stars upon my face

chapter 31

I could feel my heart racing as I stepped outside the police station. The air felt different—freer, almost—as if I was finally shedding the weight of everything that happened. Just as I started to walk away, I bumped right into someone.

I looked up, trying to catch my breathe. It was James.

“Hey, Nora,” he said, a surprised look on his face. I swear, he looked even more haunted than before.

“What are you doing here?” I blurted out, suddenly feeling all the tension flood back. My brain flashed to what Emily had told me. "You were shot, right? What happened at the park?"

James’s face went pale. “No, that’s not what happened,” he said quickly, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe I’d heard that from her.

I felt a knot in my stomach. “But…but she told me you were hurt! Why would she say that?”

He looked even more panicked now, his expression twisting in confusion. “I don’t know, Nora. I didn’t get shot. I was there when things went down, but she didn’t… she didn’t shoot me. You’ve got to believe me.”

I wanted to believe him. I really do. But Emily had always been so convincing. “Why would she lie about that?”

“I think we need to talk about this. Seriously. There’s way more to it than you realize,” he urged, his eyes pleading.

For a second, I was tempted to just walk away. Let him deal with his mess. But deep down, I knew I owed it to him to listen. I took a breath, trying to clear my head. “Fine, I’ll listen,” I said, the words spilling out before I could second-guess myself. “But it’s gonna be quick; I’ve got to get out of here.”

“Thank you,” he replied, relief washing over him. Then, without thinking, he grabbed my wrist. “Just… can we talk now? Like right here?”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to pull away. But another part of me felt drawn in by the sincerity in his eyes. “Okay,” I finally said. “Let’s just find somewhere quiet.”

As I turned to lead the way, I felt the weight of Emily’s betrayal hanging over me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I’d been played—used by someone I once trusted blindly.

Just then, I caught a glimpse of Emily through the station window, handcuffed and looking more furious than ever. James must’ve noticed, too, because his grip on my wrist tightened.

“I should check on her,” he said reluctantly, I need to know what she’s up to.”

My heart thudded. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? She’s dangerous, James.”

“I know,” he replied, pain written all over his face. “But there’s a part of me that believes if I get to her before it’s too late, maybe I can make sense of this, find out what she’s really been up to.”

I could only watch as he took a step back, preparing to head inside. "Okay," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Just… be careful, alright?"

He nodded, stealing one last glance at me before disappearing through the doors. As I stood there, watching him go, a mixture of confusion and dread swirled inside me. I couldn't shake the sense that this was only the beginning. What if James was right? What if Emily’s lies went deeper than I realized?

I walked away from the police station, my mind racing, desperate for answers.