Willow was resting her face in her palms. She sat at a desk behind everyone else, but still close enough to listen in. When Jacob spoke, she turned her head up, looking at him.
“I believe you,” she gave him a tired smile.
After sitting aside and observing the entire time, she figured it was time she gave her own thoughts. But she had to approach it carefully. She was about to speak to a whole group of tired, agitated and scared students, in a situation the same as hers. She sighed, sitting up. “As I said, I still believe we’re all innocent…” She paced towards the center of the classroom. “I don’t see why we’re the prime suspects for Mr. Albert’s death. We were all in the classroom when it happened, but nobody would listen.”
Though her hands shook and she could feel her heartbeat through her ears, she turned towards the group. She could suspect they’d all turn their attention to her, how could they not? The quiet, weird goth finally spoke up. It was one surprise after another that week.
“And Alissa? How could they blame her brother? Her best friend? I know it’s not my place to point this out in front of everyone… But Jacob, Hazel, I’m sorry the two of you have to deal with this as well…” she looked at the two of them. “Not just you two, but all of us. Why are we held up here and punished for a crime we didn’t commit? We witnessed it with our own eyes. And after seeing our own teacher dead, why would we… Why would we do the same to Alissa right after? I could see the fear in your eyes, I know you all wanted to escape just as much as me.” she looked down at the desk, already feeling her voice go quieter. “I might not know her, or any of you, but I already trust that none of you would be cruel enough to do that… Not after we spent hours together revealing our deepest secrets.”
Maybe she was naive. But she refused to accuse anyone without proof. They wouldn’t do it, right?
As she began to feel her eyes well up with tears, she took a deep breath and paused. She waited for it to stop.
“And speaking of detention…” she looked up again. She wasn’t sure why she was called in there. Usually it was a dress code violation, but they didn’t inform her of anything. Not to mention, of all the times she’d been in detention, she didn’t remember seeing all of their faces. Jenny and Reece, sure, but the rest of them were… odd. Was there a reason they were all there to begin with? Especially two people close to Alissa? How convenient that the deaths happened the day and the day after they were mysteriosly called. And to top it off, Alissa didn’t seem to feel so well either, last she saw her. It could’ve been Willow overthinking as usual. But something felt off and she just couldn’t shake it off. But she couldn’t bring it up, she’d only sound crazy.
“…Why were the rest of you in detention?” she finally asked.
Dead. 
