Chapter 66 THE LAWSUIT
Elias
Elias read the lawsuit three times. Each time, his anger grew.
“This is insane,” he said. “They’re blaming us for Carter’s choices.”
“Can they do that?” Alex asked. His voice shaking.
“Apparently. But it doesn’t mean they’ll win.”
“Half a million dollars, Elias. We don’t have that kind of money.”
“We’re not going to pay it. This is a frivolous lawsuit. Our lawyer will get it dismissed.”
“What lawyer? We can’t afford a lawyer.”
Elias called Katie. She knew people. Had connections from her marketing work.
“I’ll make some calls,” she said. “Find you someone good. Pro bono if possible.”
By afternoon, they had a meeting scheduled. Lawyer named David Jill. Specialized in harassment cases. Willing to take them on.
“This lawsuit is weak,” David said after reviewing everything. “You have documentation. Police reports. Restraining orders. Evidence of their harassment.”
“So they can’t win?” Alex asked.
“I didn’t say that. Juries are unpredictable. But we have a strong defense. The truth is on our side.”
“How long will this take?” Elias asked.
“Could be months. Could be over a year. Depends on whether they actually take it to trial or just file to intimidate you.”
“A year,” Alex repeated. Hollow.
After the meeting, they sat in the car. Neither moving. Neither speaking.
“I can’t do this again,” Alex said finally. “I can’t spend another year fighting Carter’s family. Fighting his ghost.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, we do. We could settle. Pay them something. Make it go away.”
“With what money? And settling admits guilt. I’m not doing that.”
“Then what? We spend the next year in court? Missing school and work? Reliving everything?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
Alex’s hands were fists in his lap. “I just got off probation. I just started doing well. And now this.”
“This won’t affect your school.”
“Won’t it? More meetings. More stress. More distractions. They already watch me closely. What happens when they find out I’m being sued?”
“They won’t find out unless you tell them.”
“Lawsuits are public record, Elias. Anyone can look them up.”
Elias didn’t have an answer for that.
At home, Alex pulled up the lawsuit online. Sure enough. Public. Anyone searching their names would find it.
“It’s already getting attention,” Alex said, showing his phone. “Someone posted about it. People are commenting.”
Elias looked. Twitter was exploding. Some are supporting them. Some say they deserved it. Some analyze every detail.
Carter’s parents have every right to sue. They drove him to this.
This is just harassment from beyond the grave. Leave them alone.
Half a million seems excessive but they did go public with that article.
Going public was self-defense. Carter and Ashley were stalking them.
“Turn it off,” Elias said. “Don’t read the comments.”
“I can’t help it. Everyone has an opinion about our lives.”
“Then let them. We know the truth.”
But the truth felt slippery. Uncertain.
Yes, Carter had harassed them. But they’d also gone public. Posted everything. Made him a villain.
Had they driven him to the suicide attempt? Even a little?
“I need air,” Alex said.
He left the apartment. Walked on campus. The same paths he’d walked two years ago when he was just watching. Before everything got complicated.
Des found him at the library, third floor, teheir spot.
“Katie called me,” Des said. “Told me about the lawsuit.”
“Yeah.”
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m not. I can’t do this again, Des. I can’t keep fighting.”
“Then don’t. Let the lawyer handle it.”
“It’s not that simple. This will follow us. People are already talking. What if the school finds out? What if it affects my standing again?”
“It won’t. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“That doesn’t matter. Perception matters. And right now, people think we drove someone to suicide.”
“Some people think that. Others know better.”
“How many people have to think it before it becomes true?”
Des didn’t have an answer.
That night, Elias found Alex on the balcony. Staring out at the city.
“I spoke to David,” Elias said. “He thinks we can get it dismissed. Probably won’t even go to trial.”
“And if it does?”
“Then we fight, and we win.”
“You sound very sure.”
“I have to be. If I’m not sure, then what do we have?”
Alex turned to face him. “Do you ever regret it? Meeting me? Starting all this?”
“No, never.”
“Even with everything that’s happened? Carter? Ashley? James’s accident? Now this lawsuit?”
“Even with all of it. Because I love you. And love is worth fighting for.”
