The Broken One ✔

Chapter 7

I ran as fast as I could down the sidewalk. Sweat dripping down my neck and face - soaking through my clothing. It was around five o'clock pm at this point. I had spent the day in Mr Jacobs English Lit class, where he ranted about our next assignment.

I enjoyed running. It was good fitness and helped me to clear my head. Why did my head need clearing on this particular day? Well mainly because I hadn't seen any of my friends for too long.

Blake was somebody whom I worried about a lot, I knew the whole backpacking through Europe bullshit would be good for him, but I was waking up in an empty apartment. I would usually resort to meaningless hookups when I felt lonely, but I couldn't due to my deal with Sarah and my friends.

Suddenly my cell phone began buzzing with my armband.

"Yeah" I greeted without checking the caller I.D.

"Hey, how did it go on the date?" Jenny asked over the phone.

It had been three days since the mock date. Jenny was a little behind for once in her life.

"Fine," I tell her continuing my run.

Jenny rarely called me. She only just started taking a real interest in my life because of the deal with Sarah. A gossip whore is what we liked to call her.

"Sarah called she said that at this rate she'll have you in a serious relationship by the end of the week," she said smugly "You know I was talking to her earlier she really enjoyed herself last night"

Sarah was getting cocky if she thought she would have me in a serious relationship by the end of the week. I found it odd that Jenny would talk to Sarah - considering they never spoke.

"Since when do you talk to Sarah?" I questioned as catching my breath.

"Since we started this little experiment," she said as though it was so obvious "So are you enjoying all this?"

Enjoying was a strong word. I would say that I was just tolerating it.

"Well at first I was a bit hesitant about this whole thing" I admitted as my legs burned "but now I think that I like the idea a little more"

"yeah?" She seemed surprised.

Maybe I was just telling Jenny what I wanted her to hear. Or maybe I was genuinely starting to enjoy my time with Sarah.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Can I go now?"

"Wait one more thing" she started, causing me to roll my eyes "Have you made an appointment with the judge yet? You know you have to make those things months in advance"

I furrowed my brows at her words. I had completely forgotten about that. Jenny was always there to remind me.

"has it been six years already?" I asked as slowing down to a jog.

"It will be in September" Jenny clarified.

It was early March at this point. September was only six months away. I only had to wait another six months till I got my life back.

"Six months" I sighed as stopping in my tracks "I remember it like it was yesterday"

"We all do" Jenny admits "what I remember most is Elise...and us all not understanding why you did it-"

"Elise?" I blinked.

"Ned!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as his helpless body dropped to the floor.

"She worshipped you, you know" Jenny admitted "and she was the one who had to call the police"

"Help me please I need an ambulance" she begged with the tears rolling down her cheeks before glaring directly at me "and the police"

"That was the hardest thing she ever had to do," Jenny told me "calling the police on her big brother"

I looked down at my sneakers as I clenched my jaw. She was right, I knew that, but she didn't know Elise like I did. She didn't understand everything that was going on, so she didn't have the right to assume what she was feeling at that time.

"Bye Jenny" I ended the call before looking at the path ahead of me.

***

I jumped out of the shower before wrapping a white towel around my waist. I began to paste my apartment as I waited for her to answer.

"Yeah" she greeted.

"Eva" I responded in a slightly distressed tone.

"Ned, you okay?" Eva immediately sensed.

"Yeah yeah everything fine" I nodded slowly "how are you? How's Sam?"

I guess I used to play this game, where I would pretend that Eva was Elise. They sounded and looked so alike, I could just pretend. I know now that that was wrong on many levels, but that's how I used to deal with her loss back then.

Eva wasn't a replacement. She never was for me. Just sometimes, I just wanted to believe that she was my sister.

"Good, we're all good," she told me "Ned I'm actually running late for class right now, can I call you back?"

"Yeah" I nodded "bye sissy"

"Bye," she ended the call.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. I wasn't expecting company so I walked towards the door with caution. I swing the door open to immediately find a force push me back.

"Okay, so I was thinking-" she started as pushing past me.

"Do you not have a cell phone?" I folded my arms as she now stood between my kitchen and living room.

"Do you not have a shirt?" Sarah glanced at my bare chest.

I still don't understand why she would turn up on my doorstep unannounced instead of calling my cell.

"I just got out of the shower" I rolled my eyes.

"Great how about you put some clothes on and come with me" she raises a brow.

I had just gotten myself cleaned up from my run. I just wanted to spend the rest of the evening watching the Knicks game, not go out again.

"I just-" I began to protest.

"No buts" she firmed her gaze.