The Chase

Chapter Six

Scarlett was six miles pass Jake's apartment and fifteen minutes ahead before reaching her destination. She turned down Winnie road and waved at Zander and America, standing on the pavement, smiling.

Now with Jake gone. It wasn't that bad, hanging with her friends, living it up in the sun, no boyfriend dragging along on adventures or shopping, or would be ogling her by day and pawing her in the club at night. She could stand the thought of it. Sometimes you have to stand the fact to be with friends or alone without your signature other.

But she couldn't stop picturing this: images of her in bed with Jake, their naked, and hands locked together. That was the reason.

She took her ID out of her bag and stared at her name. God, she hated her name, hated how Scarlett and Chase sounded together. Why was I born with two names?, she thought. She'd always thought of changing it someday; something unique or for that day  to be the day she get married, that would impress Jake and her horrible name, she would take his name. But that plan wasn't been written in stones, yet. It wasn't like they had talked about, sometimes she needed space and see what the world is like without a guy 24/7.

It would be a series of minutes and hours and even days all merging into one whole mess, he wondering and stressing where she was. She being surronded with friends, stores, drinks, nightclub, living in the sun and soaking it up all in. He said, she said.  To think back, the question is: Do she really love him?

Her plans were simple, get married, have kids, then grandkids, then retirement, then their last years together exploring the world together, before dying, first him, then her.

She would survive weeks, days, hours, and years without him. Six feet under isn't far, this is another reason why she doesn't want him around 24/7, they aren't far from each other.

It wouldn't say how she died on the death certificate. Presumbly they would think a broken heart, stroke, or old age. She would died to be with her love ones. Not a broken heart or old age, just her turn to go. Everybody would smile at each other and say how lovely it was - sad, but lovely - that she couldn't stand being alone without her husband of sixty-five years and how they were one of the few with an epic love story.

Scarlett looked back up at her friends, waiting patiently for her to come out of the 1997 Nissan. She took the keys out of iginition and placed her hand on the car door and open it.

"You have that stinch I always have," America said. "How was the sex with Jake?"

"It's alright," Scarlett said. "Let's head inside. Sorry Zander."

They entered the cafè and ordered a mug of frozened hot cocolate and blueberry muffin. Under the table Scarlett's foot tapped nervously. She had to go back home and face her stepmother at twelve p.m., and she didn't like Jodie one bit. They had an appointment for wedding dresses, she couldn't believe her father is going to say I do in a few weeks. If she had probably would had cared, which was the problem. She would had liked Jodie and thought she was a OK women, OK wife, and OK stepmother, but she wasn't interesting, inspired, and great. She was eerie and interested in Scarlett's family.

"Did you heard they found two more bodies?" Zander said. "Related to the women and girl that were found dead."

"What is this town? Murderville? Slaughterville? Corpseville?" Scarlett said. Two more bodies? What next?, she thought.

"I guess you could say that. First body was stabbed fifty times and rope marks across his neck. Second body was a male as well, stabbed, and threw from a tall building."

"The news reporters trying to keep that in the grave as well?" Scarlett asked. She was shaken up.

"Keep that in the grave? What?" Zander asked.