The Court of Public Opinion

Chloe, Gavin and Kurt sat around the table out on the wooden deck eating toast and drinking coffee, under the beaming sun and blue sky. Chloe and Gavin sat together on one side, while Kurt sat opposite. Heather and Zack had just left with just the vague explanation that they were going into town. Ashley still hadn’t re-emerged from her bedroom, the one she had until just this morning shared with Lisa Rivera, Zack’s ex-girlfriend who was now suspected of being in illegal possession of a controlled substance.

“I find it really hard to believe that Lisa could have been involved in something unlawful like this,” Kurt reasserted his defence of the Latina. “But I suppose you guys have known her longer.”

“Yeah, we got to know her well when Zack was dating her,” Chloe replied, munching on her toast thoughtfully. “But that was eight months ago. We haven't seen much of her since then and a lot can happen in that time.”

“She was pretty torn up when Zack cheated on her. She was hurt, but she still loved him,” Gavin said, nodding along with Chloe’s point. “I mean, when she showed up here, she still wasn’t over him and wanted to get back together. Can you imagine eight months with those duelling emotions?”

“Wait, what are you suggesting?” Kurt furrowed his brow, incredulous. “You believe she started taking Vicodin to self-medicate her heart break?”

“I’m not saying for certain that’s what happened. I don’t know,” Gavin quickly justified. “But it might be possible. From an objective point of view. Love and heartbreak make us do crazy things, even things we might usually consider as being completely out of the question. And what’s the other option? That someone set her up? Who would do that?”

“Ashley,” Chloe was quick to suggest, checking over her shoulder to make sure the girl in question wasn’t nearby. “If anyone had a reason to hate Lisa, it’d be her.”

“Are you sure you’re not just being a little biased in saying that?” Kurt drank his coffee and asked. “Just because Zack cheated on you with her doesn’t mean she has the wherewithal to frame Lisa for **** possession.”

“No, I’m speaking from experience,” Chloe pouted, irritated that Kurt was defending the cheerleader. “We know that Ashley schemes and plans, and that Lisa tricked her. It doesn’t seem so far-fetched to me that she would want to get retaliate and get Lisa out of the picture if she could.”

“It didn’t work then,” Kurt replied. “Zack was more distraught over her arrest than if she’d been here like normal.”

“I didn’t say it was a good plan,” Chloe argued. “Just that I could imagine Ashley doing it.”

“All that theory does is suggest to me that Lisa is equally as good at hiding secrets and misleading people,” Gavin interjected. “And I don’t think Zack was that upset.”

“Didn’t you see him when they hauled Lisa out of here?” Kurt asked. “The only thing missing was the gnashing of teeth and tearing of his clothes.”

“Sure, and then he ups and goes into town with Heather,” Gavin noted before taking the last bite of his toast. “What’s up with that?”

“That was suspicious,” Chloe admitted, gulping down her coffee. “But, I didn’t get the sense that they were going out for some leisurely fun. It seemed more serious than that.”

“You think that they’re planning something?” Kurt smiled, bemused. “Like trying to break Lisa out?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Chloe clarified. “But, I do believe there’s something going on that they’re not telling us. Maybe it has something to do with Lisa, maybe not.”

“I agree it seemed more serious,” Gavin concurred. “Though, if it is nothing to do with Lisa, they picked a fine time to get distracted by it.”

Kurt frowned, aggravated slightly by how in tune and similarly opinionated Gavin and Chloe were. It was like a large neon flashing sign to him, indicating how much better suited these two were than him and Chloe. He shook his head, casting out the thoughts. It wasn’t even worth thinking about. They were together, in the forest, on the sofa, that’s just how it was now, and Kurt just had to accept it.

“Well, there’s nothing any of us can do right now. What Lisa really needs is a good lawyer.” Kurt insisted as he stood and began gathering up their cups and plates. “A distraction might be good for Zack.”

Without waiting for further response, Kurt lifted the dishes and carried them through the open glass doors into the kitchen. Ashley was there when he entered, pouring coffee, still warm from the heating plate, into a mug. She turned and leaned against the counter as he crossed the kitchen and placed their plates and cups beside the sink.

“Leave those,” she said as Kurt reached to open the dishwasher. “Gavin said he would wash up.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” Kurt admitted, laughing softly then following the blonde cheerleader from the kitchen into the living area.

“So, do you all think I did it too?” Ashley asked resignedly.

Kurt was taken aback by her bluntness but immediately shook his head. “Chloe suspects you, but Gavin thinks it’s possible that Lisa was hiding a **** habit.”

“And you?” she pressed, looking over her shoulder at him and taking a deep drink of her coffee.

“I don’t know,” Kurt said, frowning. “I don’t think it sounds like Lisa and I don’t think you’d go this far. This whole thing doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”

“Thanks,” she replied, setting her mug down on the coffee table as she took a seat, though not on the sofa she’d just cleaned that morning. “It’s just a pity the one person I want in my corner also thinks I did it.”

“Zack accused you of setting up Lisa?” Kurt blurted out as he took the single seat.

“Yep,” she replied bitterly. “I mean, obviously, I can see where they’re coming from. If I weren’t me, I’d suspect me too. But it’s fucking bullshit that he of all people is so quick to assume I’m guilty.”

“Tensions are high at the minute, with something like this happening,” Kurt tried to comfort her, only to be interrupted by another knock at the door.

“Oh great,” Ashley sighed as she stood. “Knowing my luck this is the police back to say that they made a mistake and meant to arrest me.”

Kurt chuckled sympathetically as Ashley stepped up to the cabin door. As she grasped the handle and turned, Gavin came rushing from the kitchen, calling out to the blonde to wait. But it was too late, Ashley was already opening the door to whoever was on the other side.