Page 9 of False Idols

“Come on, Nevaeh,” she says and grabs my hand. I barely keep my feet as I hurry after Sunny. It’s only when we’re back at our room and she’s fussing over getting the dry erase board snapped back into place that I say something.

“You shouldn’t have done that. I deserved it.”

“I don’t like bullies. I don’t care what the hell you did, but I will not let bullies get away with that.”

“Sunny, when I was fifteen I put a man in prison for a murder he didn’t commit,” I blurt out, because it’s better she knows who she’s defending and can decide what to do with it after that. It makes sense that she isn’t from around here. That’s the only way she wouldn’t know who I am or what I did.

Her eyes go wide and she drops the dry erase board on the floor. “Wow, what the fuck?”

“I-I’m not worth defending. I loved him and I did that to him. That’s why everyone out there is so mad at me and it won’t stop. I don’t want you trying to defend me. It’s just going to-”

“You were fifteen?” she whispers and comes into our room. She closes the door behind her and asks me, “What happened?”

“I was a witness to a murder. I named the wrong person.”

“Holy shit, that’s…that’s intense.”

“I know, but that’s why-”

“Why that dumb bitch wrote on our dry erase board,” she finishes for me.

I smile at the dumb bitch and nod. “Yeah.”

“You were just a kid, Nevaeh. It wasn’t your fault,” Sunny says. I don’t expect that.

“Sunny, it is my fault.”

“Two years ago, I saw a hit and run. When they asked me what kind of car it was, I couldn’t remember. I was the only one that saw it.”

“Sunny, I know you’re trying to make me feel better but-”

“They hit a cyclist and they-they died.”

I clap my hands over my mouth, because in a day of things I didn’t expect this is just one more. “I’m sorry, Sunny.”

“I couldn’t tell them the color or if it was a car or a truck. I kept trying to remember what kind of car it was and every time I tried, it changed. They got away with it, so I kind of understand what you feel like.”

“That wasn’t your fault,” I try, but Sunny isn’t listening to me.

“I could have caught them, but I didn’t. Why couldn’t I remember?”

She’s right, I know that, but what I did hurt someone. “You’re not like me, Sunny. I’m evil. I’m a liar.”

“Bullshit, Nevaeh. You were just a kid, and whether you like it or not, I’m going to be your friend and the best damn roommate you could ever have, you understand me? Don’t make me kick your ass, Nev,” she says the last part with a smile on her face and I smile back at her.

“Nev? Why’d you call me that?” I ask.

“Yes, Nev. It’s a nickname, silly. I give my friends nicknames and that’s mine for you.” She holds up a finger as she goes on, “You might be tempted to try and give me a nickname too, but Sunny really doesn’t lend itself to anything cool.”

I’ve never had a nickname from anyone before, but I like that Sunny has given me one. Sunny really does want to be my friend. I don’t know what to do with that.

“You don’t even know me. You could just ask for a different roommate and have a better year without me around.”

She rolls her eyes at me and starts to work on arranging her pillows on her bed. “My mom might not have raised me in that hippy commune in Florida, but she did teach me that everything happens for a reason. You’re meant to be where you’re meant to be. Who am I to tell the universe no? It put me here and seeing as I like you, I’m taking it as a sign that we’re supposed to be friends.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Absolutely. I’m only here because my grandma is an alumni and said this is the only school she would pay tuition for. I was shit at school, so it’s not like I had a lot of choices to pick from, Nev. I’d rather give this place a go with having a friend for a roomie, than not.”

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