Turning Tables

Chapter 9

~Erika~

I can't believe she would put that out there like that! How the hell would she even have a clue as to how I'm feeling! It was one night that Derrick and I shared together dammit! One night! She doesn't know anything! And it was a really good thing Derrick didn't hear our conversation, he would have flipped and probably never talk to me again. I mean, technically, I didn't deny it.

I was walking down...some street as my mind was spiraling out of control. I could feel the tears begin to leak and quickly wiped them away with my sleeve. What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling like this? I crossed the street to an old park and sat on the bench, watching the children play on the playground.  

"What are you doing?"

I froze. That voice I knew all too well, it was a voice I dreaded most of all to hear. I turned to look up at Ashley who was studying my with a blank expression. "What do you want?"

She rolled her eyes at me and sat down next to me. "Where's your social reject group?"

It was my turn to study her. "You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"Strolling through the park. What else? But since you're here alone you can answer me this one question and I want honesty." She got really close to my face. "I want to know what the hell is up between my man and that whore that hangs around you."

"Katie?"

"Nah, the tooth fairy. Of course Katie! Who else would I be talking about besides that carpet-muncher?"

I shot up from my seat. "Don't talk about her like that! You don't even know Stacey or Katie for that matter!"

"Whatever! I don't care about her. Look, I really need to know what is going on and if you tell me, then I'll make it worth your while." She stated with a mischievous grin and I knew I had two options: one, tell her everything and lose Katie's friendship. Well, if I do that maybe I could make up for it, of course it would be payback for bringing up Derrick in the first place, but that wouldn't be as bad as telling her about Rico, would it? Two, Don't tell her and get a beat down for it.

Right when I was about to make up my mind, my phone buzzed signaling I had gotten a message. I looked at my phone to see my mom had sent it.

Get home now

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Before she could say anything I dashed away from her, but I could still hear the cussing under breath. I didn't stop nor look back as I rushed home.

When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was the eerie feeling. "Mom?" I walked further in the house and skipped into the kitchen to find her sitting there with her fingers rimming the cup of coffee in front of her. She looked unsettled and I knew something wasn't quite right, but I ignored the thought and hugged her.

That's when I noticed her tears.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

She didn't look at me or say anything, but slid a small piece of paper towards me. I slowly took the paper and examined it then back at my mother with trembling fingers, dropping the paper on the floor, I screamed.

~Katie~

Stacey and I checked everywhere, but couldn't find her. My head was feeling a little better thanks to the Advil and so I decided to go apologize to Erika only to find she had gone missing. "I really messed up, didn't I?"

"It really seemed like you did. She was pissed enough to cry." Stacey answered as she knocked on Erika's front door. About two minutes later, her mom answered and she looked paler than I have ever seen her. Something was wrong.