Chapter 22 - The Charges
Malik was arrested nine days later.
Not dramatically.
No police raid.
No handcuffs at graduation.
Detective Reed called Nia after the interview.
Malik had voluntarily appeared with an attorney.
Following additional evidence review, prosecutors authorized several charges related to identity fraud, unauthorized computer access, and attempted financial fraud.
The exact case would take months.
Maybe longer.
Some counts might change.
Some might be dismissed or resolved through a plea.
Reality remained less cinematic than pain.
Nia appreciated that.
She did not celebrate.
Ms. Bennett ordered takeout.
They ate quietly.
At one point her mother said, “You’re allowed to feel relieved.”
“I don’t.”
“What do you feel?”
“Like somebody died.”
Ms. Bennett understood.
“In a way, somebody did.”
Nia looked up.
“The person you thought Malik was.”
Nia stared at her plate.
“He was real too.”
“What do you mean?”
“The good parts.”
Her mother remained quiet.
“He helped me study for chemistry.”
“Yes.”
“He drove me to Dad’s cemetery when I couldn’t tell you I was having a bad day.”
“I remember.”
“He stayed on the phone with me when I got my first scholarship rejection.”
Ms. Bennett nodded.
Nia’s eyes filled.
“If I make everything fake, then I feel stupid for loving him.”
“You don’t have to.”
Her mother reached across the table.
“A person can give you real tenderness and still later do terrible things.”
Nia swallowed.
“That makes it harder.”
“I know.”
The next morning Hawthorne emailed.
Honors Hall placement restored.
Same building.
Different room.
Nia stared at the message for almost a minute.
Then screamed.
Ms. Bennett ran upstairs.
“What happened?”
Nia turned the laptop.
Her mother screamed too.
They hugged.
For thirty seconds, Nia was simply eighteen and going to college.
No fraud.
No pregnancy.
No betrayal.
Just a dorm.
A future.
Then she noticed the blue graduation cap on the shelf.
Her joy dimmed.
Ms. Bennett noticed.
“Want me to put it away?”
Nia shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Not yet.”
That afternoon Jasmine came by with Lauren.
They brought no gifts.
No apology speeches.
Jasmine stood awkwardly in the foyer.
“I heard about Malik.”
Nia nodded.
“Are you okay?”
“Weird question.”
“Yeah.”
Jasmine looked down.
“Sorry.”
Nia almost smiled.
“How are you?”
“Sick every morning.”
“The pregnancy?”
“Yes.”
“Doctor okay?”
“So far.”
Silence.
Lauren and Ms. Bennett moved into the kitchen, leaving them alone deliberately.
Jasmine looked up at the banner.
“You kept it.”
Nia followed her gaze.
“Apparently.”
“I thought your mom would burn everything.”
“She considered it.”
Jasmine smiled faintly.
Then her expression broke.
“Nia.”
“What?”
“I’m giving a full statement.”
“To police?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“My lawyer said I could expose myself to consequences.”
Nia studied her.
“You have a lawyer?”
“My mom found one.”
“Also good.”
“I’m still doing it.”
Nia nodded.
“That’s your decision.”
“I want you to know I’m not doing it to get you back.”
Nia appreciated that.
“Okay.”
“I spent weeks thinking there had to be some action big enough to cancel what I did.”
“There isn’t.”
“I know.”
Nia did not object to the phrase this time.
Jasmine continued.
“I can tell the truth. I can cooperate. I can stop lying.”
“Yes.”
“But I can’t make you trust me.”
“No.”
“I think I finally understand consequences.”
Nia crossed her arms.
“What happens with Malik and the baby?”
“He wants paternity confirmed after birth.”
“That’s reasonable.”
“He also wants custody.”
Nia said nothing.
“I’m talking to a family-law attorney eventually.”
“That’s smart.”
“I don’t want to use the criminal case to keep him from being a father if he becomes safe and responsible.”
Nia was surprised by the maturity.
“And I don’t want guilt to make me ignore what he did.”
“That’s also smart.”
Jasmine looked at her.
“You would have given me advice like this before.”
“Probably.”
“I miss that.”
Nia’s throat tightened.
“Then learn how to give it to yourself.”
Jasmine cried.
Not loudly.
She nodded.
As she turned to leave, she stopped beneath the staircase.
“This is where we met Malik for the first time.”
Nia remembered.
Sophomore-year homecoming.
Malik had stood awkwardly beside the stairs while Jasmine whispered, He is definitely into you.
The memory hurt.
Jasmine looked upward toward the bathroom.
“I wish I could go back.”
Nia shook her head.
“I don’t.”
Jasmine looked surprised.
Nia continued.
“If I went back, I’d still be surrounded by people who thought loving me meant keeping me small.”
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She looked toward the open front door.
“I’d rather know.”
