The Broken Date

•4•: Part 2

Jack's POV:

Mark opened his mouth in protest. But no words came out. He looked at me, a pleading look,a hurt look. Then when I didn't respond, when I kept staring past him, not seeing him at all, not seeing anything, he turned, kicked the tool as hard as he could down the hall and stomped angrily away. (Triggered much?)

“What happened?” Felix whispered as we watched him disappear around the corner. “Did he admit it? About the robbery?”

“No,” I said, shivering again.

Felix pulled off his jacket and slipped it around my shoulders. It was too small for me. It slipped off immediately. I pulled it back on. It warmed me a little.

“Well, what did he say?” Felix asked, still whispering, even though no one was around.

“Nothing,” I snapped, annoyed. I didn't feel like answering questions. Besides, what was there to say? Mark hadn't admitted anything. He hadn't said anything. He paced back and forth nervously, and then he had come toward me with that strange look on his face, with that horrid pick in his hand.

Felix held my arm and stared at me, waiting for me to say something. “Hey, Felix, come on! They're playing our song!” Cry yelled from the door to the gym.

Both of us listened for a moment. The song pounding through the open gym door was “Safe and Sound” by Taylor Swift. (Don't ask why...it was the first song I could think of.)

“That's your song?” I cried, making a face.

“Yeah. Cry is very romantic,” (😏) Felix replied.

I laughed. Felix could always make me laugh, no matter what.

“Listen, I'll go get the car keys for Cry and tell him I'm driving you home. We can talk on the way, if you want. Ok?”

I smiled and nodded yes.

As Felix jogged down the hall to Cry, I examined my knee. Here was a small bruise, but the painful throbbing had stopped. I was starting to feel a little better. My heartbeat had slowed to it's normal pace, and my head didn't feel so heavy.

I feel better because Mark left, I told myself. (How nice of you to say Jack)

What a terrible thing to think. But it was true.

I had been truly terrified of him, so terrified that I had hallucinated stabbing him, so terrified that I must have gone out of my mind for that brief moment.

Did I have a reason to be terrified? Or was that caused by my crazy imagination too?

No. No, I told myself. I wasn't completely crazy. I had a good reason to be afraid. Hadn't I seen him shoot that defenseless store manager twice?

I looked down the hall, eager to leave, eager to get to the safety of my room. But even my bedroom would offer no safety now, no safety from my thoughts, no safety from the fact that my life was ruined, all my plans,all my dreams had ended.

Down the hall, Felix seemed to be having some sort of argument with Cry. He pulled Felix into the gym, and the door closed behind them. I felt embarrassed. What was Felix telling Cry? I didn't want anyone to know what happened. I didn't want anyone to think I was nuts or something. And I didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me.

Word would get around school soon enough that me and Mark were having troubles. And then when the police caught up to mark and everyone found out that he had robbed a store and killed a man, then---

Then, what?

What would people think of me? What would people say to me? How could I face anyone ever again?

“Hey, snap out of it!” Felix was jingling the car keys in from of my face. “You in a trance, or what?”

“No. Oh. Sorry.” I shook my head, trying to shake away my thoughts.

“You feeling any better? You look a little less green. Of course, everyone looks like green slime under those ridiculous yellow lights!”

I laughed. “Yeah. I'm feeling better. A lot, actually.”

“Good. Let's go,” Felix said, starting toward the front exit.

“Listen, Felix, why don't you stay here? Go dance with Cry.”

“But what about you? I---”

“I'm feeling fine now. Really. I'm perfectly ok. A little fresh air and I'll be completely back to normal. Whatever that means.” I forced a smile. “I really don't feel like talking. I'd just like to walk home by myself. You know, have a little time to sort things out.”

“Well. . .” Felix looked into my eyes, as if trying to determine if I really was feeling alright. “Are you sure you'll be ok?”

“Sure,” I said, squeezing Felix's shoulder. “Thanks a lot. You're always there when I need you.”

“Well, if you want to talk later. . .”

“Thanks,” I said gratefully. “It's been a rough day. I just need some time to think.”

“Ok. Take it easy.” Felix turned and headed back to the gym.

A few moments later, I stepped out the door into the dark coolness of the night. A string wind had blown from the East, and it rippled the hedges that bordered the school grounds and caused the old oaks and sycamores the lined the sidewalk to whisper and bend.

I took a deep breath. I recognized the sweet aroma of apple tree wood. The Fawcetts who lived next door to the high school had cut down their apple tree a few weeks before. Now they must be burning the pungently sweet wood in their fireplace.

I smiled. There was something so warm and comforting about the wonderful aroma, about walking past these familiar houses, down this familiar street to the house I had always lived in.

Some things stay the same, I decided. Even when your life is broken, even when all of your plans are torn apart,some things stay the same.

I crossed Hoople Street and turned right on Vermont. A car went past slowly and honked it's horn. It was two kids I knew, either late for the dance or just cruising around town. I waved and kept walking.

A rattling sound in the street startled me. In the light of the streetlight, I saw that it was just a flattened tin can being blown by the wind.

I began walking faster. The wind was probably bringing a strong with it. A whistling just blew over the trash can beside the Feldon’s house. Trash poured out and the lid rolled down the driveway as if trying to escape.

I reached Belmont Street. One more block to go.

My shadow, long and thin, crossed the street ahead of me. A tree limb scratched loudly against the side of a house made me jump.

The tall hedge by the sidewalk shifted and rustled as if small animals were running up and down it. My shadow glided ahead of me along the hedges, shifting and fading with the wind under the pale streelights.

What was that?

Something strange was happening. Something different. Something not right.

I saw what it was.

Another shadow had joined mine on the hedge. Another shadow was gliding quickly toward mine.

I uttered a low cry, turned my head as I quickened my pace.

Yes. I was being followed.

Word count: 1219. Chapter 5 should...again should be one part...depending on how lazy I get so no promises.