Common People (frerard)

Chapter 19

I sat down on the bed, tears falling down my eyes. I couldn't sleep that night as I laid in my old bedroom. There were just thoughts running through my head like crazy as I just imagined Frank shooting Andy over and over again. Maybe I didn't know Frank as well as I thought I did. Maybe he wasn't as much of a sweet savior as I thought. He was lying to me, everything was all just a lie. How does that make him much different from Andy?

When I did sleep, it was all full of nightmares. I kept imagining Andy climbing out of the ground like a zombie. I stood up, pacing around my room. My knick knacks were all still here from my childhood. It was weird seeing everything exactly in the same place when I felt like a completely different person.

I had my phone turned off, I didn't want anyone to bother me. I did get a call from Frank before, though. I picked up my device and replayed the voicemail for the fifth time.

"Hey, Gee," Frank muttered. "I am so, so sorry for everything and I just want you to know that I care about you and I can't justify what I did. I know you can't forgive me but just let me make it up to you. I'll help you get a place in New York. I can set you up and then you can live a life away from me. I understand why you want to."

I sighed and set my phone down. I watched the sun rise over the roofs of every house, creating a soft and hopeful glow that didn't match my mood at all. I wish that I could just make it rain so that way at least everything would match my mood. My mom offered to make me breakfast before she left for work but I wasn't hungry, I don't think I could stomach anything at the moment.

Lindsey texted me later that day asking why I wasn't in class and if everything was alright but I didn't answer. I just couldn't be bothered. There was so much that was needing to be done but I didn't know if I even felt like doing any of it. I had to officially drop out of my school, move all my belongings out of my dorm and what's at Frank's house. I would probably need my brother to help me with that. And then I need to fully sit down and make a plan out of what I need to do to get out of this city as fast as possible.

Matcha was asleep on my carpet in a little sun spot she had found. She looked so peaceful and happy laying there. I sat next to her and just watched. I pretended that I could be her and that I could have a peaceful life that didn't include murder where I could just lay down and sleep in sun spots all day and run around in the garden.

Life wasn't like that, though.

I eventually ate home alone just for the sole purpose of needing some sustenance to survive. I began gathering boxes, texting Mikey and asking him to use the car to clear out my dorm. I packed up things I would need before picking up my phone, hesitantly calling Jamia.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," I muttered.

I could hear soft crying in the background.

"I need a favor, I need my stuff from Frank's house," I said.

"Yeah," she said, the crying fading away as I assumed she was walking away. "I can pack it up and me and my uncle can use his truck in order to bring it to your house today if you give me the address."

"Okay, but I don't want Frank coming to my house," I said.

"I understand," Jamia replied.

It was quiet for a moment and I sighed.

"Did you know he was going to kill Andy?" I asked.

"No, I only found out after," she said.

"After?" I asked. "How soon after?"