Ali (not his real name)

My dad dropped her off to school and in the car told her, don't ever ask my son for a ride again.

Yeah.

And I think that's just, uh, the general, uh,

I can't speak of everybody, but I think that's just how the community has become.

Because it's just that fear that has just stuck in.

That's how it is.

And even now, if you go to a party and try to talk about Adnan's case, everyone just gets quiet.

Not because they're saying he did it or he didn't do it.

It's just kind of like if you don't talk about it, then it doesn't exist.

I remember, especially in middle school and elementary, more into middle school, that when we would get picked for sports, Adnan was very athletic, tall, good looking, kind of like the jock role.

And I was more chubby, short, kind of the nerdy, you know, kind of role.

So

He never made me feel that.

He always made sure I got picked for the team.

If other kids made fun of me on my athletic performance or I couldn't shoot or I couldn't kick the ball and they would start poking fun, he would always have my back and kind of tell them stop it or kind of watch out for me, kind of like an older brother.

And I'll never forget that.