Jigsaw (NaNoWriMo13)

Twenty Two

Not my best, but hope you like nonetheless. Please let me know what you think in the comments. As usual, thank you for all the reads and votes. Please continue to vote, share and follow. Much love!

I am woken by a sharp slap to my face. I jerk and sit up abruptly as the darkness that had been swirling around me dissipates into the packed, brightly lit mall. I groan and rub my head, feeling a bump rising from where I must have fallen.

It takes me several moments to realise what has happened. But then it all comes flooding back and I am overtaken with cold, hard shame. Tiffany is kneeling beside me, looking concerned. I smile weakly at her, trying to ignore the staring shoppers that are milling around me like I am an animal in the zoo.

“All right, people stop staring. There's nothing to see here!” Tiffany shouts angrily, extending a hand for me to take.

I take it gratefully and allow her to pull me to my feet. My legs are still shaky from my fainting episode but as I walk, my heart rate slowly returns to normal and my breathing evens out.

“Are you okay? Maybe I should take you to the hospital.” Tiffany says, glaring at a couple of kids who are sitting at the water fountain and blatantly staring.

“NO!” I shout, before I can stop myself. Several disgruntled shoppers turn around in alarm. I lower my voice. “I'm fine, just went a little dizzy.” I lie, mentally crossing my fingers and hoping that she'll buy it.

If I told her that I saw someone from my past with the girl who tried to ruin my new life, it would rise too many awkward questions – questions that I am not prepared to answer. Not now; not ever.

“You fainted.” she says simply, crossing her arms and staring sternly down at me.

I shake my head, feeling the last vestiges of dizziness wear off. But I am on edge, constantly on the lookout for Tanya;s familiar blonde head, and Dave's gravelly voice. I won't feel right until we get out of this bloody shopping mall.

“I'm fine, I just didn't eat much at breakfast.” I lie, praying that she will take the bait and drop it.

But Tiffany; I discover, is much like Evan. Stubborn as a mule and as she opens her mouth to argue once more, I come up with a brilliant (if I do say so myself) idea. “I'm anemic,” I say offhandedly, shrugging slightly. “It happens sometimes.”

Tiffany still looks doubtful but she nods. “Okay.... Well, you just looked as if you'd seen a ghost is all.” Tiffany looks genuinely worried and I can't help but feel a swell of happiness within me that someone actually cares for me enough to broach the subject.

“All part of being me.” I say lightly, trying to inject some humour into it.

“Well I'm sure Evan can make you feel better,” Tiffany winks, and despite the situation, I feel my face flaming up.

“Evan won't find out.” I say firmly. “I don't want him worrying all Christmas.”

Tiffany wants to argue. I can see it in her eyes, but she just sighs and settles for a shrug. “Fine. But if it happens again, I'm telling him.”

I know that Evan isn't stupid. He will know straight away that something spooked me. He knows I'm not anemic, and he knows that I would only faint under high stress situations. Right now, I can't bear the stress. I am already looking over my shoulder every five minutes, terrified that Dave and Tanya are going to pop up out of nowhere, and send me spiralling into that dark place that I never want to visit again.

Dave; I had been so sure that he was honestly sorry, that he regretted what he had said to me and that his apology was sincere. I stupidly believed every single word that came out of his mouth, because honestly, after his bombshell about my Dad, what choice did I have?