Torn [J.Barber]

[07] SEE SOMEONE

May sits down on her bed, scrolling through Instagram. It's all she could really do whenever she didn't have any schoolwork.

The only thing was, that she could never escape Ben's face. It was practically on every other post. Suddenly, she hears a knock at her door. "Yeah?"

Her mother comes in. "Hey, May. Can we talk for a minute?" The woman asks softly, taking a seat at the edge of the girl's bed.

"Uh, sure." May shuts off her phone, looking back up to her mother. "Your father and I have been speaking.. and we think that maybe, it would be best for you to.. see somebody." She trails.

"Like.. like a friend?" May questions. "No, someone like a therapist. Someone to talk to about all that's been happening." Mrs. Rifkin explains.

"Uh, I don't know. I never really felt like I needed one." May shrugs, pursing her lips. "How about you think about it for a bit, Okay? Let me know in a day or two?" She suggests.

"Yeah, okay." May agrees, watching as her mother stands up. The woman pecks her daughter's cheek, then leaves the room.

May sighs, taking her phone out, and texting Jacob.

🌺
Hey, can I come over?
My mom's trying to send me to therapy or some shit and I just wanna get out

🍃
Man that sucks
Sarah's over right now though
Sorry :(

🌺
That's alright
Maybe some other day then

🍃
Yeah

May had nothing to do except sit at home now. Sarah's a nice girl, she's pretty, May had even heard Ben speak about her a few times. She shouldn't care that Jacob is hanging out with her.

Should she? No. She doesn't have a reason and she can't tell Jacob who and who not to hang out with.

***

"Hey, how was hanging out with Sarah?" May asks as she holds the phone up to her ear. "It was alright. Why?" Jacob inquires.

"No reason, I just.. I didn't do much today. Wanted to know if your day was any better." She chuckles. "Kinda worried you'll stop talking to me cause seeing Sarah is much less effort than seeing me." She admits.

Jacob pauses for a moment. "Seeing Sarah is so much more boring than seeing you. But I think she just feels sorry for me." He sighs. "Like she feels guilty."

"What do you mean, guilty?" May questions. "She said Derek was saying some stuff about me to her and she just feels bad about it. For believing him, or whatever." He trails.

"She doesn't believe him now though?" May responds. "I guess not, if she came over." The boy shrugs. "But he's been into her forever."

"Derek?" May checks. "Yeah. He's, like, obsessed with her." He clarifies. "I thought Ben liked her, actually. I could hear him say her name a few times on the phone when he would speak to his friends." May tells.

"Maybe that's the reason Derek didn't like Ben so much." Jacob states. "Derek didn't like Ben?" May sits up straight, interested.

"No. He hated his guts. Wouldn't tell me why, though. It's like it was some secret or something." Jacob mutters.

"I think Sarah thinks maybe he did it." Jacob sighs. "Sarah thinks Derek killed Ben?" May furrows her eyebrows. "Well, she didn't say that, you know. She just said she heard the cops were at school and had talked to him." He explains.

"They called his mom too." He adds. "Don't worry, though. I spoke to my dad and he said that it doesn't mean he's a suspect or anything. I'm just saying that's what she thinks it was."

"I don't know. Maybe she just wants to make me feel better." He guesses. "But, I guess that's also why I like hanging out with you so much. I know it's not cause you're sorry for me. We're both struggling, you know? So we've got our own things to be sorry about."

May smiles. "Yeah." Is all she could say. "Okay, So, how about we finish that movie." Jacob laughs.

"Okay, gotta go, bye!" May jokes. "No, wait!" Jacob stops her. "Fine, fine, I don't wanna force you to watch it if you don't want to. Do you wanna pick a movie?" He offers.

"No, I— I was just joking. I mean, there are some funny parts." May let's out a small laugh. "I don't know..." Jacob trails off.

"Honest. I was just tryna make you laugh."
May assures. "Alright, let's do it, then. Just so you know, if you're lying, I can legally make you suffer it now." He jokes.

"I will take my chances." She smiles. "Alright, I'll start the zoom meeting." Jacob says. "Alright, see you in a few seconds."

"Bye, Jay."