Big Assumptions

"Detention again!" I scoff at my teacher, "Seriously?" Hi, I'm Harper. This happens a lot I just like to make it feel like he won.

This happens all the ti. Sometimes I rarely actually go to detention.

I walk around the school for the rest of the period. I want to prank my teacher so I print out one of those meme faces that looks like their smooshed and tape it to the window. I laugh to myself. I take a picture and send it to my friend. I wait for the bell to ring before going to Jess' class, "That was hilarious! How do you come up with these things?" She says laughing. I laugh with her, "Want to go grab some lunch?" I ask. "I'll pay." She looks at me, "Where did you get that?"

"Nevermind. I can't I'm sorry."

"Don't worry I left the cards. Only cash, got about forty bucks in here."

"No that isn't why, I have a lot of missing assignments I need to catch up on." She says. "Okay well, I'll go by myself." I go over to Mr. Kathen, "How was detention?" He asks me. "Boring as usual." He smiles. I think he enjoys misery from children. I smile back and go to my car. "Arby's sounds good," I say to myself.

Once I finish my food I go put my trash in a nearby trashcan and go back to my car. When I head back to the school police vehicles everywhere. "What is going on?" I pull out my phone and call Jess, "Hey. Hey, where are you?" Jess answers almost immediately. "I went out for lunch, remember?" I say. She sniffles. "What happened?" She takes a deep breath in. "Somebody threatened to shoot the school. Obviously, police officers came and they searched lockers and bathrooms..." She trails off. "Finish what you were saying." I wait for her to take another breath, "They found a dead student in the bathroom." I thought she was done, "Police found a weapon in your locker." My heart drops, "They think it's me? Do you think it's me?" I ask frantically. "Well no, I don't think so. They are looking for you though." I hear someone in the background talking to her and a man takes the phone. "Who is this?" He asks. "Harper Williams." He pauses. "Are you in the building, ma'am?"

"No, not currently," I answer. "Where are you?" He asks. "I'm in my car." I look up at the school and see someone come outside with something in their hand. "I need you to step out of your vehicle." I sigh, " I turn off my car and open the door to get out. When I shut the door, the person looks in my direction and comes towards me. "Stay where you are." He raises his voice so I can hear him.

I do as he says and put my phone in my jeans. He comes closer and pats me down. "Ma'am you need to come with us for questioning." He handcuffs me and brings me out of the parking lot and inside the school. Everybody is going to think it was me. I see students outside the classroom in groups near officers. They are all looking at me. Giving me dirty looks. "Move out, put on gloves before you touch the weapon." The officer says. Before we leave Jess calls out, "Is it really you? Did you kill them?" I scoff in surprise that the thought would even enter her mind, "Of course it isn't me!" I am pulled to a police car and the rest follow behind to the police station. "It isn't me, you know," I say in the back seat. "That's why we want to make sure so we don't get the wrong guy." We pull into a parking space and I am escorted into a room with a table and two chairs on each side. "Sit." another officer orders. I sit and they handcuff me to the table. "I am going to call my parents, they are both lawyers." They ignore me.

"State your full name, address, and age."

"Harper Luise Williams, 3345 Scopia Rd, Trainfree, I am sixteen years old."

"Are you the murderer, why was the weapon in your locker?"

"I am not a murderer and I don't know why the gun was in my locker." I pause, "You know, I want some fingerprints before you start questioning me."

"Working on that right now Ms. Williams." He answers. "We have some people over in your home, looking for anything that might connect." "Did you see anybody that has been acting weird lately?" He adds. I think about anything out of the ordinary. "No," I say before someone comes in and puts a bracelet on my ankle. "Are you legally allowed to do this?" I ask realizing it is a tracker. They don't answer me. They escort me back into the car and drop me off back at the school. The officer that pat me down hands me my keys and gets back in his car. I wait for him to leave before getting in. I shut the door and lock it. When I start my car I immediately call my mom. It takes a while for her to answer but she does. "Hey honey, make it quick I am at recess."

"I need you to tell the police station that I was not apart of the school shooting."

"Also, they are searching the house now," I add. "That's fine, did they even ask?" She asks me. "Yeah I gave them permission"

"I'm pretty sure Jess thinks I murdered them," I say.

"They brought me in the school with handcuffs and everyone thinks it's me, mom!" I say. "Well are you okay?" she asks. "Yeah."

