Free Outlier: One mistake can destroy everything. by Jacob Mesmer Page A

her.
     
    “That’s what we’re here to find out, honey. We’re going to take you to the hospital just to get you checked out, OK? I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she said with calming confidence. She looked up at her subordinate and gave an imperceptible signal. He returned with a collapsible gurney. Two minutes later she was being whisked away to the local trauma center.
     
    “Can somebody tell me what happened?” Mr. Rodriquez demanded. Now that she was in safe hands, he was concerned with any needed disciplinary action. The students looked at each other in confusion.
     
    “I was with her,” said Chi, who had first leaned down to check on Lucy. “It was him!” She pointed at Jay, who was still standing frozen in Miss Paimen’s room. Jay’s face suddenly transformed from a vague daze into pure horror.
     
    “No, it wasn’t; I saw the whole thing,” a boy volunteered. “She was just walking down the hallway and collapsed. She fainted or something. That janitor guy wasn’t even near her.”
     
    Jay looked at Mr. Rodriquez with desperate eyes.
     
    “I didn’t even see anything!” Jay explained. “I was just saying goodbye to Miss Paimen.” He began to get defensive. Chi glared at him with a mix of fear and anger.
     
    “OK, OK; everybody calm down. Anybody who actually saw what happened, come with me to the V.P.’s office and we’ll sort this out.” He looked around at the crowd of students and turned to walk to the administration office. Chi, the boy who had spoken up, and two other girls followed him. A few meters down the hall, Mr. Rodriquez stopped and turned.
     
    “Everybody else, get back to class—NOW!”
     
    As he turned back, the crowd slowly dispersed, all quietly chattering in excitement. A few eyed Jay suspiciously.
     
    Jay slowly walked out of the room and continued pushing his broom down the hall, aware of all the eyes upon him. He dared not meet them.
     
    His plan had taken on much more urgency. And much more danger. He no longer wanted to simply escape. He was angry. Very angry. And he wanted them to know it.
     
    He hadn’t done anything. But he would.
     
    Very soon.

Chapter Nineteen
     
    Wednesday, 7 p.m.
     
    Jay had finished on time. The police hadn’t come, and nobody had believed her when that stupid girl had blamed him for that other stupid girl passing out. Why did girls get all the attention anyway? He was shuffling down Figueroa Street, hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. It was a warm night, despite being fall. The sun had just set, and the streetlights were on. The few people who were out treated him the same way the kids did at school. No eye contact. No recognition. Just quickly avoided him as he shuffled along.
     
    He stopped, for a reason he didn’t quite understand, and looked to his right. He was standing outside Lappert’s, the local ice cream shop. More girls inside. Stupid girls. All smiling and laughing and having fun. They didn’t care about him. When he was in school, he’d always hear the other kids talking about going there after school. Nobody ever invited him. He’d walk by, but never walk in. He was too scared, and he felt out of place. Like he didn’t belong. Just like now. He was standing outside on the sidewalk, looking in. A few times he thought he saw some of the girls look up, notice him, and then quickly look away. He was sure they were talking about him, laughing about him. That retarded janitor.
     
    He turned away and walked down the street to the end. Not far. Only about fifty meters. There was a small park overlooking the bay. He found a bench and sat down, hands in his pockets. He turned and looked at the ice cream shop. The lights inside made it stand out on an otherwise quiet street. The barber shop next door was closed early. Further down was a small strip mall with a laundromat and a place that did check cashing.
     
    He looked into the vacant park. Sometimes he saw Hurley here, an older guy who sold pot to