Holy shit… it finally feels like we’re really onto something! It’s starting to make sense now… everything we’ve gathered between Ruth’s deductions, the behavior of the palace owner, and my own personal sleuthing is all coming together to point us one way. Of course, we still don’t know who it is, but now we know how to start narrowing it down. And that is why I am cornering Mr. Castro in his office after band is over. I make sure to wait until all the other students asking him random questions are gone. I’ll be late to geometry, but I don’t really give a shit.

“Hello again, Anja,” he greets me when he sees me skulking in the doorway.

“Hey. So… remember that conversation we had last night at region?” I ask.

“Yes. What about it?”

I look around once more to make sure everyone else left, and then I slide into the office and into one of his chairs. “Well… I was thinking about how you said you had just been to a work party at his house. And you know, that party was supposed to be about the time that one blog post came out. Is there any chance that… it wasn’t Coach Everheart, and someone at the party used his computer to leave the post?”

He cocks his head and thinks for a little while. “I guess it’s possible… but I don’t know why he’d let anyone use his computer.”

“Well, it probably wasn’t his intention. They just snuck up to his computer when he wasn’t around and did it.”

“Most computers now have a password you need to input before logging in. I have a hard time seeing that.”

“Look… I don’t know if that’s what happened or not. I only bring it up because… if there’s even a chance, a small chance, that he's not the real culprit, isn’t that worth telling the police? Couldn’t this information be helpful to the investigation?”

He thinks more on this, seeming very conflicted. “I suppose so… it is a possibility…”

“Do you remember who was at the party?” I question. He doesn’t really have any reason to tell me this, but I intentionally sprung the question on him while he was thinking heavily about something else, so he answers it in a thinking-out-loud sort of way. I discreetly type the names onto my phone while he’s looking away and send the list to our group chat.

“I still can’t believe that he was just… pulled out of the school, in the middle of the lunch period. Most people took this as a confirmation that he was the one behind that one blog post that Diana was talking about. But according to my dad, he has been persistent about being innocent so far in the interrogation… The idea that a teacher I saw every day and got along with would be capable of this is really horrifying. I guess part of me wants to believe that he is innocent just because of that. But I know that's not likely.

“And I feel like most people don't really get how much it's bothering me. I feel like I'm just expected to go about my day as normal... but it keeps weighing on me. This whole thing is just really disturbing. The only people I feel like I can really talk to are you, and my English teacher... She's actually been very supportive of me throughout this entire ordeal. So, thanks for hearing me out, Ruth.”

I look up at her. She doesn't seem to be paying close attention. I wonder how much she caught of what I said? She's just kinda eating her lunch and staring off into space.

“Hey, you haven't been talkative at all this week,” I point out. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she answers. “I'm sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind.”

“Is this situation bothering you too?”

“Yeah.” She stares in the distance again. What’s interesting is that it doesn’t quite look like she's perturbed; she has that stern look she gets when she's trying to figure something out. She absentmindedly opens her phone and starts staring at something on it.

Unexpectedly, Zoe from English class sits down at the table with us and gives us a big wave. “Hi Ruth! Hi Kevin!” she greets.

“Hey Zoe,” I greet back. “What brings you here?

She giggles a little. “I couldn't keep up with all the... healthcare policy. So I decided to come say hi to some other friends!”

“You two already know each other?” Ruth questions.

“Yeah, we're in Ms. Truman's class together,” I explain. “I always sit with her and Ashley.”

“And I met Ruth earlier today!” Zoe chirps, smiling at her.

“Yes, we were... discussing the situation with Coach Everheart as well,” Ruth explains.

“It's really been the talk of the town, huh,” I comment. “But most people aren't taking it that seriously…”

Zoe’s mood shifts. Upon the subject being brought up, she now looks nervous. “I think it's really scary... I don't understand why one of the teachers would want to hurt a student like that.”

“People like feeling power,” Ruth answers plainly. “And some people will do anything to satisfy their hunger for it.”

“But I don't get it... why would anyone think that's okay to do?” Zoe asks. “Especially being a teacher. It's their responsibility to care for and help their students.”

“I don't know, Zoe,” I admit. I think for a moment, and then suggest, “I guess at a high school, you could convince yourself that your students are basically already adults?”

Me saying this seems to activate something in Ruth. She puts down her plasticware and sits up straight. I know from experience that this means we’re about to hear a mini lecture.

