Our Beginning | Mickey Altieri

Chapter Forty

Dewey and I both head towards his car after leaving the police department to drive over at the drugstore. I feel wrecked and nervous. Would he really be there after last night? Not sure, but inside, I have a feeling he might.

We finally arrived after a few minutes. The bell chimes once Dewey opens the door. In front stands a figure with his back turned. The same black hair that is no longer blonde standing still until he turns.

"Hi, welcome! Anything you-"

I immediately hid behind Dewey, but there was no use. "Need..." He could still me.

"I. Can. See. You."

I took a deep breath and left the spot, revealing myself to Ryan. "Ryan, look. I'm not here to cause trouble-"

"Oh I think you've done quite enough for last night, Y/n." His eyes squint while he angrily glares towards me. "Your buddy, Randy, punching my face, especially Paul. Just look, I'm sorry. You got what you want. What more do you need?"

"Just listen-"

"If this is about you and that friend of yours, Mickey, doing god knows what? Then I'm not listening."

"God, just shut up will you!?"

I yelled that it caught the silence. No one really came here this early at the hour, so it was only me, Dewey, and of course, Ryan. He stops glancing. Both eyes widen before closing his eyes as he sighs. "Alright. I'll listen."

"Sorry, I just can't with people interrupting me like that. Happened last night with Mick too."

He looks down to my arm. "Say, what happened there?" A bit of bandage appeared out from the sleeve of my jacket. "Shit," I muttered and quickly pushed it back in. "It's a long story. We just need to ask you a couple of questions."

"One, what for? And two, 'we'?"

I point a thumb at Dewey. "I'm talking about us. He's here to ask you a couple of questions about last night." His mouth gapped open. Before he could speak, I interrupt. "Before you say anything, it's only about someone. Casey Cooper."

"Oh. I remember Cici."

Ryan walks down to the door, changing the sign to 'Closed'. He sat down on an empty seat across from the soda machine right after. Signaling the two of us to come, we followed and sat down. "I met her along with Paul. Happened a week after him and I met in middle school. 7th grade. They knew each other at the beginning of the year."

Dewey nods with his information.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Cici died last night, Ryan." Again, his eyes widen. "What?"

"Did you not hear the news?"

"The TV hasn't been working today. I turned it off, but I didn't see the news. Usually at home, but I came here late. So no time to see."

"Well, somewhere around night, Casey Cooper was found dead on the floor. The police and I know that someone pushed her off."

"So what you're saying, sir?"

"One who happens to wear the killer costume, pushed her off the sorority home, killing her."

"We don't know who. It's still a mystery." Ryan just looks at me, tears begin flowing as some started falling down. "Man, she was my friend. I barely talked to her for years though, but she was still a friend."

I didn't know what to do. How could I comfort someone who scared me last night? 'Well, I don't wanna be some asshole. And he seems really scared to what happened. I'm just going for it, even though I might hate myself, but no one should go through losing someone.' "Hey, it's okay." I rest a hand on his shoulder, possibly startling him but he relaxed his body after. "They'll find out who the killer is eventually and will capture them."

I see a small smile forming, yet it soon faded away. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm. So. Terribly sorry to what I did last night and I deserve it. I feel like such an asshole for doing that. I know I am. And those stupid feelings just got to me. I didn't know what I was feeling. What I did would never leave me anymore. I know you won't forgive me, and it's fine. I should apologize to Mickey as well. He didn't deserve it either."

He's right, I won't forgive him. I will eventually hate myself for this, but I think he needs a second chance. He could just start fresh again, but it'll never leave though. But it's the past, many can change. He can too.

"You're right. I won't forgive you. But it doesn't mean I can't give you a chance to start fresh again."

He seems shocked to what I said. I know he is. "Just apologize to Mick, change your actions by using time, and start fresh."

For the first time, I give him a smile. Not a forced smile, a genuine smile. He smiles back shortly, nodding to my statement. "How about we can start over and introduce one another right now? Could a Wednesday be alright from where we can start?"

"If you need the days, then of course."

"Well then, I'm Ryan."

"I'm Y/n."

We shake hands on it, letting go a second after. Dewey got up from his seat. "We should probably be going. I know we only asked you one question, but I can't be out from the police department much longer. If you don't mind coming tomorrow to finish, would that be okay?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Great then. Since you lived here your whole life, you know where to go to. Tomorrow, at five in the morning."

Ryan nods and lifts himself off his seat. As Dewey and I were about to leave the door, I look back at him to see his back facing the opposite way from me. Yes, what I'm doing is something that can make others mad. I just know it. But there can be a possibility he might change. There always could. Except for one, but that's not important anyways.

I eventually turned around and left the store, the two of us now heading back to the station.