Through Her Shattered Eyes ✔

Chapter 19

"Are you sure James can drive you home?" Mom asks as she steers her car to the curb by the Fayette Library.

"Yes, I'm sure," I reply, unbuckling my seat belt and leaning over to kiss her cheek. "I'm only going to read, I'll be fine. Don't be a worrywart."

She settles back into her seat. "Oh, all right. Just let me know when you get back home, okay?"

"Sure."

I slide out of the car and close the door. Conscious that she's watching me, I walk up the sidewalk to the entrance very slowly. When I reach the two front doors, opening one of them, I turn and wave. Mom waves and drives off. I linger inside, wanting to make sure she's truly gone. Stepping back out, I scope for her car. No sign of it anywhere. Perfect. I dig out my cell phone from my purse and dial the number of the car service I stored in my contacts earlier.

"N.W. 44th Terrace," the driver says forty-five minutes later, pulling the vehicle up by the parking lot of the apartment complex.

I look out the window to see it. It's a nice building, pretty fancy-looking. Unlike Allison's place, it's two stories high and there's not a rehab center anywhere to be seen.

Nathan was able to find Faith's address on his computer at the station and give it to me. He also called Mrs. Stryder to ask for her last name, which is Wright. Unfortunately, he couldn't come with me because of work so I'm on my own for today.

"You want me to wait for you, honey?" The driver asks. He looks at me through the rearview mirror.

"Um, yes, please. I won't be long," I answer.

"Okay."

I push the door open and walk out. As I make my way up to Faith's apartment unit, the parking lot suddenly strikes me as familiar. Like I've been in it before. I stop walking for a second to look around. The layout of it I recognized, the way it faces the building. I know I've seen it. But where...?

That's when it dawns me. I know why the parking lot looks so familiar. It's from the flash at night when I wake up. The one where I'm standing in the middle of the DC Comics room and looking out the window into the parking lot here. A spark of hope ignites from within me. Could the room be in the unit where she used to live with Faith? Only one way to find out. Without further delay, I proceed to find Faith's unit, which is on the second floor and the last door down the hallway.

When I get there, I bring my hand up and knock on the door. Two barks come from behind it, continuing for a few seconds before a voice tells them to be quiet. A lock clicks and the door opens a crack. On the other side is a dark-skinned girl who seems to be no older than her late teens, early twenties. She has black hair that hangs past her shoulders, and pretty brown eyes.

For some reason, I feel so happy to see her. It's the kind of excitement a kid would get on Christmas when he sees all the presents beneath the tree. Though I know it's not coming from me. It's Erika.

"Hello," she greets. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, hi. Are you Faith Wright?"

"I am."

"Great. We haven't met, but my name is Alexis Morgan. I stopped by because I must speak with you about something important."

"Oh, I'm afraid rather tight on time, Alexis. May we talk later? I have to leave for work in twenty minutes and I haven't even done my hair yet." She starts to close the door.

"I won't take too long, I promise. It's about your friend Erika."

Faith freezes and really looks me in the eyes. "Erika?"