The Originals

Chapter Forty-Four: Phone Call Exchanged Between Orchid Gray & Thompson Asterion

Orchid locked the door, biting her lip. "Oh, hi, Tommy. I didn't expect you to call me, I guess. Sorry. Where are you calling from? I would assume jail?" She sat on the cold floor, shutting her eyes. She didn't want to hear from Thompson Asterion.

"Yep." There were noises in the background and annoyed grunts. "Look, I don't have much time before my CO cuts us off the line, it is 2: 00 AM after all, but I needed someone to talk to." Talk to?

Orchid felt disgusted. "The cops finally caught you, huh? Quite an escape you had. It took three additional before they flagged you down at the old Reid Farm, the same farm with those damned pigs that tore Scarlett Mako apart. I sure as hell hope you at least feel guilty for Scarlett's death."

There was a pause before Tommy spoke. "I'm so sorry, Orchid. Please, my time at the police station's phone stall is limited, just let me talk to you." This boy had her fooled for the longest time.

"Give me one good reason why I should let you." A tear slipped down her cheek. "Why, Tommy? You're the one person I didn't expect to betray me, you're the outlier I can't stop thinking about. Yes, you joined the Silverleaf Gothic Literature Club, but..."

"But what?" Tommy asked over the phone.

"You weren't a high-ranking member, you had no control. Madeleine and Jones—or Stanley now, I suppose—had the control. Above them was Sam, he was the mastermind behind it. You didn't have anything."

"The truth is, I-I was a part of it from the start. I was alone, Orchid, even if I'm stellar at sports, it's hard to be lonely. Sam talked to me and it was genuine, he cared so much, that I felt noticed. And the more we talked, he had an idea. It was going to be his grand plan to take back Silverleaf, so we could be the kings."

Orchid was stunned. "Sorry, what?"

Tommy's tone became rather excited. Sickening. "Imagine it, Orchid, underdogs as the kings and queens. You would have been perfect, everyone has their secrets, don't they? His plan was effortless and—"

"Is that why you knew all the answers to the Entrance Exam? How could you name all those books?" Orchid demanded, opening her eyes. Everything was so clear to her now, how could she not realize it before?

"Orchid, I'm sorry, please..."

"How could you stand here and cry about how you're so s-sorry?" She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "You helped them kill people, for all I know, you killed people."

"It was only Fareeda and Lizzy, I swear it on my life."

"Like that helps, Tommy. Why me? Don't give me some half-assed answer, you were overly friendly during club meetings and after for a reason." She gnawed at the insides of her cheeks. "You wanted me to fall in love with you, don't deny it."

"I..." His voice was low. "If I'm honest, Madeleine put me up to it. Said I should keep an idea on you in case things went south if you wouldn't want to eventually...you know."

Orchid was mortified. "They were going to ask me to kill too?"

"Like I said—eventually. Orchid, I came to you to talk and vent, why are you being so difficult with me? Please." His voice was begging her now. He had no one else, Orchid was the only one he could call. "I love you."

Orchid sucked in a deep breath. He's baiting you for pity, she told herself. "Don't do this to me, Tommy. I should have just listened to my friend and stayed away, now you've r-roped me in. You know, people told me you were bad news—"

"Orchid."

She couldn't stop crying, she didn't know why. She didn't pursue anything with Tommy, but it still hurt. It was her biggest what-if. "You're just some monster underneath all that knight and shining armour complex, but it's a wolf in a sheep's skin. You're called Asterion for a reason. You can not be one to talk about this when you are very clearly—"

"Please, Orchid, please."

A loud silence overtook them.

"I loved you. Loved," she said bitterly, standing up from the floor. Glancing at the bathroom mirror, she was crestfallen. There was an empty girl staring at her reflection. "I'm sorry for you too. Hope you got what you wanted in the end. I can't do this anymore, Tommy."

"Wait, no—"

Orchid sighed. "If you want to talk to me more than this phone call, then tell me everything you know about the club's crimes. I mean, everything, Thompson." She grasped her phone tightly. "Don't give me bullshit about the court in your favour, you're beyond saving."

"You want the whole story? The truth?"

"More than anything."