You shouldn't have done that (my ending)

I enjoyed her book, but I thought the book did no justice and deserved another ending. This is my ending.
(Still working on alternative ending below)

Cal felt grief for his sister Emerson. He appreciated that she gave him the spotlight for being missing. He was appreciative of his new life, mothers flirting with him, fathers thanking him, students adoring him, but he questioned where that would get him, were they giving him this attention due to the shame of Brad, or because he was trying to turn over a new leaf. Cal felt something nagging him. He knew that he had to genuinely redeem himself somehow. Brad had to redeem himself for as long as it would take considering the terrible things that befell him and his family. Jane was glad her son was safe and was living fine, she was upset as she was for the loss of her daughter, but though she and Em’s father both thought Brad did what he did. She could not shake off what Emerson did publicly shaming Brad like that online, and she and Ivy were friends for quite some time. It just did not feel right, it did not feel fair, and Cal was not entirely innocent either. He was her son, of all people, she would know that. She heard a knock at the door and Ivy stood there. She just had to confess. “Can I come in?” She finally asked. “Sure” Jane said. She did not want to see her, but perhaps something was going to be said. “This will take quite a while” Ivy told her. She was going to reveal it all.

Ivy and her family were also at grief. Max felt so overwhelmed with disgust that he would be interested in going out with someone like Emerson. One day he went out for a drive and saw Cal. His heart grew red with rage. How could Cal have done this to his brother and his family? Brad would be the one to suffer while Cal would not despite what his sister has done to her brother to vilify him like that to the world. Angrily, Max got out of his car and walked straight up to Cal holding him by the throat. He said, “Why was I ever interested in that sister of yours? She drew my brother’s name into the mud, and everyone took her side, your side, without any shred of evidence. You knew full well what my brother was and was not capable of, he was your friend for many years. Why I do not know, it is way beyond me. You and that sister of yours got all the sympathy in the world while my brother and my family got nothing. You are not a saint; you are a monster! The world shamed my brother and did not even offer any sympathy even after you came back safe and sound! It is not as if he killed you though I wish he had! Not one person took his side, except his family, he has only us, and here you are living a good life. You owe much to him.” Cal wanted to push him back, he had a new life he was allowed to live it, but how truthful would his life be knowing the truth was still out there. “You are right, I was a lousy friend, but my sister is dead, perhaps murdered. Maybe I will say your brother did that. Though I know your mother did.” Max roared, “Leave my mother out of this! I will tell everyone when your mother threatened mine, and there were witnesses!”

“Maybe I should do my own video and tell everyone the truth!” Max shouted. “Your sister has passed and guess what not everyone cares, I do not! I am glad she is gone! It served her right!” Cal was so angry himself, but he knew Max had a point. Emerson took it too far. Max finally let go and was able to walk away. “Wait!” Cal shouted. “Perhaps … we both should upload a video.” Later that day, they did. Max was the first to speak, “The sister of Cal Whittaker, Emerson Whittaker, someone who I took up a relationship with for a while, uploaded videos rolling the name of my brother, Brad Chapman, into the mud. Brad and Cal were friends since preschool, our mothers Ivy Chapman and Jane Whittaker were also friends for a long time, and sure, my brother did have his issues, he did do some things. He was no saint, but he was overall a good soul and people treated him so cruelly. Not even getting his side of the story. Nobody but his family bothered to take his side, and he was in this town for a while for people to know better. Not only did she upload that video, which garnered twenty thousand likes and hundreds of comments, I am sure most vile, only within an hour (unbelievable, so quick to vilify him without any knowledge whatsoever), but people swarmed my brother causing him to drive in his vehicle and end up to the ICU. No, he did not commit suicide, surprisingly, thankfully. Have you ever heard of the saying, innocent until proven guilty? I guess not. Cal supposedly gets hurt, the world gives him sympathy, but my brother was in a driving accident due to crazy people literally driving him to his death, and even after Cal comes back, no one offers any sympathy, except perhaps, internet trolls who blamed Emerson for his incident. Cal owes much of his new life to Brad.”

Max was then done not being able to say anymore. He felt like storming out thinking of it more and more about how that could even happen to his brother. His brother was not perfect, but he was a good person, he was not a selfish friend, Cal was and here Cal was being treated as the most adorned person in the world. It took Cal a long time to gather his thoughts, but he did. “It is true. Brad has been my friend since preschool. I supported him when other children bullied him for his lisping matter. (Long pause) He did not do anything to me. He did not cut off my finger. That was Shelby, Scotty, and Chloe. For Shelby and Scotty’s sister, Chloe, it was me who pushed them in front of a snowplow, and that fire was not accidental. I appreciate my sister Emerson uploading a video remembering me, but what she did was wrong and I know several know that it is sad she lost her life though, but if anyone is blaming Brad for that too, he had nothing in it. I am trying to better myself, but Max is right. I am no saint. I was a selfish person and a very poor friend, you can support me if you wish, but do not support me for bringing down Brad, sure we all have our faults, he does, I do, but he is a good guy and he does not deserve the world deserting him; it is not easy for anyone when it seems the whole world is against you especially when it is wrong and in this case it was and is wrong, very wrong, and as for me, owing much of my new life to Brad, it is true, if it was not for him.” It took Cal his whole strength to master that, but he knew he had to. Otherwise, it would just be a lie this entire time. Max did not know how many would watch that video, but thankfully to everyone fawning over Cal, there was still hope, so many did watch that video and liked it, within seconds. No one said anything, presumably out of tremendous guilt, probably did not even know what to say but had tons of things to reconsider.

Max’s phone rang, it was his mother on the phone crying frantically, he put the call on “speak.” “Max” his mother cried, “Your brother is not here. He overdosed himself. It just got too much for him, I suppose.” Max wanted to slam down the phone in anger. “You heard my mother, no parent should be in worry for their child no matter how old they are, not mine, not yours.” Cal and Max rushed to the ICU. Of course, Brad was not excited to see Cal, but Cal felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and told him everything. He showed him the video that his brother and him uploaded. Cal decided to upload another video showing everyone that he was with Brad and what happened to Brad – again. With tremendous guilt, more than tens of thousands and thousands of comments flew with heart and support. Brad thought he was no longer friends with Cal, perhaps no longer even rivals, but perhaps there was always time for a do over, and now it was very necessary for that time. People were extremely apologetic though the damage was already done. The people involved with the driving accident chipped in to pay for a whole new vehicle for Brad, helped chip in college tuition so he could get into a decent college, and then some. People worldwide who knew sent him stuffed animals, balloons, flowers, and get-well cards, saying things, such as ‘we are so sorry’, ‘the world can be a beautiful place’, and so on. Brad was crying, and overjoyed people were doing this to him and for him, but it was still going to take some time.

Alternative ending:

Cal woke up from a coma in a sweat. He was going to live a good life, a great life, but he has been asleep this entire time. He woke up to find Brad aside him, also in a coma. “What happened?” Cal asked himself. “Where am I?”