

He came?

Yeah. Long story. Where are you?

Three dots appeared.

Dylan’s.

Roxie frowned.

Again?

Zac sent a laughing emoji.

He called. I was bored.

Roxie glanced at Karen, who was still scrolling through her phone.

Then she typed:

You two dating now?

Zac answered so quickly she almost laughed.

He wishes.

Roxie snorted.

Karen looked over. "What?"

"Zac’s at Dylan’s."

Karen’s mouth twitched. "Again?"

"They’re thick as thieves."

Roxie sent Zac one more message.

I’m probably staying until Karen gets picked up.

I’ll come get you.

You’re at Dylan’s.

And?

Roxie smiled.

Fine. Later.

She put the phone down and looked at Angela again.

Karen followed her gaze. "She looks better."

"She’s unconscious."

"Exactly. Improvement."

Roxie almost laughed, then lowered her voice when Angela moved again.

Karen stood and stretched before walking toward the balcony. Roxie followed her out and slid the glass door mostly closed behind them.

The bottle from earlier was still sitting on the small table.

For a few moments they stood together looking into the dark yard. Somewhere downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Hart were still awake. Roxie had heard Mr. Hart make at least three phone calls since Caleb arrived, and she doubted any of them were friendly.

Karen broke the silence first. "So."

Roxie looked over.

"How are we killing Bianca?"

Roxie’s mouth twitched. "I thought we were against murder."

"That’s Angela. I, on the other hand got the contact ready."

Roxie looked at the darkness and her jaw clenched. She was sure Bianca was the one who threw pictures of her mom. Not sure how she got hold of it since almost all are her pictures when she got out of their house.

They didn’t have solid evidence right then.

But now... Can they catch her?

She clenched her fist. Did Bianca target Angela because of her? Who’s next? Karen?

"I want to kill her with my own hands." Roxie muttered.

Karen looked at her and nodded. "If she actually did this, though..." She looked toward Angela’s room. "She’s fucked."

"She better be."

Karen rested her elbows on the railing. "Maybe."

Roxie frowned. "What does maybe mean?"

Karen glanced at her. "It means she’s a Reeves."

"So?"

Karen stared at her.

Roxie waited.

Then Karen chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you laughing?"

Karen shook her head. "Sometimes I forget how little you know about rich people."

Roxie folded her arms. "I know rich people have money."

"The Reeves have more than money."

"They have two pools?"

Karen laughed again. "Rox."

"What?"

"You think Caleb is rich?"

"He is rich."

"He is. But his family is old rich. There’s a difference."

Roxie gave her a blank look.

Karen sighed. "The Reeves family has been around forever. Europe, businesses, properties, investments, lawyers who probably have lawyers. Bianca’s side isn’t even the main branch."

Roxie blinked. "There’s a main branch?"

Karen laughed. "Caleb’s a bastard. I don’t know what will the Reeves do if we got evidence against Bianca."

Roxie leaned against the railing. "None of that matters. If Bianca stole a naked picture off Caleb’s phone and spread it around school, she committed a crime."

Karen stared out into the yard.

"So she gets expelled and goes to jail."

Karen looked at her again.

"What?"

Karen’s mouth curved slightly. "You really think money has nothing to do with what happens next?"

"No amount of money makes what she did legal."

"I didn’t say it did."

"Then what are you saying?"

Karen took a moment before answering. "I’m saying people like the Reeves don’t wait around for everybody else to decide what happens to their family."

Roxie frowned.

Karen continued. "If they think Bianca did this, they’ll handle her before the school even finishes whatever investigation they’re doing. She could be pulled out tomorrow. Sent somewhere else. Europe, another state, another school. Their lawyers will already be involved before Principal Gonzalez finishes her morning coffee."

"And that means she gets away with it?"

"I have no idea."

Roxie stared at her. "That’s bullshit."

"Welcome to Earth."

"She ruined Angela’s life."

"I know."

"So she gets punished."

Karen’s expression softened slightly, and Roxie hated that look because it made her feel like Karen knew something she didn’t.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Stop doing that."

Karen chuckled. "You’re adorable."

Roxie’s mouth dropped open. "Fuck you."

Karen just looked blankly ahead. "Money can do things you couldn’t even imagine."

Roxie slapped the banister. Even rich people get consequences. "I’m serious. She can’t just disappear because her family has money."

Karen reached for the bottle.

Roxie slapped her hand away.

"I wasn’t drinking it."

"You were absolutely drinking it."

"I was moving it."

"To your mouth?"

Karen grinned.

Roxie shook her head and shoved the bottle farther away.

Behind them, Angela made a small sound.

Both girls immediately turned.

Caleb moved slightly, lifting his head before looking down at Angela. She settled again without waking, and he carefully pulled the blanket higher over her shoulder.

Roxie watched through the glass.

Karen’s voice came quieter. "At least she was right about him."

Roxie returned her attention to the bed.

"Yeah."

Angela had defended him even while Kurt practically tore every excuse apart.