“Teenagers may look close to maturity physically, but the human brain does not finish fully developing until 25-27 years old,” she begins. “And in our society teenagers have a very low amount of autonomy, so they are inexperienced at making important life decisions. You can't have a driver's license until 16, which is where the lowest age of consent laws in the country are set. But reasonably it should be higher, since until 18 the vast majority of teens still live with their parents, and an increasing number are even still living with them older than that. Therefore, teens are the perfect opportunity for someone who wants a physically mature partner, but also wants someone young enough to be manipulated and exploited into doing anything they want.”

This cynical analysis doesn’t seem to help Zoe feel better. She starts biting her lip. “But I still don’t understand why someone would think that's an okay thing to do... They have to know it's hurting the student, right?”

“I don't really get it either, Zoe,” I offer. “I guess some people are just that self-centered. They just don't care about how the other person feels or how it will affect them. They just want the pleasure, or the feeling of power like Ruth said. It is sick...”

“People like the feeling of hurting others,” Ruth comments. “Even if you're a good person, I'm sure you've felt that at some point in your life.”

Zoe’s face darkens. “Well... there was one time, one of my friends... former friends, I should say... said something really horrible to me. I was so angry, I did want to hurt her...” she spaces out after this, seeming very morose now.

“Yeah, but that's different than wanting to hurt someone innocent,” I argue, trying to cheer her up. “Come on Ruth, lighten up a little. She just wanted to come say hello and we're making her even more depressed!”

“No... I'm okay, don't worry...” Zoe says, in a very thoroughly unconvincing way that doesn’t make me stop worrying.

“Ruth has a very… cynical view of humanity, you could say,” I explain further. “Don't overthink it too much, okay?”

“Why shouldn't I?” Ruth argues calmly. “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.…”

“Matthew 7:13-14?” Zoe asks robotically.

“Yes, very good,” Ruth confirms, smiling encouragingly at her. “The fact is, most people will never achieve enlightenment. And the few who find it are given perhaps the most unenviable task of all... being a teacher of the people they either can't relate to, or hate themselves for relating to.”

I chuckle at her. “You're really in a mood today, huh. Anyways, let's talk again later. You should go join back up with Ashley.” Zoe is looking so down that I don’t think spending more time with Ms. Gloom and Doom is a good idea for her.

Zoe chuckles dryly. “Haha, that Affordable Care Act stuff doesn't sound so bad now... Okay, I'll talk to you guys later! Bye!” She leaves the table. Despite her best efforts to appear otherwise, she still looks considerably dampened in mood compared to when she came here…

“Kevin, can I ask you something?” Ruth says once she’s gone.

“Uh, sure. Go ahead.”

“You know her girlfriend Ashley well, right? Would you say she's a good person?”

I’m taken by surprise by this. “Huh? Well, yeah. I mean… “

I really want to say yes without any caveats, but something bothers me… that one time I tried to ask Ashley out to Homecoming. How mad she looked at me, and how horrible I felt…

“She has her bad days like the rest of us. But she's a good person overall. And I can tell she is good for Zoe; Zoe always seems more confident around her.”

“There was a rumor going around a while back about their relationship being forced and abusive.” Ruth comments.

I shake my head. “No, that's not true at all. They're a great couple. They’re always happy together when I see them during class.

Ruth looks pensively in the direction Zoe went, where she’s now sitting back with her other friends. “I hope you're right,” is all she says.

Weird… what makes Ruth so curious about Ashley’s strength of character all of a sudden? I swear, I can never figure out what’s going on inside her head, no matter how many years we’re friends.

The investigation is at an odd place at the moment. We got a lot of people who were at this party, which mostly consisted of teachers who taught freshmen. Makes sense, given that Everheart himself taught freshman biology. Mr. Castro was supposed to report the tip to the non-emergency police line, but there’s no way of knowing when he did, or if he’s even gotten to it yet. And we haven’t figured out any way to narrow it down further yet.

Zoe and I just finished up with jazz band, meaning that school is over for the day. Zoe, being the sweetheart she is, is very worried that Ted is getting thirsty in her backpack, so we leave our backpacks in a secure place in the band hall and walk out to the hallway to the water fountain.

While Zoe is filling up a Dixie cup, I see someone approach… It's Kevin.

“Hello again, Zoe,” he greets. “Hey, Ashley.”

“Oh, fancy meeting you here!” Zoe greets, smiling at him.

“Sorry about lunch… Ruth has been in a weird mood recently. It happens from time to time.”

“Oh, it’s no problem! It was nice getting to talk to you guys!” she responds kindly.

“Yeah, you too. See you guys tomorrow,” he says. He continues down the hallway.

“Where’s he going?” Zoe asks me curiously in a low voice. “Classes are already over!”

