The Defendant ✧ (Bill Gambini x reader)

26.

Back in Alabama...

The sound of the gun being fired made me froze.

I watched as the store clerk's body dropped limply on the floor from across the street. Through the window, I could see two men robbing any goods they could get their hands on, mostly money from the till. It didn't take long for them to escape in a green Pontiac Tempest that was parked outside the front.

The shock waved over my body. Any normal person would've called the cops but I was too out of it. Alternately, I ran from the scene of the crime. Even when I didn't recognise the street anymore I kept running out of fear. What if they had seen me and were coming after me next? I ran until I was nearly out of breath.

Sac-O-Suds convenience store.

I was back where it all began. The store had changed a lot over the past ten years but I remembered it vividly. Sometimes I forgot I had actually witnessed a murder until little things would remind me. It was an awful time but without it, I wondered if I would've ever met Bill Gambini.

Standing in the exact same spot as I did all those years before, memories flooded over me. When no cars were coming, I crossed over the street and laid a single rose down on the old memorial for the store clerk whose life was sadly taken in broad daylight. "Rest in peace" I gave my condolences before walking away.

I took a stroll through town heading towards the jail. A blue bus was parked outside the wired gates, the tall towers blocking parts of the sunlight. Occasionally you could hear the shouting of inmates or the loud beeping of an alarm. It gave me shivers to think that Bill was once stuck in a place like this.

The day we met was no ordinary day. It's not often you hear people meeting inside of a jail for a murder they didn't commit. Nonetheless, it was still special to me and nobody could ever top him. With a heavy sigh, I started to make my way home. On the walk back, I passed by Sydney's house. We lost contact when I moved to Scranton, I sometimes pondered about her.

Her family were still living in the house, pops told me. Yet, I didn't feel brave enough to go ask about her but it was nice to reminisce about our friendship. When I finally reached home, pops and Francesca was dancing around in the kitchen together. "How was your walk munchkin?" He asked cheerfully when he noticed me.

"It was good, nice weather outside. Where're your boys Fran?" I chatted. She had two young sons who were shy but sweet. "They're at soccer practice" she smiled. I nodded and grabbed a glass of water before heading up to my old room. It hadn't changed unlike the places around me, pops said it was too meaningful and liked to keep my bedroom the same.

Posters of my favourite actors were still on the wall along with shelves that held up all my high school achievements. My bed still had the teddies lined up in the row and on my desk sat the vinyl that pops had bought me for my sixteenth birthday. I decided a little bit of MJ would cheer me up as I put my favourite song on before crawling onto the bed.

Leaving Scranton was the best decision I had made so far. I was ready for a new start, I owed to myself after everything I had been through yet the only part of my past that I couldn't let go of was Bill. A part of me hoped that I would win him back, he was no longer with Blair after all. A knock on the door caught my attention and pops stuck his head in.

"How are you settling in? I know it's been a few days since your arrival" he said as he joined me on the bed, patting my knee. "I think I'm okay dad. I've really missed being home but I can't get over him. Why doesn't he want me?" My voice quavered. "Men are from Mars. I wish I could give you an answer but at the end of the day it's his loss" he planted a small kiss on my forehead.

I bit my lip anxiously as I thought to myself.

"Do you think I'll ever see Bill again?"

"Maybe hun. Life works in mysterious ways."