The Wings Of A Caged Bird | First Draft

chapter 40: a difficult confrontation

10th August, 2019

Right now, July and I are on our way to retrieve my stolen phone.

At first I told July that he doesn't have to come, that it's only a matter of exchanging and object and that's it. I said that mostly because July doesn't seem to like that guy very much. But he vehemently refused, saying he will come with me.

It doesn't take long for us to get there. From a distance, I already notice someone standing there, facing the pond. But it's not that pink haired guy from yesterday, it's a woman. Probably the girl named Nova, who was the one behind the main deed. That's good news. I honestly don't have the energy to deal with that guy right now.

Hearing me come, she turns around. That day, her black hair was up in two ponytails, but today it is loose in waves. She is wearing a blue jean jacket over a tank top, but she is only wearing half of it, while the other half is dangling behind her.

"Right, it's you," she says. "We meet again, I guess." She had used the Greenwoods accent that day, but now she's talking normally. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a phone. The size and the silver body looks exactly like mine, but I would still have to confirm. She holds it out to me. "I'm sorry for stealing it that day. It was a desperate measure. And also the way I acted. You were probably humiliated. I was, um, I was high."

No wonder. Her voice sounds way different from before. Can't believe she was driving while high. I take the phone from her hand without a word and turn it on. The wallpaper of three lines from Emily Dickinson's Open Me Carefully pops up on the screen, which is what my last wallpaper was. I check the location of my apps and some other things, and finally confirm it's my own phone.

She says, "Do check your messages later. There are some, uh, I think there are some important ones you missed."

Probably from Edgar, or maybe Dale. I can't imagine it being from mom, but a part of me is starting to hope so. I look at her. "Is that why you didn't sell it?"

She rubs her arms. "Well, I am not a monster."

I nod, then hold out the guy's phone to her.

"That was smart of you, to take that," she says with a small grin. "If I know him right, he must have told you there is something personal in it that you can blackmail him with."

"He said there are naked photos of you."

A disgusted expression spreads on her face. "Well let's just say he's said worse lies." She rolls her eyes.

That goes well with his persona. I nod and say, "Well . . . okay then." A thank you almost slipped out, but why should I?

She nods as well. "Peace. And uh, please don't tell on us to the police or uh, whoever, I don't know. We've stopped. We both have part time jobs now. Miss Livvy arranged a job for us both. You went to her wedding yesterday, I heard."

"Yeah. Good."

"Kay, bye." She turns around and walks back into the forest. I put my phone back to my pocket and turn to the way I came from, but I find July standing there with an awestruck look on his face, brows creased, his wide eyes following the girl.

"July?" I whisper, so she doesn't hear. "What is it?"

"That's-" He points at Nova. "That was- I think that was . . ."

"What?"

"That was her. The class president. From my school." He seems to be more sure of it after he said it out loud.

"Eh?" I look back at the girl, whose figure has gotten smaller now. "Are you sure? What should she be doing here?"

"I don't know. I just- I'm pretty sure it's her. Her face is super familiar without the sunglasses. And she always used to wear her jacket like that even back then."