In My Mind

Chapter Fifteen - Aria's POV

Cara drags me off to a little shed where her father keeps all their old tools. She gives me a look of sympathy as I bite my lip with tears streaming down my face.
"I'm sorry," I sniff. "I didn't know who to come to."
I breath heavily and fling my head back, trying not to cry. My head pounds and I just want to make the tight pain in my chest to end.
"No," she mumbles. "It's fine. What's wrong?"
I heave and bite my lip one more time. I run my fingers through my hair and wipe away a few more tears.
"My father," I cry into my hands. "He... He..."
"It's okay," Cara puts her hand and my shoulder and I sob heavily struggling for air.
I take a deep breath and brush my hair out my face.
"I'm okay," I sigh. "He impregnated another woman and... And..."
I try to control my breathing. Cara looks at me with pity. She shouldn't pity me.
"I'm fine though. I'm sorry I shouldn't have interrupted you..."
She pulls me into a hug. Normally I would never made so much contact to one person but I let her hug me. I even hug her back. I need a friend. I sob gently into her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Cara looks at me in the eyes.
I flicker away and mumble, "Yeah. I'm used to it."
"But you shouldn't have to be," she whispers. "No one person should have to put up with what you do."
"Or you," I mumble.
She nods and her eyes flicker to the door.
"Go," I sigh. "I'm okay now. I just needed to let it out."
"I get it."
She hesitates and leaves me alone in the cupboard.
I bite my lip nervously then I pull out my phone. One message. It's from a private number. I open it cautiously. I don't like private numbers. You never know who your talking to.

I appreciated the money and I've kept my side of the bargain. Go back to the place you left the money tomorrow and midnight and I have left all the information I have gathered. For more info leave $200 and a tip. Delete this as soon as you read it.

I deleted it. I know who it's from. The detective. That was quick. I slip my phone in my pocket. Tomorrow I will find the information. I might actually get her journal.
I hop out of the cupboard and get on the bus home. On the bus I see someone all too familiar. Liv.
I don't know whether to ignore her or not. I know the general rule with people like Liv is don't talk unless spoken to so I duck my head and sit anywhere. She talks to a friend and I shove in my Dr Beats headphones and stay quiet.
Suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Aria," she whispers.
Her friends must have left. She sits down beside me and I take my headphones out.
"About last night..." Liv starts.
"It will never be mentioned again."
"Good..." She mumbles.
She sits next to me quietly. I am about to dare to ask what's wrong but she turns to me and says,
"This is my stop," she gives a half smile.
"Okay bye," I mumble.
And with that she is gone...
I sit on the bus with an old lady, a teenage girl and the bus driver.
I hold my purse. He asked for $200. I don't know if I have that much at the moment. I check. It's only $150 cash so I'll have to go home and check dads old draw...
"Oi!" A voice yells.
"Wha?!" I asked stunned.
Someone holds a knife in front of my face. She the girl from the bus. Her hair is long, dark brown hair, which is sleeked back into a high pony tail. Her dark eyes glow and her pale face.
"Give me that!" She hints to the purse.
Her Nike shoes and jumper hints she doesn't need it back the knife scares me.
My heart beats and I can't breath. Oh my. Oh my oh my oh my. I can't breath.
My hands start to shake as I hand over the money. I can't breath.
"Hand it over rich kid!"
I close my eyes and hand it too her. Next thing I know she is pinned to the floor with the bus driver holding her down.
"Call the police," he tells me.
The old lady doesn't even notice as she reads her book.
"Has she got some kind of ID?" He asks me.
"I don't know."
I get out my old iPhone 6 and press triple zero.
"There!" I say. "That's her wallet!"
I point to an old looking wallet and he opens it.
"Her names Sophie and she's sixteen years old."
"Is it real and hers?" I ask as the phone rings.
"I think so."
A lady picks up and I talk about this girl Sophie. Apparently this isn't her first violent crime...