Junior Year Box Set

“Sir, I only have your word she’s pregnant and that it’s my child. I’ve not had a chance to talk to her. I sent her a text this morning asking that we talk, but she responded that she couldn’t. Then I was handed a restraining order this morning that prevents me from even going to school,” I said and was about to get on a roll, but Ms. Dixon grabbed my arm, our signal for me to shut up.

Detective Kitchens took all this in. When I mentioned the restraining order, he seemed interested. He didn’t act like he’d been aware of that.

“Have you seen proof that Pam Bell is pregnant?” Ms. Dixon asked.

“I’ll come back to that. I need to ask David some more questions. I promise I’ll answer you when we’re done,” he said to Ms. Dixon and then turned to me. “How old were you when you started to have sex with Pam?”

Ms. Dixon had prepared me for this question. The age of consent in my state was seventeen. Pam and I had started to have sex while we were both sixteen. Ms. Dixon had warned me that they might try to trick me into admitting to a smaller crime, like underage sex, and that would give them probable cause to widen the investigation.

“I’m sorry, Detective, but I’ll have to advise my client not to answer your question,” Ms. Dixon said.

“David, I’m just trying to determine the extent of your relationship with Miss Bell. How long have you known her?”

“She moved here last fall.”

“Were you romantically linked last fall?”

“I advise my client not to answer,” Ms. Dixon said.

“Very well. Have you ever had sex with Miss Bell while she had been drinking?”

I thought about it and didn’t remember if she had or not had any drinks when we’d had sex.

“I don’t think so. I don’t tend to drink because I’m an athlete. Pam will have an occasional beer, but if you’re asking if she was ever drunk, then the answer would be no,” I said.

“Have you ever had sex with Miss Bell when she had taken any drugs?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“You’re an all-star athlete, model, and an actor. Your peers look up to you. Do you think Pam ever felt she had to have sex with you?” he asked.

“Sorry detective, but David would have no way of knowing that,” Ms. Dixon said.

“I know, but he might help me understand their relationship better,” Detective Kitchens said.

“Pam and I are good friends. When she moved here, she was upset because her best friend back home started dating Pam’s ex-boyfriend. I’d had my own girl troubles. Neither of us was interested in more than being friends. Well, good friends. We were sexually active, and either of us would initiate our times together.

“For example, when she came back from her vacation this summer, she called me. Pam isn’t the type of girl who’s out looking for guys to spend time with. As far as I’m aware, I’ve been the only guy she’s spent time with since she moved here. Pam’s done that because we both like each other and she trusts me. I’d never force Pam to have sex with me. As you said, I’m an all-star athlete who can find plenty of women to spend time with me. There’s no need for me to force anyone, especially Pam, who I consider to be one of my best friends,” I said.

“If you’re such good friends, how do you explain this?” Detective Kitchens said, and he pulled out a picture of Pam.

In it, she had a mouse under her eye and split lip.

“I have no idea. Who did this to her?” I asked.

“According to her father, you did, and then raped her. He paints a very different picture. Pam’s father says that he walked in on the two of you as you forced yourself on her this summer. When he asked you to stop seeing her, you refused, so he had to protect her and send her on vacation. When Pam got back, you were once again forcing your charms on her, which resulted in her getting pregnant.

“Her father said that when you were told of the pregnancy, you got upset. That was when you hit Pam and told her she had to get an abortion. How am I supposed to reconcile those two stories?” Detective Kitchens asked.

“You can ask me,” my mom said. “Cal is full of shit. Yes, Cal and Lacy caught David and Pam in the act. I was called to discuss the matter. Right at their dining room table, I asked Pam if she was forced and she said no. I also asked her if she planned to continue to have sex with my son, and she said yes. Cal didn’t want to hear that two seventeen-year-olds would have sex with each other. He got a hair up his butt and sent his wife and daughter packing. If you ask me, he’s being a hothead and decided to come after David.

“Something else you should know is that our family doesn’t believe in abortion. My oldest son found himself in a similar situation, and he married the girl. While I can’t predict what will happen with David and Pam, what I do know is that he’ll do everything in his power to protect both Pam and that baby. There’s no way he would hit her,” Mom said.

“I’ve heard that he’s hit other girls. The name I was given was Cassidy Hope,” Detective Kitchens said.

My mom, dad, and I all laughed.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.