Four hours ago, my life was normal. Four hours ago I was leaving town for a spontaneous weekend getaway with my mom. Now, I was in the car driving away from my perfect weekend. The cops said there was a murder. They said Dad was in trouble. They told us we needed to come back to town. So that’s where I was going, two hours away from what was my normal life- because where I was going, was not a normal part of life.

The only thing that was pulsing through me was fear, and “how”, my dad wasn’t a killer. He doesn’t even like killing spiders. The road signs counted down how close we were becoming, 100 miles, 50, the next exit. Everything that happened after stepping out of the car was a blur. So much shock, so much confusion. Worst of all, images that were permanently burned behind my eyes. Dad was covered in blood, handcuffs on his wrists, and cops at his sides. There were a lot of people in the station. Some I recognized, some I didn’t. Most of them crying, most of them pale and frozen from shock. But as I looked at my blood-covered father- I knew it was wrong. He couldn’t have been a killer. It was an accident, it had to have been. Self-defense. I could not- I refused to believe anything else. It was self-defense and it was an accident- at least that’s what I told myself when Destiny Carter’s tear-soaked parents burst through the doors. 

“Mrs. Carter, Mr. Carter,” I heard an officer say, “if you could follow me and answer a few questions about your daughter.” It was then that I realized something horrible had happened. Something terrible. As I watched them leave, another officer approached me.

“You’re Annie right?” The officer asked

“Yes.” I breathed out.

“Follow me,” The officer said. I was taken into an interrogation room. He opened a door for me and nodded his head at the table and chairs. I sat down and tried not to look scared. Not to shake- not to cry. The officer asked me all of these horrible questions about my father. After I finished giving them the answers I could tell they didn’t want, they let me go. 

The only information I was able to gather from the cops was that Destiny was next door at Tiffany Caldwell’s house for her birthday party. Someone heard a scream and went outside and saw that Destiny had been attacked. The cops were called and when they arrived my dad was sitting next to her lifeless body. He was arrested on the scene. A few hours later the three of us were allowed to go home while they opened an investigation.

We pretended our lives went back to normal for a while. We got three weeks. It all ended when the cops burst through the door and arrested my dad. Second-degree murder, that's what they said. They turned my dad into a murderer in the span of 21 days.

I have never felt heartbreak before. I did not think a heart could break like mine did at that moment. It felt as if my lungs were failing. It hurt to breathe, to think, to stand. Suddenly, my whole world was ripped away from me. I watched the light go out in my dad’s eyes as they dragged him out of the door. The moment he crossed the door, I knew nothing would be the same, our lives could never- would ever go back to normal. As my whole world collapsed on me, I felt helpless.

Dad called later that night and told me he loved me. He told me not to be scared, I could hear the pain in his voice, I could hear the innocence. He told me he loved me and to be strong. He told me how sorry he was and how he was coming home soon.

I knew it was a lie. I know he told me that so I wouldn’t worry, but I did. The most caring person in the whole world was behind bars for something he didn’t even do. I wasn’t scared, I was terrified. The person who did it was walking free, outside where more people could be harmed. I was scared for my dad, but I was terrified of the actual killer. I was terrified that my dad was being punished for their actions, that they didn’t care.

Dad told me to be strong, to not be scared. But no amount of strength could have protected me from what came next.

It was 2 days after Dad got arrested when the rumors started. They called him “Jack the Ripper,” and they said, “He did it on purpose.” “Destiny knew something and he killed her.” 24 days after Dad got arrested, Mom told me our lives needed to go back to normal, and by normal she meant school. I thought everything would be fine, but it was much worse than I ever could have anticipated. 

Within one week, I was spat on, name-called, pushed, shoved, and screamed at. It was my new reality. I had to eat lunch alone because people would kick my food or spit in it. So I sat in the fine arts hallway when no one was there. It was the only time I could be myself- and there was no one to share that with.

I lost track of what day it was and I only started counting in how many days it's been since Dad was arrested. It was day 43 and I was sitting in the hallway eating lunch when this girl approached me. She set her backpack down and sat next to me. “I’m Ashley.” She said. I knew that- she was at the party. “I know who you are,” I said. 

