My heart pounded as I heard the words come out of his mouth. I had to tell him, he would find out sooner or later.
I was not sure what to say yet, and I stood in silence for about 30 seconds until Jack finally broke it.
"Fay, answer me right now." He softly but surely yelled into the phone. He was pissed at me, but he doesn't even know the full story.
I worked up the courage to answer him. I needed to explain everything. But not here, not in my room. If my dad heard me I would have dug myself in a deep hole.
"Okay." I said. "But it needs to be somewhere else. I cant talk to you, not here." I pleaded him, but he didn't buy it.
"Hell no. You tell me right here and right now." He said full of anger. It's as if I could see the steam coming out of him from behind the phone.
I wasn't going to give in that easily. I was going to win this, and I was not going to do it here. I will get my way.
"Jack. I am serious, I can't talk to you here. You know I trust you, you're the only person I can talk to about this. Please." I whimpered to him.
Clearly it worked. He gave in and told meet him at Central Park.
I hung up the phone, biting my nails in stress. I don't know how this was going to go, but whatever happens, happens.
I heard my phone buzz on my bed, so I quickly grabbed it. Ralph.
ralph: are we still going out for lunch?
me: sorry. plans changed. i have to cancel, another time for sure.
ralph: all good. did you see the news?
I took a deep breath, trying not to freak out. I couldn't handle any more of this Roger situation. I wish he wouldn't have came back.
Sure, that's a terrible thing to think. But he put me through worse, so I don't really care what happens to him.
me: yeah, sad shit. gtg!
I stuffed my phone in my purse, then quickly put on my jacket and told my dad where I was going. He didn't care, per usual.
I hope Jack doesn't hate me.
• • •
I sat on the bench waiting for him. Maybe he didn't want to come. Maybe he figured everything out by himself and realized I tried to murder Roger, and now he's going and telling the police.
I saw someone start to walk up to me. She had the prettiest of hair, and tanned skin. Her brown eyes looked to me, and mine widened.
I realized this was the girl whose coffee spilt back at my apartment building. She smiled at me, and asked if she could sit.
I didn't see Jack anywhere, so I told her yes. It might be nice to have company, she might take my mind off of everything.
"What are you doing here alone?" The girl asked me, looking around at the lonely area I was sitting around.
"Just waiting for my boyfriend so I can try to come up with some fake story about how I didn't try to murder his bestfriend almost a year ago on an island where we all almost died." Is what I could've said. Though, I think she would run away horrified. So I decided to change up my wording.
"Just waiting for my boyfriend." I shrugged, trying to sound decently sad that he isn't here, although I don't mind because then I don't have to tell him anything yet.
She leaned her head back while mouthing, "Ohhh," and nodded.
I slightly smiled, finding this conversation awkward. We both sat in silence for about 30 seconds, but she asked me a question to break it.
"So what's your name?" She asked me.
I somehow felt comfort in this. Most strangers I meet normally say, "Oh my god! You're Fay Monroe, the girl on the island!" And then ask me a ton of questions. Such as, "What was it like?", and, "Tell me about the dead children." That topic broke me every time.
I look to the girl, and gave her a half smile.
"It's Fay." I tell her, and she grins sweetly.
"That is such a beautiful name! I'm just basic old Harper." She says rolling her eyes. But personally, I thought that name was prettier than mine. I guess nobody is really happy with their name, and always with they could change it to something else.
If I could change my name, I would change it to Mallory. Or maybe Hanna. I guess anything besides for Fay.
"Thanks. Your name is pretty too, I love it." I tell her.
"Thank you Fay." She says, and we sit in another awkward silence, until something taps me on the shoulder.
I turn around, and I see Jack. But he's not happy to see me. He doesn't look like he even wants to talk to me.
"Oh, sorry. I was just leaving. Maybe I'll see you around Fay. We do live at the same apartment place." She says.
I nod to her, and she grabs her tote bag and heads off into the distance.
Jack sits down.
"Tell me everything."
• • •
