Influence

As Chris sat in the cold, sterile room at the police station, he maintained an outward appearance of nonchalance, though inwardly his mind was a whirlwind of disbelief and frustration. The accusation against him felt like a bizarre twist in a story he hadn't signed up for. He couldn't help but suppress a bemused smirk, half-expecting someone to jump out and yell, "Gotcha!" at any moment. But he knew that was not going to happen. 

Ash had just proven he was that kind of guy from high school who used their parents' influence to do as they pleased and used it to bully people. And well, Chris had a reputation for bullying the bullies. 

His fingers idly drummed on the metal table, his thoughts drifting back to the recent events that had unfolded like a series of unexpected plot twists.