Into The Woods

Chapter 5

Friday

Suzette

I got home late that night. I was still angry from the fight that Lark and I had but I wasn't going to apologize to him, it wasn't my fault. It was his. But despite all that I still loved him. Years of friendship couldn't be tainted by a small fight such as what had happened tonight.

I go upstairs into my room, close the door, strip off the clothes that had made me feel uncomfortable all night and then hop into bed. I close my eyes, no thoughts of Lark creeped in, and then I fall asleep.

*****

Ring! Ring! Ring!

My eyes shoot open to the sound of my phone ringing. The sound is ubiquitous in my ears. I rub my eyes, hoping to get the sleep out of them. Then I grab my phone, not checking the Caller ID and accepting the call.

"Hello." I say.

"Suzette?" Lark's voice comes out hoarse and pain clings to his words.

Is he calling to apologize, I thought.

"Lark? What's wrong?" I ask?

"I... I don't know. I don't know what's wrong. I just need you to do something for me." He says.

I hesitate for a second. Could I really do something for Lark after what he had put me through yesterday. But I shouldn't be asking myself this question. He is my best friend and I would do anything for him.

So I say, "Of course. What is it?"

I can hear him swallow, loudly, as if he is nervous.

"I need you to check on Marin." He says, and his words make me flinch. "She was attacked last night. Don't ask me what she was attacked by because I don't know. I just..."

He stops there, and I know that he is crying by the way he is gasping for breath.

Lark is a very emotional person as I've observed from many years of friendship with him. He feels everything, all the pain, happiness, the consuming anger. Normally he is very expressive with his feelings but with the way he was acting know I didn't know who that person was. Maybe it was a Lark I didn't know, the football player Lark. The one that put on the show at school. I just didn't know why he felt he needed to put on a show with me.

"Okay, Lark. I'll go now." I say, trying to comfort him by doing him this favor but he is sniffling and I can tell he is running his hands through his hair because he does that when he is frustrated. "But are you okay?" I add.

"No, Suzette, I'm not. Will you just call me after you get home from the hospital, please?" He asks?

I nod, but he can't see me. So I say "Okay." My voice cracks on the single word, I hope he didn't notice that.

I hang up.

If I was going to do this for Lark I better get up now, because I didn't want too spend much time on Marin James, not when she had the boy that I wanted.

I throw on a random t-shirt and some jeans. Grabbing a granola bar from the pantry, I notice that I will have to go grocery shopping soon, I'm not looking forward to that. I will have to wait until my mom leaves me some money to go shop.

I bite into the granola bar, salty peanut butter filling my mouth from the Nature Valley bar. I slip my purse onto my shoulder, and open the door. I gasp, jumping back in surprise at who is standing there.

Chastity. Her caramel hair is pulled back in a ponytail with a few strands shaping her face and she is dressed in a sweatshirt that is blue but says PINK across the chest with a pair of black leggings. The signature Chuck Taylor's are on her feet. She holds a folded piece of clothing in her hands with an apologetic look on her face to go with.