Shattered Portrait (Jack Gilinsky)

Chapter Six

Back when Kelly and I were best friends all the way back in high school, we could get things done. We made elaborate plans and followed through with them and at least 90% of them went down successfully. It worked because the plans were usually set around men and we knew our roles; Kelly was the beauty and I was the brains, which in turn could be attractive.

This plan would would be different, if I could get Kelly to be on my side. This plan would be set around a woman and we didn't have a set goal yet. I didn't know if I wanted to completely take Angie out of Jack's life by force, or make him see that it probably wasn't the best choice to have her around and make it seem like it was his choice to dump her on the side of the road.

Jack had the boys and Emmaline for the weekend, which was perfect, because I now got the chance to speak with my once best friend turned enemy. Who knows, maybe after today we would be best friends again.

I drove up to Kelly's small house with dark sunglasses over my face and a hood over my head. In neighborhoods like the one Kelly and I live in, the neighbors are nosy and know everyone. They knew the situation that Kelly was in with Jack and I, they know about the kids, they know about the drama. So, if they saw me walking up to her house word would certainly get around and somehow Jack would find out and everything would be ruined before it began.

I parked the car in front of her house, and got out, keeping my head down and my pace up. Her car was in her short driveway, next to a plastic pink barbie car big enough for a six year old child to sit in. I was assuming it was for Emmaline, though I'm not sure how she was going to drive it by herself.

I walked up to her door and knocked quickly three times.

"One minute, please!" Kelly called from inside her house.

It didn't even take a minute for her to come to the door, hair thrown up into a ponytail and a thin black robe around her body.

"Hello," her voice trailed off, trying her hardest to figure out who I was.

I took my glasses off to try to help her out. When she locked eyes with me, her mouth dropped open before a look of disgust took over her face.

"Absolutely not," was the only thing she seethed at me before slamming the door in my face.

Panic arose in me as I heard the door lock from the other side. I needed her help. I needed Angie out of the picture and I would not stop until she was.

I raised my fist and started banging on the door harder than I had before. With urgency in my voice, I yelled, "Kelly this is important! You know I wouldn't be here if it weren't! You know that if I came to you it's urgent!"

"I'm not going to help you with whatever stupid issue you have!" Kelly replied from the other side of the door, "I don't like you, go away."

As a response, I started banging on the door with both of my fists, harder than I had before.

By now, a few of her neighbors that were standing across the street were looking at me, heads tilted together as they whispered to each other. I quickly stopped banging on the door and got close to it so that Kelly would be able to hear me if I spoke quietly if she was still on the other side of the door.

"Your neighbors are already talking. Soon, news of you denying a family member or a crack head or whatever they think I am help will be all around. You'll be considered an asshole."

There was a quick moment of silence before the door slowly opened and Kelly stepped out of the way so I could enter her house.

The door opened right into a hallway, to my right was a clean living room and to my left was a spotless kitchen. I was already comparing my house to hers and mine looked like a tornado hit and hers just witnessed light rain.