Heroism (h.s.)

27.

I feel like screaming.  Cory stands at the front of the restaurant, arms crossed authoritatively across his chest.  He looks exactly the same as he had almost a month ago; his new buzz cut the only evidence of passing time.  Ruby, my ex-best friend, stands beside him, her dark black hair pulled into a tight braid.  She looks stressed, her lips pressed into a hard line.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss her.  But this is exactly the reason why we couldn’t be friends any longer.  Ruby and I had both liked Cory around the same time and he happened to become interested in me instead of her.  After we began dating, she stopped talking to me for weeks.  I desperately tried to reason with her, to apologize or do whatever she wanted me to do but she turned away every time.  So, I gave up and spent the rest of my high school years either alone or with Cory.

It was stupid, to let a boy come between a friendship like that.  But the damage was done and neither of us really seemed keen on trying to fix anything now.

Luckily, Elaine is closer to the entrance of the diner and she approaches them with a smile.  As Elaine leads them deeper into the room, I hold my breath, waiting for them to notice me and start something.  But they’re either oblivious or surprisingly polite, effectively ignoring my presence. Elaine seats them in the booth directly behind Harry and my body tenses.

Not only is that my section but Harry will overhear everything Cory says to me.  Fantastic.

I focus on the plates of food I’m supposed to be delivering, taking more time than usual to drop them off to the customers.  Eventually, I have nothing left to do and I force myself over to Cory and Ruby, trying to ignore the bundle of nerves in the pit of my stomach.

Before I can even muster a polite greeting, Cory turns to me with wide, menacing eyes and says, “Well, well.  Look who it is.  Shouldn’t you be at a graveyard or something?”

Ruby looks appalled but doesn’t say anything.  I see Harry tense in his booth out of the corner of my eye and I silently pray that he lets me handle this on my own for now.

“Shouldn’t you be in jail or something?” I retort, trying to ignore the sting of his comment.  I know Lisa’s murder has been all over the newspapers but it still hurts to know that Cory takes it as a joke.

He shifts, looking a little uncomfortable, before giving me a menacing grin.  “Actually, I’m not.  And all thanks goes to you.”

I narrow my eyes.  “Why’s that?”

“Because,” he begins before leaning back, one of his arms slung lazily across the back of the booth.  “The police asked for your statement and you didn’t respond.  So I’m a free man.”

My head starts to spin and I panic.  I don’t remember the police ever calling me for my statement; I’d just assumed they didn’t need one.  Now, Cory’s telling me that my lack of response is the reason he’s no longer locked up.

It doesn’t make sense.

“Nobody ever asked for my statement,” I say finally, ignoring the look of pity Ruby’s giving me.

Cory lets out a sharp, barking laugh.  “Sure, yeah.  That’s what you want me to think.  I know you ignored the cops on purpose.”

I can feel my blood pressure steadily rising, his cocky demeanor really striking a nerve.  “Why the hell would I do that?”

He shrugs.  “You knew you’d made a mistake.  I didn’t lay a hand on you and you know it.  Your little boy toy pressured you into fibbing about me, I’m sure.  So now you’re apologizing by letting me go free.”