Different Worlds (wlw) Editing

Two

A few days after the incident had passed Brie was still unable to gather any information about the mysterious girl that came to her home, mainly because she couldn't outright talk about it for people had stopped gossiping about it completely and for her to go around asking questions about something people chose to ignore meant she could potentially invite the wrong people to her doorstep. Also, maybe those who were involved in the incident would assume she was a cop trying to get to them. Maybe the cops would be all over her ass too, wanting to know why she was so invested in those kinds of people.

And although Christopher had offered to share what he knew, he never did nor did Brie ever muster the courage to entertain such a conversation again. She couldn't trust anyone enough to tell them the truth either and that concern was valid, so eventually her hopes of finding out who the stranger was withered, drying up like a sun-smothered leaf. However, it seems the more you want something or the harder you pursue it the more it runs away from you but the second you stop chasing is when this once unattainable thing comes to you.

On her lunch break one evening after the ordeal, Brie was at a table by herself halfway through her food when her cell phone rang, and with that call came the unexpected- the very thing she'd been chasing after for some time.

"Hello?" she answered, thinking it was going to be either a friend or a relative on the other end but it wasn't.

"I hope you're using the little token of appreciation I gave to you wisely." Said the unfamiliar voice. It took several seconds for the words to register and only then did Brie discern whom she spoke to.

"You.." she whispered. At the table, she glanced around nervously while clutching the device closer to her ear.

"Yes, me," The mysterious girl replied and silence filled the line some seconds later.

"How did you get my number?" questioned Brie. "Better yet why are you calling me?"

"How I got your number shouldn't be a concern but I did call to express my gratitude and to see if there was anything else you might need for what you did for me. I owe you my life and I want to make sure my gesture of appreciation was enough,"

Taken aback by what she said, Brie stared off into oblivion while the words sang deeper into her mind. This girl followed up to thank her... again?

"Umm, grateful is a bit far-fetched since some things are a bit unclear to me. I haven't touched a single dollar out of that money it's still the same way you left it, in that envelope on the kitchen counter. And since we're on the topic of your token of appreciation, I'd like for you to take it back."

"What, why don't you want the money?" the strange girl questioned, her voice laced with confusion.

"Because I don't need it- that's a crazy amount of money to be handing out to someone. I don't even know where you got it from, it could be stolen for all I know which brings me to my next question, what did you do that night? Was it because you stole money that you got hurt?"

The questions made the stranger laugh. Her chuckles were soft and graceful and they incited Brie's inside to tingle, among other things.

"Is that really what you think?" She asked. "Your only concern is that I might've stolen the money? You're not even gonna ask how I'm doing nor anything about my well-being?"

"I'm not interested in entertaining any sort of conversation with you nor am I looking to spend tainted cash either,"

"Ouch," replied the stranger.

"So when can I return the money?"

"You're serious, aren't you?" A few seconds of silence engulfed the conversation but was consumed when the stranger continued. "Most people would've taken that money without complaints, why not do the same?"