The Accusation

By:  Chantal

Chapter 1

“Joshua Chasez, you’re under arrest for the rape of Ashley Lewis”  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

*BANG* The door of the cell closed behind Josh, he nervously glanced around him, seeing his fellow prisoners looking him over, as he prayed his dad would bail him out soon. He cautiously took a seat, dropped his head in his hands and waited…. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“What the hell is going on Joshua?” his dad yelled when they were in the privacy of their home.  

“I don’t know dad, I wish I knew” Josh said sadly hanging his head low at his dad’s angry tone of voice.  

“What happened?” Roy asked his son, his tone more gentle.  

He’d been shocked to say the least when he got the call from his son, asking him to bail him out of jail. Josh had to repeat the question twice before it got through to him. The car ride home had been silent, Roy had been too shocked to say anything, the accusation of rape against his son still sinking in and Josh hadn’t said a word either. He didn’t have a clue what he could say, he couldn’t offer his dad any kind of explanation, hell he didn’t even understand it himself.  

“I don’t know dad” Josh whispered desperately trying to hold back his tears. His dad looked down at his son seeing his watery eyes he moved to sit next to him on the couch.  

“Come on son, just take a deep breath…” he instructed, waiting till Josh did what he said before he continued, “Just start at the beginning”  

Josh nodded while he wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. He took another deep breathe and turned towards his father, replaying everything that had happened today,  

“I went to school and everything was fine. After lunch I went to my locker to get a few books for my next class and when I turned around I saw the principal standing across form me with several officers next to her. A group of kids were surrounding us, I was just about to ask what the hell was going on when one officer stepped forward and told me I was under arrest for the rape of Ashley. I saw Ashley standing against the lockers across the hall while the officer cuffed me. She was crying against her brother’s chest and when I looked at her she looked the other way. I wanted to go over to her and ask her what was going on but the officer led me away; they brought me to the police station and questioned me. They posted bail and then… then you came….” Josh told his dad, his words picking up speed as he neared the end of his explanation. He paused for a second and Roy patiently waited for his son to continue knowing by the way he was fidgeting with the hem of his shirt that he wasn’t done talking.  

“I… I just don’t understand, I didn’t rape her dad, I didn’t even touch her once” Josh said defensively knowing he didn’t need to convince his dad but it went automatically. He felt tears forming in his eyes again at how powerless he felt. His dad pulled him into a tight hug, trying to comfort his son although he felt just as powerless.  

“Shh, it’s ok son, it will be ok” he soothed letting Josh cry against his shoulder all the while praying it would in fact be ok…… 

 

“Alex, can I talk to you for a second?” Josh asked nervously standing in front of his friend’s door. After diner he wanted to tell Alex, his best friend, what happened before he’d get it from someone else. Alex was the first person he met when they moved here and he liked him right away, they became good friends and he could certainly use a friend in a time like this.  

“I heard what happened…” Alex said, stating the obvious, not making a move to open the door wider to let Josh in. Josh looked down at his shoes,  

“Can I come in please?” he asked while he looked Alex in the eye.  

“K” he simply said, opening the door a little more to let Josh in but he didn’t led the way to the living room, knowing his parents would be there watching TV.  

“I just um… um…. wanted to tell you what happened…” Josh started, Alex just looked at him, waiting for him to continue, he didn’t reassure Josh nor did he encourage him to go on with his sentence. When Josh realized this he continued,  

“What did you hear?”  

“I heard you raped Ashley Lewis” Alex answered with disgust in his voice.  

“You don’t believe it do you?” Josh asked recognizing the tone in his voice, afraid of the answer Alex was about to give him but actually he already knew the answer. But Alex didn’t say anything at all and that also was what he was expecting,  

“Alex, I didn’t do it. I didn’t rape Ashley, you have to believe me” Josh pleaded looking him the eye, Alex squirmed nervously, he was torn between his friend begging him to believe him and his dad telling him the disgusted details he had heard in town.  

“Alex, I didn’t do it” Josh repeated.  

“I….” Josh started but he got interrupted before he could finish his sentence.  

“Alex who is it?” a man’s voice called from the living room. Alex didn’t reply and they heard someone coming closer.  

“Hello Mr. White” Josh said politely when the man stood in the doorway but it fell on deaf ears.  

“Josh….” Mr. White said knowingly looking him over.  

“I think you better leave” the man said coldly as like he was talking to a perfect stranger. Josh swallowed deeply and as he looked down at his shoes he nodded,  

“Fine” he said looking Alex in the eye before he moved towards the door and without a word he left the house, he lost his friend he realized as he slowly walked home. 

The Accusation >