The Runaway Nerd | ✓

Chapter 49

Previously... 

"Stop," he called out. I obeyed as an instinct and heard him walk up from behind me. I felt his embrace and it felt like home. I wanted to let him so badly. I wanted to be in his arms again. 

"I missed you so much Sadie," he murmured into my hair. "Tell me what happened to you."

I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath. I could smell his familiar peppermint-scented aftershave all around me. It took so much in me to do what I did next. I slowly, a bit reluctantly at that, reached over to the strong arms that held onto me and pulled them off. I held onto them a little too long  before letting them drop down by his side. 

"Sadie?" 

I threw on my 'Angela' mask and put my act together. "Excuse me?" I feigned confusion. "I'm not this Sadie you speak of. Don't you recognize me? It's Angela, Angela Young." 

"No.... no, you're not," Adam denies right away. "You're not Angela. You're Sadie, my Sadie."His emphasis on calling me his sent a bolt of pain in my heart. 

"No, I'm not. I'm Angela," I continue with my act. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I call Emma here to bring you to see a doctor?" I purposely brought up Emma so he'll remember who his soon-to-be wife was. It wasn't me- but Emma, that would be walking down the aisle. 

"Angela? You're Angela?" he repeats. "Not Sadie..." The hope that was in his eyes quickly dispersed, leaving nothing but despair. 

"I think you need to go home and rest," I say. 

Jules, the police officer who was going to take my report, decided to speak up at this moment. "Yeah, Adam. I think you should. We can have lunch together another time and you'll have to tell me all about how you got engaged." 

Adam did not respond. His eyes no longer frozen on mine like earlier, he stared at the ground with a blank expression on his face. He kept murmuring my name. "Sadie... Sadie..." 

"Sorry, miss, I think I'll have to excuse myself for a couple minutes. I need to get him a taxi home so he can get his rest," Jules tells me apologetically. "I won't be gone for long. It'll be real quick. Take your seat over there while you wait!" With that, she pulls the still dazed Adam toward the exit of the police station. 

***

"Okay, I'm back!" Jules sits down in front of me with a smile. "I wasn't gone for too long, was I?" She checks her wristwatch and lets out a small cheer. "Nope! I was gone for only 3 minutes! That should be a record!" 

I couldn't make a laugh come out so I smiled. 

"By the way, I'm sorry about what happened with Adam. He's usually not like that. He must be lacking sleep from planning his wedding."

I nod. "It's no problem, I understand. We all have our bad days."

"So, how do you know Adam?" She asks curiously.

"I know his fiancee, Emma, and she was kind enough to let me stay with them until I find a place of my own," I explain.

"Oh, I see. Anyways..." She takes out a clean sheet of paper. "What did you want to report?"

"So it all started in high school with this jealous girl named Amanda..."

***

"Thank you for your report, Sadie. I'm so sorry to hear what you've been through. We will begin an investigation immediately and get to the bottom of this," Jules smiles empathically at me. 

"Thank you so much for believing me," I say gratefully. "I was so worried that you would think I was making all this up!"

"Whether it is a story or the truth, we will find out soon enough. I'll keep in touch with you to let you know what's happening."

"Okay, thank you again," I smile. "Thank you."

"It's no problem. It's the police's duty to do this."

***

A week passes without a word. 

Jules told me they've already begun the investigation, but it has been a week already and I'm beginning to feel anxious and doubtful of her and the police. Could Amanda have done something? Like bribing the police or something? Then I worry about my sick mother in the hospital who was getting weaker every minute. I have to clear my name in order to do the surgery to save her life. 

***

Another week passes. 

Jules updates that they've called in Amanda and the others for questioning. When I asked for more info, she told me she could not say more. 

***

Tired of staring at my silent phone for an update from Jules, I leave the apartment to take a stroll around the block. 

Before I even start to walk, I bump into Adam and Emma, who were coming home, at the front entrance. I glance at Adam nervously, but he just ignores me as if I'm not even there. Emma, not noticing anything, smiles at the sight of me. 

"Hey, Angela!" Emma greeted happily. "Where are you off to?"

"Just taking a walk around the block for some air."

"Oh, that sounds like fun! Could I join you? I need to get some exercise too, especially since the wedding is just around the corner." She nudges Adam. "Do you want to come along too?" 

"Yeah sure, it doesn't matter." 

"So you wouldn't mind us intruding on your walk, right?" Emma asks. "I'd totally understand if you don't want us bothering you. I know how we all just need some alone time once in a while." 

"No no no, it's fine. The more the merrier!" I smile at her. "Let's go."

She hooks her arm around mine and we start walking with Adam trailing behind us. Emma goes off about her tiring day at work while I try to listen and ignore the stare I could feel on my back. 

"So I had all these reports to read... and... like there were so many words... and I had a bunch of meetings also... you know..." she chatters excitedly as we continue to walk down the sidewalk.

I nod once in a while and give some reactions so she won't suspect my drifting attention.

Everything is fine when all of a sudden, a woman jumps at us with a pocket knife in hand. "Die! Die! Die! You deserve this, you witch!" Her messy hair covered her face as she tried to stab the knife at us. At me. 

Emma screams and runs to Adam. I stand frozen in my spot. 

The woman continues to tell me to die as she gets closer. "Die! Die! Die!" A gust of wind blows at the hair on her face, revealing her identity to us all. 

I gasp in horror. 

"You were supposed to be dead! Why are you still here?? I'm sure I freaking killed you that day! You b*tch!!! Why can't you just stay the hell away from my life? You're ruining everything!!!" She screams in a high pitch voice. "This is all your fault!!" She begins to run at me at full speed with the blade of the knife pointed directly at me.