The Freedom That Paper Gives

I Just Want a Straight Answer

CW: Mentions of illness, hospitals, anxiety, allusions to PTSD. Please read with caution.

Percy's face lit up and he began to hope if was who he thought it was.

"Marie?"
"No, Asha, your sister." Joy answered with a raised eyebrow.

Percy's heart sank, but rose again. Asha knew Kamila who knew Marie, maybe she knew something about the situation. After all it can't hurt to try.

"Thanks Joy. Have a good weekend." Percy parroted, impatiently making his way to the door.
"You too Percy, and don't worry about Marie. She disappears sometimes but she's fine. You need to get that crush under control." Joy said.

Percy felt anger rising, or was it embarrassment.

"It's not a crush, we're just friends." Percy replied, not sure who he was convincing.
"Whatever you say Percy." Joy replied, clearly not convinced.

And with that Joy left and Percy headed into the cafe, intent on trying to get some answers out of Asha.

"Hey what took you so long?" Asha said, looking rather unimpressed.

Asha had clearly just come from her placement, she was sat at the counter on her phone. Looking sterner than usual in her formal business suit. Percy thought to himself that their mother must have asked her to pick him up.

"I was on my break." Percy said shortly, "What can I get you?"
"Black coffee, large. God knows I need it." Asha replied, not looking up from her phone.

She was smiling at her phone so she must have been messaging Lauren, Percy though to himself.

"Coming right up." Percy replied as Asha handed him her money.

As he got to work making her drink Percy decided to ask her. He needed answers and at this point Asha was the only person who might be able to give him any.

"Hey Ash, you know Kamila right?" Percy asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yes and no I'm not setting you up with her. Or any of your friends." Asha replied almost automatically.

Percy remembered that a lot of people only make friends with Kamila's friends to get close to Kamila.

"I'm not interested in Kamila. But she's Marie's friend right?", at this point Percy was struggling to sound casual.
"And housemate but yeah. What about it?" Asha is still not really paying attention.
"Do you know why Marie's suddenly vanished?" Percy asked, building up courage, "I was supposed to meet her here today but no ones seen here in a few days and she's not replying to any of my messages."

Asha looked up from her phone and sighed when she saw Percy's face.

"Yeah, Marie's not going to be here for a while, and she's not going to be answering any of your messages either so I would just give up on that." Asha answered, a little bluntly for Percy's liking.

That was not the answer Percy wanted to hear. The worry is mounting in his mind was causing him just as much pain as the physio. There was only one question he needed Asha to answer, and he needed a straight answer.

"Is she alright?"

Asha can't bring herself to look Percy in the eye.

"She will be." Asha took a more sympathetic tone, "Look don't worry it's not good for you. And you shouldn't be standing up so much, that's also not good for you. Especially after physio."

At this point he was the last thing on his mind. Why did Asha baby him so much, he's fine. What he really needed to know was about Marie. What he needed was a straight answer and for Asha to stop lying to him. Or at least tell him the whole truth.