That's Not What Happened

Content Warning: This section includes discussion of school shootings, death by gun violence, trauma, mental and emotional health concerns, substance use disorder, and grief.

Lee names her primary goal early in the story: to correct the false narrative about Sarah’s death. She believes that telling the truth will not only stop the spread of misinformation but also alleviate her guilt. As Lee explains what happened from her perspective, though, others react strongly based on what they believe to be true. Lee soon sees that the connections between truth and perspective are too complex for a simple reset of the narrative.

Early lessons for Lee regarding the complexities of truth and perspective come after reading Denny’s scholarship letter. His version of events causes Lee to realize that Sarah’s is not the only narrative in need of correction. This motivates her to tell the truth, but her mission to Detective Jenner does not have the desired impact. The detective cautions against Lee telling the truth, indicating that others’ “truth” about Sarah’s tragedy has helped their healing process. Lee is surprised to think that others’ beliefs, based only on a catchy story, should outweigh her firsthand perspective.