Dakota gripped onto my hand as we drove down the street to Avedon's. She listened to me fight through tears as I explained to her what happened at the police station. She kept reassuring me that they had zero reason to arrest me, and that Pierce was right: the evidence could've been planted there.

"Avery, if you ever have a panic attack again," Dakota said seriously, "you call me immediately. I will come right over and calm you down."

I grinned at her. "Thanks, Dakota. That means a lot."

"Yeah, of course, Avery. It's what friends are for. That, and kicking the ass of Liam's side chick."

"I told you not to beat her up," I whined.

"I don't know if I'll be able to help myself," she replied with a smirk. "She's just such a bitch."

"Not as much as Liam," I sighed. I reached over to the radio and lowered the volume. "Dakota, it really seemed like he cared."

"Well, he was a liar."

"But...he was concerned for me, he was happy for me..." I trailed off, lost in my thoughts. He loved me.

"Avery...I don't know if you wanna hear this, but..."

"But what?"

"But Liam was an asshole. He always was. He was a good-looking, dopey, cute asshole that you fell head-over-heels for, for some goddamn reason. He was never a good person. I saw him looking at other girls when you weren't paying attention. Crap, I should've been able to see this coming."

"Dakota, you don't get it. He told me he would lie for--when the police would question him, he would lie."

"Why are you defending him?" Dakota demanded, slightly yelling. I was taken aback by her sudden abrasiveness.

"I...I don't know."

She heaved, gripping onto the wheel. "I'm sorry, Avery. But he sucks. I would know--well, I wouldn't know, but I know what you're feeling, kinda. I know what it's like to have someone shitty dating you."

"But I didn't know he was shitty--wait, what do you mean?"

"What?"

"Is Amy shitty?"

"I...I think I'm gonna break up with her. Today, tomorrow; I'm not entirely sure, but it's gonna happen soon."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Dakota."

Dakota sighed again as she pulled into a parking space. "It's...it's okay. No matter how much of an asshole Landon was being, he was right. I should make some decisions, some good decisions. And Amy and I...we're just not right for each other."

"Well, welcome to the Single Life. It'll be a fun new trip for us."

Dakota laughed a little too hard. "That it shall be, my young Padawan."

"I think by now I have definitely graduated to Jedi status."

Dakota bowed before she exited the car. "You have many mountains to climb before then."

"I'm all out of goddamn mountains, faux-Yoda," I snorted. Dakota laughed and slammed the car door shut. She raised her fingers to imitate a gun, her pointer-finger locked and loaded.

"I'll enter from the front and take out the enemies by the stairwell, you get the two by the back," she ordered, nodding the the entrance.

"Roger that," I replied, casually swinging open the door and waltzing right in.

Dakota pouted. "That's not how the mission was supposed to work," she groaned. She joined my side and glared at the register. "Avedon's has been tainted by her sluttery."

"'Sluttery?'"

"Yes. New noun. You're welcome."

"Thanks, pal." She was ready to march right up to the counter, but I grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks.

"No, we can't get in a screaming match in the middle of this place. It's packed, and I don't want to get attacked by hipsters and painters alike," I warned.

"We'll, I'll just get kicked out. And you can come and hit on whomever whenever you'd like."

"Nope. Captain goes down with the ship," I replied, slightly saluting her. I pointed to the corner of Avedon's when I noticed a familiar face. "I'm gonna go talk to Matt real quick."

"Okay. But if you hear screaming and fists being thrown, know that it is ninety-nine percent me. Beating the crap out of Jane."

"That's what true friends are for, isn't it?" I smiled brightly at her and walked over to Matt. "Hey, Matt!" I called out. He perked his head up from the coffee he was drinking and grinned.

"Hey, Uh," he replied. "I don't know what Hunter said to you, but he's an ass. I'm sorry about that."

"How did you--"

"He's a real blabbermouth when he's high. Whined to me about it right when I got home. It...it happens every year on Mom's birthday."

"It's fine, Matt. I swear. It must've been really tough for you guys. I can't even imagine..."

"Don't worry about it. Honestly, I ended up the best out of everyone. Including my old man. But...you really brought out the good side of him. It's been a while since I've seen him so happy."

"Yeah, I saw him gardening the other day. He seems like he's in a better place."

Matt nodded and leaned against the wall behind him. He giggled into his coffee. "If only he'd start dating again."

"Do you think he'll ever get back in the game?" I inquired.

"Honestly, no. He's still in love with Mom. I don't blame him." I nodded and stood next to him. "Avery, can I ask you something?"

"What's up?"

"Do...do you think Hunter...killed Carson?"

"Matt, what? No, he didn't...," I began, but then trailed off. I can't guarantee anything.