“What if I’m not worth it? What if I’m just dragging you down?”
Elias grabbed his face, made him look. “You are worth it. Every fight, every hard moment, and every sacrifice. You are worth all of it.”
Alex’s eyes filled. “I’m scared.”
“Me too. But we’re going to get through this. Like we’ve gotten through everything else.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
March came. The lawsuit moved slowly. Paperwork. Depositions. Lawyers arguing over details.
Alex tried to focus on school. But every time his phone buzzed, he jumped. Every email felt like a threat.
“You need to relax,” Sana said over lunch. “This stress is eating you alive.”
“I can’t relax. Not until this is over.”
“It could be months. You can’t live like this.”
“Watch me.”
But Sana was right. The stress was destroying him. He wasn’t sleeping. Wasn’t eating properly. His grades started slipping again.
And Elias was getting distant, working late, coming home exhausted trying to work extra time to raise money in case they have to settle, but that wasnʻt an option though. So they barely talked at home.
“Are we okay?” Alex asked one night.
“Yeah. Just busy.”
“Feels like more than busy.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. Work is demanding. This lawsuit is demanding. I’m doing my best.”
“So am I. But it feels like we’re just surviving. Not living.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to be present, here with me.”
“I am here.”
“No. Your body is here. But your mind is somewhere else.”
Elias was quiet. Then: “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just tired.”
“Of what? The lawsuit? Or me?”
“Don’t. Don’t make this about us. This is about Carter’s family being vindictive.”
“Is it? Or is this about us not being strong enough to handle it?”
“We’re strong enough.”
“Are we? Because I’m not so sure anymore.”
They went to bed angry. Lying on opposite sides. Not touching. The space between them feels permanent.
In April, David called with news. “They’re willing to settle. Drop the suit for $50,000.”
“We don’t have fifty thousand dollars,” Elias said.
“I told them that. They said they’d accept monthly payments.”
“For how long?”
“Five years.”
Alex did the math. “$833 a month. For five years.”
“It’s better than going to trial. Better than risking a verdict.”
“It’s extortion.”
“It’s a settlement. That’s how the system works.”
Elias looked at Alex. “What do you think?”
“I think we don’t have a choice. We can’t afford a trial. Can’t afford to lose.”
“So we pay? Yes we pay.”
They agreed to the settlement. Signed papers. Committed to five years of monthly payments.
“It’s over,” Alex said when they left the lawyer’s office.
“Not over. Just resolved.”
“Same thing.”
“Not really. Over implies we won. We didn’t win. We just stopped fighting.”
At home, they tried to celebrate. Ordered pizza. Opened wine. Pretended everything was fine.
But the weight of $50,000 hung between them. Five years of payments. Five years of Carter’s ghost in their finances.
“We’ll make it work,” Elias said. “I can pick up freelance editing. You can TA when you’re done with coursework.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
“The point is they won. Carter’s family. They sued us and got money. That’s winning.”
“They got a settlement. That’s not the same as winning.”
“Feels the same to me.”
That night, Alex couldn’t sleep. Lay awake thinking about everything. The lawsuit. The settlement. The future.
At 3 AM, he got up. Went to the living room. Found Elias already there.
“Can’t sleep either?” Elias asked.
“No. Too much thinking.”
“About what?”
“About whether this is worth it. All of it. The fighting. The stress. The constant battles.”
“You mean us?”
“I mean everything, us, school, this life we’re trying to build. Maybe we’re just not meant to be easy.”
“Since when is love easy?”
“Other people make it look easy.”
“Other people are lying. Everyone struggles. We’re just more public about it.”
“That’s the problem. We’re always public. Always being judged. Always having to defend ourselves.”
“So what do you want to do? Give up? Walk away?”
“No. But I’m tired, Elias. Really, bone-deep tired.”
Elias moved closer. Took his hand. “Me too. But we’re in this together. That counts for something.”
“Does it?”
“Yes. It counts for everything.”
They sat in the dark. Holding hands. Not speaking. Just being.
And for that moment, it was enough.
But in the morning, an email arrived.
From Carter.
Subject: I’m sorry.