"It's alright I will handle it, why don't you call Jess." She ends the call and I sit in silence before dialing Jess' number.

"Where are you?" I say as soon as she picks up.

"Why are you calling me? I can't be friends with a murderer." She says. Are you kidding me? "Do you really think I murdered them?" I ask. "You know they have a name!" She yells into the phone. "She was head cheerleader,"

"Do you seriously think I killed her though?" I ask again. "Well, the gun was in your locker and that is kind of weird"

"But, you saw me go out the door at the time that it happened! I went to Arby's!" I say yelling now. "Do you think it's me or not, Jess?" I hear her sigh on the other end, "I don't know, Harper. No? Why would you even kill someone." I was about to say exactly but she adds, "Plus, you are more of a thief."

I am kind of offended but it's true. "This is bullshit," I say before ending the call.

"My mother is going to handle this," I say as I step into my house. I set my purse and backpack down by the door. I leave to take a shower and the ankle thing is really bothering me. When I get out I go downstairs and talk to one of the officers. "Find anything?" I ask. "Not yet." He answers. Then a lady runs down the stairs, "I have prints! And a name and address!"

"Austin Blaire, I'll tell you the address on the radio." She says going down the stairs. "Let's move!" she yells and others follow.

Before the other officer leaves he takes off the tracker thing. He looks at me apologetically and then the team goes out the door in a line. I shut the door behind them. I call Jess, "Hey."

"I thought I told you to let me think." I don't let her continue, "They got prints on Austin Berry." I say quickly before she interrupts me. "The quiet kid?" I am upset that she actually thought I murdered someone. "Jess. Why the hell would you think that I killed somebody." I don't hear her answer.

"Jess?" No answer. "Jess I swear..." I trail off. Then I hear her crying. "What?" I asked. She gets back on the phone. "I did a bad thing," she says crying. "Will you tell on me?" She asks. "Depends how bad, Jess what's going on," I say sternly. She pauses before saying words I never thought I would hear her say,

"I helped kill the cheerleader."

"Don't tell. You can't tell." I take the phone off my ear and end the call immediately. I hear a car door shut outside and I dial 9-1-1. Someone bangs on the door. "I said don't tell!" Was she outside of my house? Another voice joins her, "She's gonna rat us out." A deep voice says. I realize it is Austin and I run upstairs. Someone answers the phone, "911, what's your emer-" I interrupt her while still running into another room, "3345 Scopia Rd, Trainfree. Two- " I hear the door swing and hit the wall downstairs. I lower my voice into a whisper, "Two intruders, possible weapon." I hear footsteps leading up the stairs. "Ma'am, please stay calm do you need an ambulance?"

"Um... no," I say. "Okay, police will be here soon." I hear footsteps up the door. "I think I hear her, this way." The deep voice says. I am hiding in a closet and I get closer to the ground and peek out a little. I see Jess follow him and Austin is holding a gun. "Are they going to kill me?" I think. I try to slow my breaths and be extremely quiet.

I am still on the phone when I hear footsteps that come closer. I turn my phone volume down, "Honey, can you keep me updated?" A quiet voice says from my phone. I stay quiet and I stick the phone in my pants. Not pocket, pants. I slide it into the side of my pants and pull my hoodie over it. Suddenly the footsteps quiet and I see feet stop at the door. I cover my mouth to keep quiet. "She's in here" He whispers.

The door swings open and Austin pulls me up by my arm like a child. "You aren't calling anyone important are you?"

"How would I? I left my phone downstairs." I lie. "Your lying." He hits me in the head with his gun and I feel him dragging me. I feel like I am at the edge of something, I feel his hand let go of my arm and I tumble down the stairs. I hear a scream escape my mouth. I hit my head on something and I am no longer aware of what might be happening to me.

I wake up. My head is pounding and my phone is gone. I am in a truck bed. I start hyperventilating and Jess calls out. "Oh, you're fine! Just a little scratch." She yells looking back from the passenger seat. "You lied to me!" She holds out my phone. "I noticed you were still on a call. Don't worry I ended it for you," she yells against the wind "Where are we going?!" I yell. No answer. There are forests everywhere and I think we might be on the mountain because my ears are popping. We are still driving but we end up stopping to get gas. I have a plan but it might not work. I am scared I might get hurt more. "I really need to use the bathroom," I say. "You can hold it," Jess says.