She sat next to me and talked forever. I thought it was annoying, but then at the same time, I liked how someone was having a conversation with me instead of accusing me of murder. She did this for a while. I opened up, we became friends. I forgot about what my life was like when I was with her. “You know Annie, I don’t think your dad killed Destiny. Also, I think ‘Jack the Ripper’ is a pretty messed up nickname.” I smiled at that.

A few weeks later I went over to Ashley's to surprise her after a really stressful school week. I learned a lot about Ashley, and I was quite fond of her. She helped my broken heart heal by just being there, showing me that I’m not a total monster. 

When I walked into the hallway by her bedroom I heard that she was on the phone, it was on speaker. “Ashley I said we don’t talk about it you hear me? Pretend like the party never happened.” It was Tiffany Caldwell’s voice. I was still in the hallway, so I pulled my phone out and clicked record on my camera. 

“Tiff I know! I know no one can know. It was murder, Tiff. We are covering up a murder, and we are getting away with it. Annie will never find out, Why don’t you believe me?” Ashley asked. Time froze. They know the truth. They know what happened. 

“I do believe you. But if Annie finds out that we killed Destiny, we are going down for it. I know she’s been snooping around.”

“She’ll never find out we killed Destiny,” Ashley promised. 

It felt as if the floor had vanished. The words that she just spoke soaked into my soul and pierced my heart. I have never felt so betrayed. So used. The person who picked my dead broken heart off the floor knew the truth the whole time. She knew the truth and never thought to share it. She was delusional. She fed lies to everyone and made everyone feel bad for her, while it was my dad behind bars. He was behind bars paying for her crimes. He was behind bars while she was roaming free. My sadness and heartbreak turned into anger and betrayal. My best friend became my enemy. I clicked stop on the recording, and I quietly left her house.

I ran up the steps of the police station with my phone in hand. I accidentally ran right into an officer when I blurted out everything, “I have proof Jack Galligar didn’t kill Destiny Carter.” The officer looked at my tear-soaked face and led me into an interrogation room. I showed tons of officers the video, I had it memorized by the time the night was over.

The day after Ashley and Tiffany got arrested, I was asked to comment about my thoughts on the arrest and the false accusations. So I did. I got in front of the cameras intending to clear not my name, but my dad's. 

“Hello everyone. My name is Annie. Twelve weeks ago, we got the call that Dad had been arrested for murder. A murder he, did not commit. As the weeks went by I started school and I met Ashley Thomas, who quickly became my best friend. While I was dealing with the verbal assaults of my defamed reputation, I was also getting to know this wonderful, bright, funny girl. I had let her into my corner which I soon regretted when I found proof that she was a part of Destiny’s murder. Wonderful, beautiful Destiny, who was taken too soon. They took Destiny’s chance to get married, to have kids, to start a wonderful life for herself, away from her. Destiny stood up for herself and she never blamed anyone for anything. That was the big issue in this case. The blame was pointed at my benign father, who doesn’t even like killing spiders. The blame was pointed at my family and we were all given horrific nicknames. “Jack the Ripper” was a big one. But he didn’t do it, did he? The justice system failed us. It failed Destiny, it failed my dad, it failed me. Those accusations, the rumors you spread, had no truth behind them. I hope you see that now. Shame on our friends, our coworkers, our classmates, and the people close to us, for not taking our side when in reality, you knew us the best. Destiny deserved better. But now finally, thanks to one not-so-private phone call, the truth came out, the guilty have been punished, and the innocent were set free. ‘Jack the Ripper’ in fact was not a ripper, he was just a normal dad who was caring for a hurt girl and holding her during her final moments. All he did was love someone when they were in pain because that’s what he does best. Destiny, you deserved so much better. A happy full life. I’m sorry that was taken from you. I hope you find peace.”

There was silence when I finished my speech. Then applause came. Everyone was cheering, cameras were clicking. If it were normal circumstances I probably would have loved it.