Swell (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Two(Part Two)

"There was a time when the sky
Held the answers for the things I couldn't find
But what happens when you're blind?"

....

Marti wiped at her cheeks and leaned into her father. The room was exactly like the movies- cold and void of any humanity.
She'd been answering questions for what felt like hours.
Had Elissa told her of any runaway plans? Any strangers that she had met? Any feelings of fear? Any secret relationships?
No.
Had Marti been to the place where Elissa had been killed before? Had she known what Elissa had been doing the day before and of the note's discovery?
No.
Had she been jealous of Will's relationship with Elissa?
That was the question she was stuck on.
Initially she had been furious at Elissa, when she had taken that chance and kissed her old best friend only to find out that Elissa was crushing on Will...
Then when Elissa's world started to revolve around her brother, despite Will trying to keep her included.
She had begun to feel left out; she couldn't deny the hurt that was coming back at those memories.
The beach when she had been left with Tom, and then when Tom had gone to flirt, she'd been left alone.
"I did at first, I loved Liss, but she didn't love me the same way. You can't force someone to love you."
"Would you have tried if Will hadn't started to date her?" The female officer was soft spoken and had so far been kind and tactful with her questions.
"I don't know, I mean, Liss was straight, she liked boys." Marti shook her head and felt her father lean back in surprise.
"What?" He hadn't spoken much during the interview and now she heard his tone, Marti felt her stomach twist.
"I'm bi, Dad. I kissed Liss, cause I loved her, but she loved Will." She swallowed a lump and saw the lady officer shift in her seat.
Marti suddenly felt as if a thousand eyes were on her, burning into her, trying to see through her skin and find out what her confession meant.
"I wouldn't hurt Liss." She looked up to her father and shook her head. "I loved her enough to let her go. Seeing her and Will happy made me happy."
There was a tight knot growing in her throat and she wondered if Will was being questioned in another room.
"And Will would never hurt Liss, she was his first real girlfriend, and his first... You know."
She looked from her father to the police officer and shrugged with a small smile.
The female officer watched her with a tilted head. Judging her for her sexuality.
Marti looked down to the table.

"Did they ever leave you alone?"
"Of course." Marti forced a chuckle. "I mean, would you have sex with your little sister and best friend watching?"
"Did that hurt you? Being left out all of a sudden?"
Marti tried to swallow the knot now trying to rise to her throat. She nodded. "Yea, but Will always tried to include me when they weren't... doing couple things."
"What about Elissa? How did she treat you once Will started to be her boyfriend?"
"Like I was her friend, and I was." Marti's voice was small and insecure even she could hear that. Her father moved closer again and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
There as a few moments silence; or was it minutes? Marti had no concept of time in this small room.
"I think we're done here. Thank you for coming in." The female officer stood up from the other side of the table and moved to open the door.
"Did you find any clues?" Marti asked as her father stood.
"I'm unable to say." The uniform gestured to the door she held open and Marti stood up and followed her father out into the reception room.
Will was missing, but Tom and her mother were sitting there and they both stood up and watched in silence as Marti and her father walked towards them.
Mrs Taylor tilted her head and held her arms open. Marti sniffled and started to run into them.

"Debbie." Tom's voice broke through the embrace and Marti looked up to the two people walking towards them.
"Adora!" She pulled herself out of her mother's arms and moved towards her friend, her arms extended.
Adora enclosed her into her arms and Marti felt herself tremble with relief.
"Are you alright, Marti?"
Marti shook her head next to Adora's. "No. We let her die, we thought she had runaway, and she was dead the whole time."
Adora rubbed her back. "I'm sorry."
"What are you doing here?" Marti pulled back and wiped her face as she looked at her new friend.
"Tom called Debbie, and we arrived a little while ago. I came to be here for you and Will." Adora looked around at the Taylors waiting and frowned. "Where is he?"
"Still in an interview." Mrs Taylor answered.
"Oh." The short tone in Adora's voice made Marti's heart snap.
"He didn't do anything, why are they taking so long with him?" Marti looked around the station in annoyance.
"They're just being thorough I suspect, Marti. We know Will wouldn't have hurt Liss." Her mother said gently.
Marti let go of a deep breath and took Adora's hand. "Thanks for coming."
"It's alright. How are you?"
Marti looked towards the hall where the interview rooms were. She hesitated and felt her face pinching. "Scared. Sad. A bit empty."
"We're going to go get some air." Tom announced standing beside Debbie, once his words had been acknowledged the couple walked to the front of the station and outside into the night.
Adora took Marti to the plastic chairs and pulled her down into a seat beside her. "Do they have any ideas?"
"I don't think so." Marti looked into her friend's fair face and locked on her grey-green eyes. "As far as I know, they still don't know if she left willingly or was tricked and kidnapped."
Adora tilted her head and wrapped Marti in her arms again. "Is there anything I can do?"
"You're here. That's more than enough." Marti sniffed and buried her face in Adora's long, brown hair.