Tavia
"We're going to need you to come to the station for a statement". He placed his pen into his perfectly ironed shirt pocket. I looked dead. There was so much terror in my eyes after what happened. An ambulance pulled out of the parking with Jade in it. She's officially lost it. I looked around and saw the others standing with their heads lowered down. I didn't know what to do after this. Caleb would never forgive me.
"Tavia!" I slowly turned around and saw my Dad. He sped over to me and hugged me. I started crying on his shoulders. Everything was my fault. I didn't know what Jade was planning and I didn't think it would be something this awful. I pulled away and saw Caleb talking to a cop. He looked at me and turned back. He hated me. I hated myself too.
"I'm going to call your mom. Gonna let her know you and your sister are okay". He patted my shoulder and walked off to the sidewalk. Olivia came and hugged me tightly. I wanted to cry some more but, didn't want her to start crying too.
"It's my fault" I snuffled.
"No it's not, baby. Stop letting yourself believe that. Nothing happened, we're all alive". She comforted. I was going to let myself think that it was all my fault. What if Jade did shoot Caleb tonight? What would I say for myself?
"Adrien is waiting on me in the parking lot. I'll call you tomorrow" She kissed my forehead and took off. I looked over to my dad and he was still on the phone. I guess my mom wanted to hear more about what happened. I looked for Caleb but he wasn't there anymore. The others had left too, I was left with the flashing blue and red lights. I walked over to my dad's SUV where Twiggy was fast asleep against the window. How could she sleeep? I still had tonight on my mind. I was ready to go home and try hard to get over it. I heard twigs rustling and turned around quick, someone was watching me. The unknown person saw that I had noticed and quickly took off the other direction. I looked at my dad who was now talking to one of the cops and took off behind the person. I ran through the back part of the school and was led to a park, I stood and looked around, the unidentified individual stopped and turned around letting me see who it was and walked off quickly. Mrs. Parrish. It wasn't possible. She disappeared. Jade's mom disappeared years ago. We thought she was dead. I was hallucinating. I didn't see her. It's not real.
I told my mom more about what had happened tonight. She started talking about how much she didn't like Jade anymore and glad that we stopped being friends. I took a shower but, I just stood under the hot water and let it run until it ran out. I want today to be over. Enjoy the winter break or at least try to. I laid in bed and stared at the blank ceiling. It's going to be a long night.
1 month later...
Caleb
I spent the whole winter break in and out of the station. I'm the first suspect in the killing of Cole and with my history I could go to prison. I didn't kill him. No one believes the kid with the drug/violence problem. There is no evidence against me, yet. Jade has been seeing a shrink from what I been hearing. They haven't questioned her cause she "supposedly" forgot what happened so, I guess they're questioning the folks that were there. I'm scared for my life. I have to do whatever takes to make them believe I'm innocent. I ain't talk to Tavia since that night, I didn't blame her and I wasn't mad at her. During this kind of time, I needed her the most. I fucked up. I imagined Monroe tomorrow being filled with annoying ass kids waiting for me to walk through that door and start with their remarks and questions. I could not show up but, I have to keep myself out of trouble until the cops stop monitoring me.
I laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. For the past days I was locked up in my apartment and didn't want to leave. I was left battling with my thoughts and I wanted to disappear into an oblivion. I started thinking about what happened that night with Cole and who else wanted me to take the blame for his death. There was a knock on my door interrupting me from entering full sleep mode , I figured it was probably just the cops wanting me to go to the station after school or something. I picked my shirtless self up from the bed and dragged my foot to the front door.
"Who is it?" My raspy deep sleepy voice let out.
"Olivia"
"Whatchu need?" I asked, still not opening the door.
"Can you open the door? Its freezing. Please." I opened the door and there she stood with a 'New China' bag in her hand. New China was the only decent Chinese restaurant in town and they had the best Kung Pao Chicken. She walked in and stood in the far corner of the apartment and I locked the door and stood near the kitchen counter. She saw the confusing look on my face and began to explain herself.
"Well, I was supposed to spend the day with Tavia but, their flight was delayed due to the weather and I didn't feel like eating a whole box of Kung Pao Chicken all by myself and there's really no one around and I haven't talked to you since what happened." She explained. There was a silent moment before I replied to her.
"I never say no to Kung Pao Chicken." I smiled.
"Can you put on a shirt, though?"
"Damn, yeah. I forgot. You can set up the food around and the plates are in the first cabinet on the right" I rushed into the room and went through he closet looking for a shirt. I found one decent enough and through it on and made it back to the living room. She had already set up and was seated at the table.
"You work fast." I smiled.
"So, where did Tavia go?" I asked trying not sound like I was trying to know everything she was up to even though I wanted to and I had missed her so much. I was afraid that Olivia might take it the wrong way and think that I was worrying over her or some shit like that.
"Her parents took her to New York to get a tour of NYU and some other places." She suprisingly answered.
"Oh" I said, It was the only possible reply I could give back without sounding too involved. I opened the Oyster pail and took a seat across from her and started eating.
