The Bars Between Us

40. Jumping to Conclusions

I stare down at the photo in my hands, pressing my lips together to stop the tears from spilling over. I never knew her personally, and even though the things that I've been looking at doesn't necessarily mean that I am getting to know her better, I still feel a connection to her. I'm potential "friends" with her ex and the one who has been convicted of her murder, and that is the motive behind me searching for her killer, but I still feel like I need to do Grace justice and find the person who killed her. If it is truly Nixon then I know that I will be somewhat disappointed in myself for believing him, and in him, but at least I've been able to confirm the truth for Grace and her friends and family. They probably won't ever know, still believing the same thing, but in my eyes, I'll be happy that they know the truth. I now not only need to do it for my sanity and to get the answers, no matter the outcome but for Grace.

I pass the frame back to Cynthia not able to look at the photo anymore. I can't look at it without seeing her on the floor covered in blood. I want to see the Grace in this photo whenever I think of her, the happy, carefree, and alive one laughing with her friends. I don't want to be bombarded with the images that I am. I only have myself to blame, and even though I don't know her, it's still nice to think of someone alive and happy. I can't do anything to change what happened to her but I can change how I think of her.

"I'm sorry, where's the bathroom?" I ask, needing a break from this room, and needing to get back my composure. I don't want to let on to Piper my feelings anymore. I can see that she's watching me carefully, and her hug earlier says that she's worried about me. Cynthia gives me the short directions and I walk quickly to the room, locking the door behind me once I've entered. I let my back rest against the door taking deep breathes.

I haven't looked at my phone all day, having been too occupied to stop and look. I glanced at it earlier and found nothing, but I don't know what I'm expecting to see. Mason or Nixon calling? Roman? He hadn't messaged me since he first replied to me, and for that I was thankful. He was actually giving me the break that I wanted as I had asked.

It was almost as if I had tempted fate. When I light the screen up Roman's name is above a message. No one else has contacted me, and the one message taunts me. I consider ignoring it when I see his name, having told myself that I would have a break from him, and wouldn't contact him. But then the ingrained thoughts about what he would do if I didn't play on me too much.I ready myself before I let my eyes slide down to the message.

Roman: Where are you? x

I almost want to laugh, finding the kiss at the end ridiculous and out of place.

My fingers move over the keyboard, hovering above trying to think of a response that tells him I don't want to talk to him, as well as being an appropriate response to Roman in his eyes. I decide to just ask the question I'm thinking.

Aphrodite: Why do you want to know?

His response is almost instant. I have to look back at the first message to check that he didn't send it straight before I replied. It was about an hour, and I'm surprised that he didn't bombard me with messages and calls until I replied. He was probably holding himself back from doing so, and that is evident in the way he is obviously sitting in front of his phone.

Roman: Where are you?

Aphrodite: Why?

Roman: Where the fuck are you?!

I flinch as if he was in the room next to me, and shouted it in my ear. I decide to tell some of the truth, not knowing how he'll react to knowing I'm in New York.

Aphrodite: With Piper.

Roman: Where?

Aphrodite: Why?

There's a pause after I ask for the 3rd time why he wants to know. He's insistent on an answer, so why can't I be?

This time when he responds, the message is strife with spelling mistakes and missing letters, letting me know that he's angry and typing quickly, but I can make out what he meant: "Tell me right fucking now or I swear to god. Are you with a man? Were you fucking? Is that the reason you didn't reply?"

I scoff, finding the situation stupid, but that's Roman for you. Jumping to conclusions.

Shaking my head, not wanting to entertain him any further, I shove my phone back into my pocket. I shouldn't have started talking to him in the first place.

I smooth my hair down, thinking it will help me calm down and compose myself. Once I'm happy I turn and open the door again.

I walk back into the living room and find Piper and Cynthia talking about how Cynthia met Grace.

I sit down on the couch and almost as soon as I'm settled, my phone starts to ring. I know it's dangerous ignoring him, but I'm not there currently, so he can't do anything to me. I consider never returning to Boston, but Roman will catch up to me eventually. He's said so.

"It's not important," I tell Piper and Cynthia when they look to me. I pull my phone out and decline the call. Piper's gaze is especially worried and curious. I shake my head minutely and focus back on Cynthia.

Roman is quick in calling again as I can't even move to put it back in my pocket before it rings again. I decline it again only for it to start up again.

"I'm sorry," I say declining it again.

"You can get it," Cynthia offers.

"Really, it's not important." Piper exchanges a look with me.

"Is it him?" she asks, and I know she's aware it's Roman. I can see the disappointment in her eyes.

The phone ringing cuts me off, and between the rings are nonstop message notifications.

"I'll go outside," I tell them, standing up. Piper wants to stand up with me.

"Let me take it," she says her face serious.

"No, I've got it. I'll be alright."

Hi guys! This may be the last update for a while. As I said, I wish I had more hands so I could write more of my books at the time. If you want to see them exclusively first, you can always go over to Radish, where I'll post them before here.

Thanks for reading, voting, commenting, sharing, and following!

CC ;)