The Girl with the Golden Curls

Murders and Murderees

Alice P. O. V*
I look at him awkwardly, not entirely sure how to start the conversation. Finally he breaks the silence, "What did he say about me?" He asks, his face incredibly serious.

I don't answer for a few seconds and I look away from him, not being able to meet his gaze. "What did he say about me?" He demands, this time ten times as loud.

I cringe at the sound but the stern look on his face doesn't waver. I sigh and look at him in the eyes, "He said you were a murderer." I finally say softly.

He lets out a sound that's a combination of a scoff and a sob. He gets up from his spot on the couch and starts to pace back and forth.

Suddenly he stops and his head whips to mine, "Can I tell you the truth?" He asks. I nod my head eagerly. "Good" he answers and sits back down on the couch.

I tentatively sit down beside him, and he turns to look at me.

"Her name was Jess." He tells me.

Oh great, of course it's a girl, I think. He swallows hard before continuing.

"I met her when I was 14 and she was 13. We met at summer camp and I instantly fell in love with her. You couldn't separate us, we were so incredibly close and I couldn't have been happier. I asked her to be my girlfriend when I was 15 and she said yes, to my delight."

He laughs and pauses before continuing, I give him
an encouraging look, as if to tell
him to continue.

"We loved each other so much and we dated up until about last year. Last year was when I found out that she was cheating on me. But she wasn't cheating on me with just anyone, she had been sleeping with my brother." He tells me, shaking his head.

"You have a brother?" I ask him.

He sighs, "I used to, but I haven't seen him since I found out. He ran away to New York and he hasn't come back. Anyway, after I found out, I was furious with both my brother and Jess. I thought she loved me to much to ever do something like this to hurt me, but I was wrong. I broke up with her the day after the i found out and her family moved away to Michigan."

He stops for a few seconds and it's then that I notice that there are tears falling down his face.

"About a week after they moved I got a call from Jess's parents, they told me that she had fallen into depression after we broke up. They said it was getting worse and worse and I needed to talk to her, but being as selfish as I am, I refused." He takes another break and tries to collect himself, looking up at the ceiling, he continues, "Then, a few days after, they called me again and her mother was in hysterics. They told me that after I refused to talk to her, she ran away from home and they later found out that she-" he trails off and he lets out a sob. "She had committed suicide" he finishes, his voice breaking at the end.

"After I found out about her, I started to blame it on myself, thinking that if I had stopped being selfish and talked to her then maybe she would still be alive today. I was diagnosed with depression when I was 17. Just before you showed up, I hadn't gotten any better. The only person who could make me feel better was Matt and so I hung out with him all the time. My parents were very insensitive, my brother had moved, and my little sister was too young to know what was going on. So that left me and Matt, until the day that you showed up." My face blushes. "When you came into town, my doctor told me that the depression was lessening and to keep doing whatever I was doing. So I continued to talk to you and hang out with you and on my 18th birthday, I was officially cleared of my depression, and for that, I am eternally grateful." He finishes.

I stare at him, my mouth hanging open.

"I don't understand. I don't have this effect on other people." I blurt out, and he laughs at me.

"Obviously, you do, Alice. Were you just listening to my story?" He asks.

I nod and push him in the arm, well I try to. Before I can touch him, he grabs my hand and wraps his fingers around mine, he smirks at me and my stomach fills with butterflies. His other hand wraps around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I can feel his breath on my neck and I start to go numb. He leans in closer to me until our noses are touching. His eyes are focused on my lips and mine are focused on his. He slowly leans in and I can feel the tears that are still on his cheeks. Another set of butterflies erupts in my stomach, as his lips brush against mine and I close my eyes waiting for his lips to press against mine, but it never happens.

I hear the keys jingle outside and someone trying to unlock the front door. My eyes pop open and  Mason's shocked eyes meet with mine. I push him behind the couch and watch as the door swings open and I let out a sigh of relief. "Rosa!" I call out to her. "So nice to see you again!"