"What about Adrien?" I asked about her boyfriend since she is here and I didn't want any trouble even though we were just friends.
"Um. We br— we broke up."
"Oh, damn. I'm sorry to hear that" I said hoping to comfort her a little.
"It's okay." She softly replied.
"How have you been holding up since you know," She asked, I figured it was going to come soon or later and I didn't hesitate to answer her back.
"It's been tough but, I know where I stand." I replied.
"Good." I expected her to go deeper into the conversation but, she wanted to end it right there and I respected her for that because, usually folks wanna know all bout my personal shit and what I be goin through.
"Do you love her?" Her question came out of the blue and I already knew who she was talking about.
"Yes"
"Then don't let her go. She might not act like she cares but trust me she does. I'm her best friend and I know she loves you just give her time to find herself and come to her senses." She stated. Her wors hit me right in the heart and I believed every word of it. I didn't want to let go and I wasn't planning on it, I was going to get her back and have her by my side. She reached in the bag and pulled out two fortune cookies and threw one at me. I waited for her to open hers first before I opened mines.
"Enjoy the good luck a companion brings you" She smiled at me after reading what it had said and how accurate the fortune cookie seemed to be. "Read yours."
"If you have something good in your life, don't let it go"
• • •
Tavia
I sat in my mom's car outside of the school debating if I should go in or just go home. I didn't want to deal with the chaotic nonsense inside of the school and I had already pictured what was going to happen. I just wanted to be back in New York, It was those times when you go on a school break and you don't want it to end because your life is so drama free and beyond all the bullshit that happens inside your government funded school.
My mother sat poise in the car seat, she was awaiting for my reply and understood if I didn't want to go but she "strongly recommended" it and thought that it would be a way to show others that I wasn't afraid of the snarky comments that came out of their mouths.
It took me about a week to start sleeping a little more properly and get used to the fact that what happened that night wasn't in my control. Olivia said that Jade is now seeing a therapist and doesn't seem to remember what happened. I have a hard time believing it because at the end of the day that bitch will do whatever it takes to save her self.
"It's almost 9," My mom looked at me with a satisfying smile, her hair was in a high bun that was perfectly put together and her peach colored knee length dress had complimented her skin tone. I started gathering my final thoughts while staring outside the car window.
"I'm going. I've been through worse" I sighed.
"I love you" She smiled. I smiled back and got out the car. I felt and knew that she was going to wait until I walked in and a little more just in case if i had decided to change my mind. I turned around and nodded to her, letting her know that she could leave and I wouldn't change my mind, she nodded and pulled out of the parking lot. I'm going to regret this.
All heads turned toward my direction when I walked through the front doors. Conversations stopped, opening lockers stopped, walking stopped and the school stopped. I took deep breath and made my way down the narrow hallway that never seemed to end. There was nothing but eyes and whispers that followed me through my journey down 1st Hall. It felt like a lifetime getting just to my locker. This was the quietest time in Monroe history. I opened my locker slowly and grabbed my books and just stood there.
"Alright! Get to class! Walk with a purpose! C'mon people, move it!" An administrator sped down the hall shouting the same thing over and over. The noise was back but still unusually quiet. I felt a small tap on my shoulder and slowly turned around. I was hugged before I could notice who it was but the perfume filled my nose and I knew. I hugged her tighter and almost felt some tears about to flood my eyes.
"I missed you so much, babe" Olivia said still holding me close.
"I missed you more"
We pulled apart and I could see that she wanted to cry too. We just stared at each other with love and silence. Neither of us not knowing what to say or knowing if it would be the right thing to say. We exchanged sincere smiles.
"How you been holdin up?" She asked.
"Alright." I couldn't think of anything else to say. "You?"
"I've been good. Helping my mom with her wedding and really boring shit" She stated.
"When'd you get back?" She leaned against the locker and faced me.
"1 this morning. Sorry, we couldn't have lunch" I implied.
"It's alright, I actually had it with someone else and it was nice" She smiled.
"Who?" I slowly asked.
She paused a little before answering, "Caleb". I was surprised but, didn't want to show it on my face. I haven't heard anything from and about Caleb in a long time so it had came to me as a shock that she would see him.
"Oh" I said hesitating.
"We just talked. H— he didn't give up on you" She said slowly. I never gave up on him either. I hated how things ended that night and how it all went downhill, I didn't want us to end things that way and it was stupid as fuck. I felt like if he didn't care, I shouldn't either.
I didn't say anything after she said that and we just dropped the conversation and started walking down the hall after we heard the 5 minutes bell ring. There was still some people talking about us as we walked and some just stared until we were out of their sight.
"How'd everyone know?" I asked.
"Word gets around." She stopped in front of her classroom and smiled at me, "I'll see you later. Try not to let them get to you" she hugged me and walked in. I continued on to my class, I paused outside the door seeing that everyone was already inside and all eyes were going to be on me when I walked in there. I slowly walked through the door and not to my surprise I was the main focus.
I looked to my seat and the one beside it. Empty. I was hoping that he was going to be there today.