After the End

Chapter 3 - Cry Wolf

              "I want to start with an apology," Taylor offered after they had sat down at a four-seater table near the tills inside the Chamomile Café on England's Lane.

It was rather busy for 5 o'clock in the afternoon; with couples and families gossiping over hot chocolates and delicious meals.

"An apology?" Allegra repeated, unable to diminish the mocking tone in her voice.

"Allegra –"

"You think an apology will fix what you did?"

A few of the other customers had begun to notice them as they overheard Allegra raising her voice, and people began whispering excitedly at the sight before them.

"Just... Please just listen," Taylor sighed, holding her hands out in front of her in an attempt to calm down the young woman sitting opposite her. When she was sure that Allegra wouldn't respond, she continued, keeping her voice as even and as calm as she possibly could. "I want to say sorry for what I did. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry for... Everything." She looked down at her hands and began picking at the blue nail varnish that had started chipping. "You have to know, it was never really about you... I –" she stopped again, slowly raising her blue eyes to meet Allegra's, afraid of what reaction she might have. "I just wanted to startle Tom, so I contacted Lucy for your address and sent you that letter."

"Letters," Allegra corrected hastily.

"No," Taylor whispered sadly.

"What do you mean no? There was more than one letter, Taylor, and you know it." How could Taylor forget that there was more than one letter?

"I know that, but I didn't write them!" Taylor hissed, trying to keep her voice to a whisper to avoid the customers listening in to their conversation, although she already knew it was too late. "Not the others..." she finished.

"You didn't write them?" Allegra asked, disbelief and shock melting into each other. Was she seriously trying to put the blame onto someone else?

"I only wrote the first one."

"Well, who wrote the other then?"

Taylor looked up at Allegra again, fear striking her unapologetically.

"Lucy," she whispered.

"What?" Allegra felt sick. Her entire body was screaming at her not to believe Taylor, not to listen to her; she was here nemesis, after all.

"I'm sorry," Taylor started quickly, trying to give her as much information as possible before her anger erupted. "She just got out of hand. I tried to convince her not to, but –"

"Why should I believe you? Seriously. After everything."

"...Because I have proof."