He wouldn’t do it.

He loves me.

He wouldn’t be embarrassed of me.

Roxie had wanted to believe her, but sometime between Caleb being home and still not calling, doubt had started creeping in anyway.

Now she felt shitty about it.

Karen seemed to read something in her face. "We all wondered."

"Angela didn’t."

"No."

She thinking if something happened too with Zac. She would blindly trust him no matter what.

A car horn sounded softly outside.

Karen looked down toward the driveway. "That’s probably my aunt."

Roxie followed her back into the room.

Karen grabbed her bag from beside the chair, then stopped near the bed and looked at Angela for a moment. She reached down carefully and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

Angela didn’t wake.

Karen straightened.

Caleb opened his eyes.

"You leaving?" he whispered.

"My aunt’s here."

He nodded.

Karen’s expression changed slightly. "Take care of her."

Caleb looked down at Angela. "I will."

There was something in the way he said it that made Roxie believe him.

Karen apparently did too because she only nodded before turning away.

Roxie followed her into the hallway.

At the top of the stairs, Karen suddenly pulled her into a hug.

Roxie blinked before wrapping her arms around her before she stopped. Karen doesn’t usually show this touchy affection and she better soak on it before it vanishes. "What’s this for?"

"Shut up."

Roxie smiled against her hair. Karen still smelled faintly like that disgusting alcohol, but she was warm and loving.

"Text me when you get home."

Karen pulled back. "Yes, Mom."

"I’m throwing you down the stairs."

Karen grinned and headed down.

Roxie watched until Mrs. Hart opened the door for her and Karen disappeared outside.

Then she went back to Angela’s room and sat in the chair Karen had abandoned. A movement from the bed caught her eye.

Caleb is awake and staring at her. Weeks ago, all she could think was him buying a condom in that pharmacy.

She still didn’t know him particularly well. He had always mostly been Angela’s boyfriend, the pretty rich guy who somehow managed to make Angela blush every time he looked at her.

Tonight was the first time Roxie had really looked at him beyond that.

"You look like shit," she said.

Caleb gave a tired laugh. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome."

He rubbed one eye.

Roxie looked at Angela.

"She hasn’t slept properly in days."

Caleb’s smile disappeared.

"I know."

Roxie studied him.

"If Bianca did this..."

Caleb looked at her.

"She better pray the police get to her before Kurt does."

That actually made him smile slightly. "If she did this, I’ll make sure to make her suffer."

Roxie breathe out and looked at him. "It’s a promise then."

"It is."

Phone light up.

Outside.

Zac.

Roxie checked the time and stood.

"I’m going home."

Caleb nodded. He looked exhausted enough to fall asleep sitting up, but the corner of his mouth lifted. "I’ve got her."

Roxie looked at Angela one last time. Her grip was still twisted into Caleb’s shirt.

"You sleep too."

She left quietly.

Zac was waiting outside beside his car, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. The second Roxie stepped onto the porch, he pushed away from the door and walked toward her.

"How’s the ankle?"

"Hello to you too."

"How’s the ankle?"

"Still attached."

Roxie rolled her eyes, but she let him wrap an arm around her waist when they reached the steps.

"You came from Dylan’s?"

"Yeah."

"What were you doing?"

"Gaming."

"For hours?"

"Mostly."

Roxie looked at him suspiciously.

Zac smiled. "What?"

"You spend a lot of time with him lately. You better make sure I don’t hear about some party in there."

"He’s my friend. Besides Mason and Kyle was with us."

She squinted her eyes. "You sound defensive."

Zac chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Jealous?"

"Of Dylan?"

Zac laughed. "That sounded offensive."

"He should be offended."

"Damn."

Roxie barely thought about the answer before climbing into the passenger seat.

Once Zac got behind the wheel, he looked toward the Hart house. "So what happened?"

Roxie exhaled.

"Caleb thinks Bianca did it."

Zac’s expression immediately changed. "What?"

"He lost his phone while they were in Europe. Found it in Bianca’s room later. She had it for hours."

"Fuck."

"Exactly."

Zac started the car. "Does he know she took the picture?"

"No. He suspects it."

"That’s still pretty fucking bad."

"Yeah."

Roxie looked back at the house as they pulled away.

For the first time since Angela received that first message, there was an actual person attached to all of this.

Someone they could investigate.

Someone Angela could point to instead of looking at herself.

Zac reached over and took her hand.

Roxie looked down at their fingers.

Tomorrow they would go back to school. Mr. Hart would talk to Principal Gonzalez. Caleb would hand over his phone. Somebody would start checking accounts, messages, timestamps, whatever else they needed.

For days, all Roxie had been able to do was watch Angela cry while whoever did this stayed hidden.

Now they had somewhere to start.

Zac squeezed her hand. "You okay?"

Roxie nodded then she looked at him.

"Tomorrow we get Angela justice."

Zac squeezed her hand again. "Then tomorrow we start. Tonight, your mine."