"This car looks brand new, Jess. It would be a shame if I pissed on it." I say back. That gets her attention. In a minute I am in the bathroom with Austin outside the bathroom and Jess getting gas.

I see a woman washing her hands, I wait for the door to close before talking to her, "I need your help." I say. She turns to look at me. "Oh my, are you okay?" She asks, grabbing her phone. "Please help me, I have been kidnapped," I whisper. I hear her dial 911. He looks at the woman. "Babe, we're not going to make it if you don't hurry up." He says, staring at her phone. After the door closes I head to the stall because I did need to use the bathroom. The woman is talking to a man. When I finish, I notice another door that is cracked when Austin appears out of nowhere and forces his hand on my mouth to keep me from screaming. If I can't scream I try making loud noises but they come out muffled. He pulls me back and he walks backward out another door. He removes his hand to get something from his pocket. "What are you doing?" I say in a panicked voice. He pulls out a bottle and a cloth. "What are you doing?"

"Don't make me use this. Get in the damn car." I don't know what he has and I don't want to find out so I listen and follow him to the car. He shoves the things back into his pocket and grabs my hand. "Let go of me," I say loud enough someone could hear. He grabs my face and forces a kiss to make it look like we're a couple. When he pulls away I spit in his eyes. "You bitch!" He says and smacks me across the face. It stings but I still would have spit in his face. He lets me get in and closes the trunk. Jess waits in the car. They start the car and about to pull out when the woman from the bathroom stands in front of the car. Jess pokes her head out the window, "Get out of the way, lady!" The woman stays put. Austin doesn't wait and pulls out of the parking lot. I look back and I see the woman bring her phone up to what I think is taking a picture and I can't see her anymore. Please have the license plate.

About an hour later of driving we arrive at a motel. "What are we doing here?" I ask once we park. I see him grab the gun and shove it into a suitcase. "What are you going to do with that?" I say panicked. "None of your business". He answers. We check into a room and they set their stuff down. I grab Jess by the arm and she quickly pulls away. "I need to talk to you, now." She rolls her eyes and follows me into the bathroom. I close the door and lock it. "This is illegal. You are going to get caught and when you do you are going to be in jail for a long time. So what hell are you doing?" I say. I want to slap her so badly for what she let Austin do. "I don't answer to a dead woman walking." She smirks. "Are you going to kill me?" I ask. "Austin says he is. Then we are going to run." You are crazy. I am going to die. The last thing I will see will be this motel room and probably my blood soaking the carpet. She goes to grab the doorknob but realizes it's locked. When she tries to unlock it I grab a hairdryer and swing it at her head. She falls and I set the dryer down. I grab her limp body and search her pockets. I find my phone and dial 9-1-1 again. "911 what's your emergency?"

"Remember the call you got earlier about intruders with weapons. I'm here and still alive. Please help me." I say about to cry. "Sweetie, I need you to calm down, do you know where you are?" I think hard about seeing any street names. "No, I don't. I know I'm in the mountains though." I say. "I need you to look outside if you can, do see a landmark?" I look out a small window and I don't see anything. I might be able to escape this way. I make sure the door is still locked and I grab the gun from Austin's suitcase and put it in my hoodie. I take the hairdryer and use it to smash the window. "What was that!?" I hear Austin's footsteps getting closer to the door. I use it to remove pieces that didn't fall. I get on the tub and the doorknob jiggles. I have my arms on the windowsill when I get one leg out the window and a hand grabs me. I didn't even hear the door open. He yanks me down and it feels like he might have dislocated my ankle. I fall a little but still holding onto the window. I pull out the gun and aim it at him. He stops in his tracks. He tries to punch me and grab the gun so I point it at his foot and shoot. He screams, "Honey what was that?" The dispatcher asks. Austin bends over and shakes Jess. "What?" Confusion is all over her face. Then it settles into anger, "You hit me!" She says sitting up bleeding from her head.

"You were going to KILL me!" I scream. Austin tries to take the gun and I shoot him in the other foot. He sits down to hold his feet and Jess takes a gun from her purse. I didn't know she had one also. She aims it at me and gets ready to pull the trigger when I pull it first. I don't aim only to shoot. I see her hold her thigh and sit down, more like fall down. I turn around and try to climb out of the window again when she fires at me. It hits the back of my calf but I keep going. I let myself fall out of the window and hit the soft leaves.

I run.