"Yeah...yeah, thanks, that's what I thought," he replied nervously. His hands were shaking as he lifted the cup to his pursed lips. "I'm sure he--aw, crap," Matt snapped as the cup slipped from his hands. It clattered onto the ground and shattered into dozens of jagged little pieces. "I should go get someone to--"

"Wait, Matt, can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Can you...can you distract Jane? And Angela, if she's here? You're friendly with them, right?"

"Yeah, I am. Uh, why do you need me to distract them?" he inquired, his voice dripping with suspicion.

"Just...my boyfriend cheated on me with Jane. So I need to find something out."

His eyes lit up, and then he shook his head and began to cough rapidly. "Oh, yeah, uh, totally. Yeah, um, yup, yup! Sounds like a plan."

I sadly smiled. "Thanks, Matt. I owe you one."

"It's, uh, no problem, Avery. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yup!" I patted him on the shoulder and giggled as he spontaneously coughed again. I watched him jog over to Jane and instigate a conversation, eventually leading her to the corner to clean up the shattered cup. I slipped away and peeked behind the counter. Someone sitting at the bar suspiciously eyed me, but I ignored them and examined what was behind the counter.

"Find anything?" Dakota asked as she leaned against the counter.

"No, it's just napkins and crap," I replied. I walked back to Dakota and sat myself on a stool, feeling more defeated than ever. My friend frowned when she saw me pouting. Dakota abruptly stood up and made her way towards Jane. "Dakota, don't--"

"Listen here, hon," she began, grabbing Jane's shoulder and turning her around.

"What do you need?" Jane innocently asked.

"I need you to cut the crap and tell my friend here what you stuffed in the drawer."

Jane looked nearly panicked. "I don't know what you're--"

"Hell yeah you know what I'm talking about," Dakota retorted. She pointed at me and added, "Tell Avery what you did."

"Avery? Oh shit, I--"

"Hi, Jane," I said, stuffing my hands in my jeans' back pockets. "Heard you found someone. Real happy for you two."

"Avery, I'm really sorry--"

"Don't be. He's the one that betrayed me. You just helped him out with it."

Jane shifted uncomfortably in her shoes. She adjusted her skirt as she gestured for us to follow her. Dakota grinned at me and elbowed me in the ribs. I gratefully nodded back to her. Jane led us to a room that was adjacent to the kitchen. She rummaged some keys out of her apron's front pocket. The room she led us in was a cozy, walk-in closet. The metal shelves on one side held some pots and pans, while the ones parallel to the door held several cardboard boxes. Jane examined each box until she found the petite one she was looking for. "Don't tell Angela about this," she pleaded. "I'll lose my job. I need this for college."

"What's this?" Dakota asked.

"I shoved some pictures in a drawer, but then found this little box and just shoved them back here instead," Jane softly explained. "Carson...he was really, really nice. When that man came and gave him his scholarship money, Carson couldn't have been happier. Sometimes he would stay after hours and help clean up. Not for money, but just because he felt like it." I was almost grateful to Jane before I recalled what she did to me. She looked down at the ground and whispered, "I know that you and Carson weren't dating."

I froze.

"But I won't tell anyone, I promise. I...I guess I owe it to you. The...the police won't come after me for this, right?"

"Right," Dakota answered for me.

"And Avery...I'm sorry. But if it means anything--which I guess it probably doesn't--I really, really like him."

"Yeah." I fake-smiled at her. "Yeah, I did, too."

Dakota cautiously opened the box, as if one wrong maneuver would cause all of its contents to explode. There were maybe ten Polaroids within it. They looked as though they were taken from far away, and its subjects were slightly blurry. These weren't works of art that Carson was attempting to capture. But I recognized about half of them being my Liam embracing Jane outside of Avedon's, and about two more of them simply making-out outside of the establishment. "God...dammit," I snapped.

"Let's burn them," Dakota offered.

"I...no. No, we can't."

"Why not?" she whined.

"It's one of the only things left of Carson. I...I don't wanna dishonor him like that."

"You're too good for this world, Avery."

"Meh," I replied with a slight giggle. My phone began to buzz in my pocket. I raised it to my ear and said, "Hey, Katherine, what's up?"

"Could you come over, Avery?"

"S-sure," I stammered, averting my eyes from the photos in Dakota's hand. "Is anything wrong?"

"I...I think I found out what happened to Carson, Avery."

My heart stopped beating for a split-second. The phone almost slipped from my hand. Someone suddenly threw open Avedon's door and anxiously looked around. They made eye-contact with me. It was Matthew Summers, looking like he was ready to puke.

"I think Hunter did it, Avery.

"I think it was Hunter."