“None of our business, I suppose,” I dismiss. “Let’s not leave our team mascot sitting alone too long.”

“Actually… can you take him the water?” she requests. “I have to pee…”

“Sure,” I agree. I take the Dixie cup and walk back to the band hall.

I walk into Ms. Truman’s room once again. She is typing away on her computer, entering grades, but when she sees me come in she gives me a big smile.

“Why, hello again,” she greets me.

“Hey. My mom usually stays for a while after school, so I have to kill time for a bit,” I explain.

“It’s no problem. I’ll be here for a while myself, stay as long as you need.”

“Thanks,” I say. I set my backpack down on a nearby desk.

“How are you feeling about… what’s been happening? Still down about it?” She asks kindly.

“Well, no new updates on that,” I tell her. “Unless you count this weird conversation I had with a couple of friends during lunch.”

“Oh? What weird conversation?” she asks.

“We went down a bit of a rabbit hole while talking about Coach Everheart,” I explain. “There was this question of… what would make someone do something like that? How would they be okay with doing that to a student?”

Ms. Truman heaves a large sigh. “Oh, Kevin… that’s quite a heavy question for someone your age. Have you ever heard the term, ‘cycle of abuse?’”

“Uh… I vaguely remember hearing something like that,” I answer.

“Let me explain it just in case… When someone is abused, whether it be physically, emotionally, or sexually… they have control taken away from them, in a very traumatic way. Sometimes to get that control back, they turn to being abusers themselves. Or sometimes, they really start believing that they’re worth nothing, so they end up in another abusive relationship. A perfect, self-sustaining cycle that continues forever…”

I process this disturbing idea for a little bit. Abusing others to get control back… but that’s still not right. The new people they’re hurting are innocent. Could someone be so damaged by trauma that it warps their morality like that?

“I wonder if something happened to Coach Everheart when he was younger, then,” I wonder aloud. “But wait… usually women are the ones who are victims of stuff like that, right?”

She takes her hands off her keyboard and turns around to face me. “Yes… that’s right, Kevin,” she tells me. She stands up and smiles at me. “You know, Kevin, I’m really impressed with you.”

“Huh? Why?” I ask, confused.

“These past few days, you’ve worried yourself sick about this… teacher at our school, and what he might try to do. But it was never fear for yourself. You never thought once that you may become a victim. It was always totally selfless… you’re really a very special boy.”

I blush, feeling warm at the unexpected praise. “Oh… well I mean… what if he went after one of my friends? And… I don’t think anyone deserves that…”

She slowly walks towards me. “Men like you are rare, Kevin,” she continues. “You’re truly one of the best…”

I can’t help but to smile myself, though I also feel really embarrassed. Does she really think that highly of me? I never thought I was that special… but it feels nice that someone really believes me. Someone really believes I’m good.

I sit down next to Zoe’s backpack, and when nobody’s looking, I unzip it slightly and set the cup down gently at the bottom. “Zoe thought you might be thirsty,” I say. He doesn’t respond verbally, but I can faintly hear small slurping sounds from the backpack.

And now… I’m by myself for a little bit. This is the first time I’ve really gotten to stop and think about things today.

So, we now are committed to a theory that Coach Everheart is being framed. This was done by sneaking around his house during the work party last weekend and using his computer, or at least his wi-fi, to send that Tumblr post. There is still a lot we don’t know. We don’t know who it is, although we know it must be someone who was at the party. We don’t have any motive for doing this. We don’t know what the poster is planning, if anything. Was just getting him locked up the endgame, or only step one in a bigger plot?

Even if the work party theory isn’t true, we know now that Coach Everheart is innocent. Unfortunately, the evidence we have is from the supernatural world, so we can’t use it to clear him. We’re not done yet. Is there still a way it could’ve been him? What exactly did that voice say in the palace again…

“Shut your fucking mouth!” Anja yelled. “Show yourself, you rapist monster!”

“Oh? But why should I?” the hissing replied. “You already know who I am, don’t you? You watched me get carted out of school just yesterday! Hehehehe!”

“Identify yourself then,” Ruth commanded them. “Say something that only Coach Everheart himself would know. For instance, where would you like to go on vacation?”

“What’s the matter? Don’t you trust the police?” the voice replied.

The voice was clearly trying to obscure its identity at this point. If it was Coach Everheart hiding himself, it wouldn’t have brought that up as the first response. If it was Coach Everheart trying to confirm our suspicions, it doesn’t make any sense to dodge our questions.

“Not particularly,” I admitted. “So, you’re not going to reveal your true identity that easily, huh?”

