Fake Tales

Chapter 22- Two Steps,Twice

..............................................

Again I spotted him in the distance, looking as if he would have changed paths if he could, again I smiled at him, determine to be friendly.

With a extreme sense of déjà vu he just nodded, deep inside me something flared at his response. It was a fiery, irrational creature that made me blurt out:

"Is this how it's going to be now Greg?" I asked. He wheeled around to look at me, expression detached and emotionless.

"This was how we were before, isn't this what you wanted?" He replied coldly.

"We were never this Greg" I replied softly, trying to sound as remote as he was.

"Whatever Maddy" He scoffed. He didn't call me Lin, that was all my mind took from that sentence. He was no longer singling me out, but calling me what everyone else did. It cut deeper into the scar tissue that represented my heart.

"Is this how you treat your friends Gregory?" I challenged as he went to walk away. I don't know what made me say it, but as soon as I said it I felt foolish.

"No, but that's because we're not friends Maddy" He shrugged. I swallowed and looked away from him. Even one look at his eyes was like pouring salt over an open wound. Something flashed across his face as he realised what he had done to me, but he said nothing. I know I'm close to crying so I walk away before he can even think about moving.

My throat is thick as I gulp repeatedly, attempting in vain to make the tears go away. I had known all along that Greg was capable of such hurtful words: I knew his reputation, even knew some of the girls who he had messed around with. I had just never anticipated them to be directed at me.

The constant, everlasting thorn in my side was that this conversation was the last I had with Greg before he disappeared.

..............................................

It was about a week following that conversation. I remember that morning so vividly, I could still recall the faint pitter patter of the rain outside as I dragged myself out of the bed. I looked out of the window, seeing the great puddles of rain murky and dark in the morning light, a remnant of a horrific thunderstorm the night before.

I had been tossing and turning all night long, kept awake by endless hammering of rainwater on the roof. It had been a dark night. Cold and cruel. Like God had vented his anger through thunder and lightning.

The second I walked downstairs I sensed something was wrong. Mel was stood in the kitchen, arms wrapped around herself so tightly it was like she was holding herself together.

"Mel, what's wrong?" I asked instantly, walking towards her. She stared at me, eyes looking straight through me.

"Greg didn't come home last night" she answered, staring at the floor fixedly. Greg always let them know if he wasn't coming home, no matter what- he always found a way to get a message to them so Linda wouldn't worry. Even if he had lost his phone or got drunk: he would have got in contact by now. My body went rigid:

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

"He isn't answering his phone. No one knows where he is" She said the words like she had tasted something unpleasant.

"I'm scared Maddy" she whispered, entwining her hand with mine. Her fingers held none of their usual warmth, like the sun had gone out of her. Her fear was contagious, it gripped me full force as I squeezed her hand.

"So am I Mel, so am I" I replied in a shaky voice.

.....................................................