Not Set In Stone

The Masquerade Falls

It had gotten dark very quickly after your second confrontation with Lizzie. It was now or never, the time to make your decision on whether you were actually going to go through the job which J.C had imposed on you. It was time to make the decision and your mind was already made up as you were walking down the street, gun concealed beneath your jacket with the mask you were to wear in your pocket. Were you really going to go through with it? Why would you?

You had made up your mind to go through with it but there was more to it than just staying in the gang or getting money for yourself, there was another reason you were going to go through with it but in the end it wouldn't matter. You rounded the corner to the shop you were told to target but immediately hid yourself as there was a police car waiting outside, the sight of it making your curse under your breath as there was much more of a chance of being caught if the police were there. This further raised the question of if you should risk it but also the question of why the police had to be there now.

"You can't go through with it" a voice spoke to your side and you jumped to face Lizzie as she had been waiting for you to try and reason with you again, having more grounds to stand on now the police were there. "Elizabeth? Wait, did you call the police again?" You asked and she replied that she merely did what she had to do, the only thing she could do to really stop you from making this mistake.

She told you how you left her no choice but to leave an anonymous warming of a potential robbery. You clenched your fists against your head in frustration before snapping at her; "why did you have to go and grass on me?!" You demanded but she repeated that it was an anonymous call to the police, that she gave no names whatsoever, not even her own. She wasn't trying to get you in trouble, quite the opposite actually as she was trying her damnedest to keep you out of it.

But you didn't see it that way; all you saw was the fact Lizzie interfered and had ruined everything before barging past her as you took off running. She didn't even hesitate as she ran after you, following you away from the shop and the police as you told her to leave you alone...but she didn't.

Lizzie chased after you for longer than you thought (or more hoped) she would, inadvertently leading her to where you have been staying since the previous day. She kept up for the whole chase and you stopped to catch your breath before looking to see her rushing up to you, making you groan before turning to face her as you shouted for her to just leave you alone.

"Why can't you just let me get on with my life?! You're nothing but trouble for me!" You shouted, clearly tired at Lizzie's incessant interference in your business. "Can't you see I don't want you around?" You asked but she told you that you didn't mean that, not really at least. "You need someone around, that's what you really want, you know that deep down" she said as you shook your head and replied that it wasn't and that she should just leave you alone.

"Don't you get it, Elizabeth? This isn't up for debate! What I want isn't for you to decide, do you think I want this?!" You demanded and she froze on the spot, staring at you as she could see the waning of your composure (if you even had any by this point) on your face. "I never asked for my life to be like this, but it's the one I have, one where no matter what I do I can never win" you spoke through gritted teeth as if you were trying to hold back your real emotions. You were trying so damn hard to keep up an angry tone but Lizzie could see through you, she could see through the act.

With a gentle look on her face, Lizzie stepped forward, reaching a hand forward as she spoke that it didn't have to be so bad. She tried to be comforting but you couldn't take it and slapped her hand away before grabbing her, balling her jacket up in your fists as you glared at her.

"Damn it, Elizabeth! What will it take to get you to stop?!" You shouted as you gripped her jacket, your voice filled with anger but not fully directed to her. There was a bitterness in your voice but not against her. Your grip was trying to remain strong but you trembled as you clenched your eyes shut, you couldn't help yourself as you just let out everything that weighed on you while looking back at her.