Diamonds In The Attic

Chapter Five

After the weekend, I went to school and saw Nicole to with some dude I had never met before.

"Hey Nicole, who's this?" I asked her friendly.

"This man is a friend of mine." Nicole said. He greeted me.

"Hi, the name's Lyon, Frank Lyon." He said.

"Evelyn Mudgett. Well, Cristabel but most people just call me Evelyn." I said to him. I shook his hand. It was a nice firm grip and I felt already used to it.

"Well, nice to meet you, Evelyn. I just came from Winterdale so yeah." Frank said.

"Oh, well I hope you enjoy it here in Melanch High." I said and he smiled. It was a smile I could die for.

"Thanks." Frank said. Nicole looked at me and  asked me if everything was alright and how I was feeling. I told her I was alright and that hopefully things get better.

"Aman to that." Nicole said. Frank smiled and checked his watch and got up from where he was sitting.

"Well, I gotta go. I have to meet up with someone. It was real nice meeting you, Evelyn." He said and he left. When he was far gone, I turned towards Nicole.

"Oh my God, he's hot." I said to her.

"He sure is." She replied back. "Say, I told him that I had a friend who has been going through some stuff. I didn't tell him who but I hope he figures out it's you." I looked at her confused.

"Well, he's your friend, why'd you want him for me?" I asked her. She shrugged.

"I don't know, I just figured that's what friends do...give each other friends." She responded. I nodded.

"Let's get to class before we're late." I said. She nodded.

"Yeah, don't want Mr. Williams to have a bird." She said. We both laughed as we left for class.

~

After what seemed like an eternity, I was out in the school's courtyard. I was reading a book when someone snuck up behind me and spoke.

"So, what are you reading?" A voice asked. I looked behind me and saw that it was Frank. He sat beside me.

"The Yellow Wallpaper by-"

"Charlotte Perkins Gilman." Frank said. "It's a good read."

"It's for class." I told him. He nodded.

"Even better." He said. "Nicole told me about a friend of hers who's going through a relationship struggle right now. Do you know of anyone who would be in that kind of predicament?" I looked at him with a smirk on my face. I raised my hand. He noticed it. "That was you?"

"Guilty as charged." I replied back. He chuckled.

"I like that. Listen, if you need anything. Wise words, someone to talk to, I'm here. I know I'm new and everything but I've known Nicole for a hot minute so, any friend of hers is a friend of mine. Ok?" He said, handing me a little piece of notebook paper which has a phone number on it...his. I nodded. He patted me on the back and walked away. I watched him walk away and all I could do was smile and then stick my nose back into the book.

~

I was walking home when I heard a woman. She sounded distressed and afraid. I looked to where I heard the woman and I saw an older beautiful woman being backed up against the wall by a man with a gun who was asking her for money.

"I don't have any...how many times do I have to tell you? Please just leave me alone." She cried out. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, don't give me that shit. I want that money now, you fucking whore." He said angrily. I then walked up to him.

"Hey jackass, leave her alone." I said. The man turned around and laughed at the sight of me.

"What is this, some fucking feminist party?" The man said and he walked off. He then dropped his gun onto the ground.

The woman felt more at ease. I reached into my purse and pulled out a napkin and used that to pick up the gun and throw it into the garbage.

"You can go now." I told her.

"Thanks. But you shouldn't have done that." She said.

"Actually, I had every reason to do that. It's the right thing to do." I told her. She shook her head.

"You're on his list now. He's gonna kill you." She said to me.

"How do you know that?" I asked her.

"I was his wife. God, I've wanted a divorce for so long but that would result into us going to court which would make him go to jail. I'd be on his list. That is a thought that keeps me up at night." The woman said. I could feel her fear. I assured her that I would stay safe and be on the lookout. I then proceeded to give her $100.

"Go and use this money for whatever you need." I said to her. She hesitated. "Come on, it is the least that I can do." She smiled and accepted it. And the two of us departed separately.