“I’m not a fucking idiot, Ashley!” the hiss said. “If you want to know who I am so badly, how about you come in and find me? I’ll call off my vines and let you come…”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s not a trap or anything,” Nova snarked.

“But you won’t be able to resist, will you?” the voice taunted. “I’ll be waiting…”

The voice tried to goad us into coming into the jungle… which we refused to do. I frown… something bothers me about this conversation, but I’m not sure what it is. Something they said is just wrong…

“I’m not a fucking idiot, Ashley!” the hiss said.

I freeze when I realize it. The voice called me Ashley. Whoever this is knows my name.

How could that be… Anja might’ve said my name at some point while we were previously there, but that was months ago. Would they still remember it just from that?

What if it’s a teacher I have? Let’s think through all of them.

Ms. Truman, my English teacher… I pull up the list Anja sent to see if she was at the party. She was, so I guess I can consider her a suspect.

Coach Barrett, my Geometry teacher. He is a coach, like the blog post describes, but that doesn’t really mean anything anymore. He was at the party, making him a suspect.

Mr. Johnson, my AP Human Geography teacher. He was at the party as well.

Mr. Castro for band. We can basically totally rule him out at this point, as he wouldn’t have told Anja about the work party if he was trying to cover it up.

Coach Everheart, of course, was at the party, as it was at his house.

And finally, Mrs. Harding for Speech. She wasn’t at the party. Moving on.

So, if we assume that the suspect was at the party, and has me, that narrows it down to three… is there anything suspicious about any of them?

Mr. Johnson… he’s always seemed very dedicated to his work. Maybe it was a masquerade for his true intentions… but that is just empty speculation. There’s nothing suspicious about him.

Ms. Truman… I’ve generally imagined this culprit being a man, but I guess it’s technically possible it could be a woman behind this. Ruth suspects that the culprit’s description of themself wasn’t accurate anyway.

Hmm… yesterday, when I got to class, she was seemingly having a casual conversation with Kevin before school started. I found that odd. It didn’t seem like they were discussing an assignment or anything, their poses were very relaxed. Kevin was sitting comfortably in a seat, so he had been there for a while.

Speaking of Kevin... where was he going just now? I didn’t think about it when Zoe pointed that out earlier, but… well, the direction he was going would’ve led to Ms. Truman’s room. Was he going back there?

I mean, he is into track, so maybe… no, track practice would’ve gotten cancelled for a while since Everheart was the teacher. But wait… wasn’t the student described by the blog also into athletics? That’s a creepy thought. And the student was also a brunette. And had back luck with boys. I’ve only known Kevin to crush on me, so I guess you could say… he’s had bad luck with girls…

“Ashley… are you okay?” Ted’s voice asks in a whisper from Zoe’s backpack.

“Wha- yes, I’m fine. Don’t talk out here!” I whisper back furiously.

“Your breathing is funny… I wanted to check on you.”

“Yeah, I just… I need to check something. Be right back,” I tell him. I jump to my feet and briskly run out of the band hall.

My heart is pumping surprisingly fast as I arrive in the hallway where Ms. Truman’s classroom is. It’s a hunch, and a weird one at that… but it’s too bizarre of a coincidence to just ignore. I’m going to peek through the window on her door and…

Kevin’s in there. I knew it.

What’s more, he and Ms. Truman are hugging. Unlike Mason, Kevin’s really not someone who ever struck me as desperately needing a new parental figure.

Then, Ms. Truman makes eye contact with me over Kevin’s shoulders. For a brief moment, she looks startled to see me. And then, she gets the biggest smile on her face which has more than a fair helping of mischief…. No. Worse than that. It’s downright diabolical.

She slowly puts out her hand, showing a clear expression with her palm; wait . She reaches her hand into the pocket of her dress. She pulls out her cell phone. She unlocks it. Still holding Kevin; he doesn’t seem to have noticed she’s doing anything. She then turns her phone around to face me. Why? What does she want to show me?

I squint and look at the screen… There are a few apps on it. There’s one that sticks out… a black and red icon… exactly like the one on mine. The one that takes me to and from the Metaverse.

My pulse rushes even harder. What the everloving fuck? How? How does she know about that?

She hovers her finger over the app… as if about to press it. And I know from experience that it’ll pull in whoever is nearby. Meaning that if she pushes it, Kevin will go in with her. And then…

Without thinking, I grab the door handle and slam it open. I’m running towards them, and Kevin is just now noticing something is wrong, saying “Huh? Who…” when she presses the app, taking the three of us into the palace.