City Of Dreams

Thirty-Seven

I hum to myself, sitting in the dark and dusty closet.

"Shut up, or I'll kill you right now!"

I shrug and continue humming.

"I can't listen to music anymore 'cause someone has anger issues and threw my phone at the wall."

He grumbles, walking around the room hitting random things with whatever is in his hand.

"This guy obviously has no life."

I roll my eyes.

"Tell me about it."

He growls.

"Quit taking to yourself! It's freaky!"

I laugh.

"You think me talking to myself if freaky?! Put yourself in my shoes, ya old baguette!"

Suddenly, there's a deafening knock on the door.

I adjust myself in my closet.

"What the hell is this?! What are you playing at, old man?! Where is Charlotte?!"

Marcus' voice booms through the apartment.

I laugh and knock on the closet door.

"I'm in the closet!"

I say goofily.

"This is my life now. Getting locked in closets."

"I guess you could say-"

I hold my hands over my ears.

"No! Don't you dare."

There is quiet on the other side of my closet door.

Until someone breaks it.

"I've already called the authorities. They'll be here any minute."

I curse.

"Why would she tell him that?!"

I whisper shout.

He chuckles.

"Well I guess I'll have to be quick then."

A gunshot makes my ears ring.

After this, I'm never watching an old cowboy movie again.

Marcus yells something.

I try to look through the crack in the door.

Without warning, my foot goes up and I start kicking the door.

"Yeah! Break it down hoe!"

After a few more kicks, I put a hole in the door and crawl out, scratching myself on a few of the sharp edges.

I get out too late.

Jessie was right.

"Wow. LA police arrive quickly!"

A few men stand over Marcus, who is kneeling on the ground holding his arm.

Jessie stands over him, a small gun in her hand.

Blood trails out the door.

"Holy shit! Did Jessie kill someone?!"

She takes her attention off of Marcus and rushes to me, examining my face.

"Oh, Charlotte, I'm so sorry we couldn't get here sooner."

She hugs me.

I blink.

It's over?

Just like that?

"Let's go. After they bandage Marcus up, we're taking you home."

I step back from her, breaking the bond.

"No."

She raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

I shake my head, finding my backpack and pulling it over my shoulder.

"I can't go back, Jessie. I've ruined everything for my friends. My best friend lost her kids because of me."

She shakes her head.

"Charlotte, that is ridiculous. Let's go."

She grabs my hand, but I jerk it back.

"I can't."

She sighs.

"Fine. Go where you want, but your friends need you Charlotte."

She walks back over to Marcus.

A man comes to me to try and examine my small injuries, but I push past them.

"No they don't."

And once again, I'm all alone on the streets.