THE FIRST TO STAY | PHILIP PEARSON ≪ON HOLD≫

III.

PROTOCOL TWO: NEVER JEOPARDIZE YOUR COVER

philip and sadie soon migrated from inside the coffee shop to outside, where they walked along the sidewalk of the park. they started a small conversation, philip talking about his addiction and the friend he had lost the same day he was supposed to day. sadie remembered her uncle, ricky, who died of lung cancer from smoking too much. 

sadie would notice things that many would brush over. she was observant. she noticed how his nose would crinkle slightly when he felt himself losing his train of thought. she noticed how his eyes would darken with sadness when he saw people with their friends. she never met someone whose eyes so clearly formed windows into their souls, like philip's did. she noticed how he stammered when he was asked a rather blunt question or how his voice would shake slightly when he lied. it happened a lot, his lies. but she didn't push him. just because sadie was an outgoing extrovert didn't mean everyone else in her company was too.

philip found a sense of comfort in the girl. he watched how her eyes brightened as she talked about her family and how they darkened as she talked about the world. he sympathized silently with her. it was only going to get worse now, he'd think. he smiled lightly as she laughed at a dumb joke she had remembered. philip told her about poppy. he watched as she smiled in amazement and awe, commenting on how she always wanted a pet. she asked him to tell her more about the turtle, her interest in his boring life made philip less weary of being hurt. sadie was comfort.

the pair hadn't realized how far they'd walked until a car pulled up next to the once they sat down on a bench. the tinted window rolled down and a man popped his head out. ray.

sadie felt philip's body slump back further into the seat beside her, suddenly tired and upset. philip frowned as he looked up at his lawyer. he was tired of him. he was tired of being used.

ray smiled, "hey fortune teller, got any numbers for me today?"

sadie tilted her head, numbers?

philip shook his head, "no, ray. i don't have any numbers for you."

ray raised his eyebrows and turned to look at the girl next to philip. he gestured his head at philip, "he tell you his talent?"

philip sat up, his hand out as he began to protest slightly. sadie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. 

ray craned his neck slightly, "just ask him for the lottery numbers and he'll give you the right numbers. kid won't tell me his magic but i've seen some numbers on his garage do-"

philip's voice got louder, "ray, please. please just shut up and leave."

ray continued as if he couldn't hear philip's voice, "-says he's some sort of time traveler but i don't know. he's an addict. probably made something up to hide his illegal lottery hacking. i'm his lawyer, but i can't help him if he won't let me."

philip heaved out a heavy sigh, his eyes closed shut and his body slumped on the bench, dejected. just when he thought he made a friend, ray had to come and ruin it. 

sadie looked over at philip; his crestfallen face made her heart sad. ray did this, she thought.

she targeted her eyes at the man in the car, her words slow, harsh, blunt and cold, "if he needed your help, he would ask you for it. all you seem to be doing is bringing him more pain. now, get the fuck away from here, or else i'll call the police and get you stripped of your title. you're no lawyer. you're just a gambler. not just with money, but with people too. philip isn't here for your personal gain so please, leave him alone. he doesn't need a lawyer, and he certainly doesn't need you."

the man stared at the girl for a few seconds before shaking head and rolling up his window. he drove away and left the two kids in silence.

"you didn't have to do that." philip blinked for the first time since sadie had started defending him.

"i know."

"you probably have questions," philip started, "i-"

"it's okay. i won't ask. i don't need an explanation." she looked over at him, locking her eyes with his, "i just need to know if you're okay."