The Chance

31 || 4 A.M. Wake Up Call

FourFiveSeconds - Rihanna

𓆩♡𓆪
Evie

"What's this whole meeting about?" Matt's voice rings in my ears, his face clueless of what's going. Clueless to what I've just been told and clueless to the reason he's been called in here.

His eyes scan the room then land on me. I can feel the gap between my lips and the shallow breath I take in before I speak. "Matt...did you lie to me?" I feel like I'm on the brink of shedding tears but I hold them back.

This isn't right.

But who am I to question the police?

I've never felt so many emotions at once. I'm conflicted between hoping what he told me earlier was genuine or believing the accusations the police have told me are true.

"Lie to you? About what?" His eyes narrow before he looks up at the other men in the room.

"Mr. DeMarzio, do you know why you're here?" Matt shakes his head. "The account that made the post is linked to you." One of the officers reveals to him.

Matt's face contorts in confusion and he immediately questions them. "What?" He looks down at me before returning his gaze to the officers. "Are you sure you did your job right?"

"Son–" My uncle tries to cut in.

"No." Matt snaps. "That account isn't mine. And I sure as hell didn't post that photo. I would never do something like that. Ever." He turns to me, "You should know that."

My heart is hammering all the way into my ears as I turn my eyes to the authorities. "We traced the post back to your computer."

Matt looks like he's at a loss for words. "You can look through all of my stuff, but I didn't make that post." he claims over and over again.

I look to my uncle once more for comfort but his gaze is set on Matt. I can see it on his face that he's just as conflicted as I am. I'm assuming it's because he's trying not to believe the kid he's coached for three years did something this bad.

I look between everyone in the room, Matt who's arguing his innocence, the police who are arguing their logical facts, and the Dean who's gaze looks like he's ready to kill Matt.

"I was with my teammates that night. They can tell you I never went on my computer to make that post." Matt uses his teammates as an alibi and one last glance at him makes my heart physically hurt.

And I know that deep down, he didn't do this. But here the police are with the evidence to prove that he did.

In my life I've figured that your heart is right once out of a hundred times. Am I going to take a gamble like that on a guy, who's usually an asshole, just because he was—or sounded—genuine once?

Fuck.

Maybe I am. And maybe I'm wrong but I guess I'll just have to find that out later.

"He didn't do it." I finally spoke up after staying quiet for a while. All eyes land on me as the room goes silent. "And it might sound gullible to you guys," I refer to the authorities in front of me. "But I believe him."

Another beat of silence.

"Yes, you may have found hard evidence that he did it, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't think he's capable of doing something like this." I tell them all.

I wanted to mention that he was also included in the post himself, but I know that can't be an excuse so I decided to leave it out.

"I believe him too." It's my uncle who speaks this time. "I've coached this kid for three years. When you came to me about what you found I didn't want to believe it, and now, I'm not so sure I do. He may not show it often but this kid has too big of a heart to do something like that."