Shattered Appearances ✓

f o r t y - f i v e: He Was Just The Evil Witch In This Twisted Faitytale

I knew why he wanted to meet me at night. It was a shady part of town, so everyone was inside at once the street lights came on. The only people outside were either stupid or drug dealers. No one would be able to help me.

But that's okay. I don't need anyone's help. I could handle him myself.

What would someone do if they were going to meet a sociopath with his own hidden agenda?

They wouldn't. They would run away as fast as they can. Part of me wondered why I was going to do this. If I really wanted to get away from him, I could just move. He wanted me. Then again, he's unpredictable and I don't know what he would do when he realizes that I'm out of his radar.

I looked at the selection of pocket knives at my local pharmacy. Some were too big, while others were too small. I needed one that was sharp, but still small enough that someone wouldn't notice that it was in my pocket. I needed something to defend myself with.

Finally finding a suitable one, I went to the cashier to pay. She was middle aged and had this look of boredom on her face. As I was paying, I noticed the cashier giving me strange looks and I huffed in annoyance. Why was it that every time I shopped here, someone was giving me looked at me strangely?

Oh right, because buying pregnancy tests and pocket knives aren't normal for a teenager. After I paid for it and left the store, I took it out of its packaging and started to play with it. I think it's suitable enough to do the job.

Phase one: buy a knife, check.

Phase two: Tell a lie so no one questions where I was going. Commences now.

As I started to think of a suitable lie to tell, I saw Thomas talking on the phone as he was walking. I started to walk towards him to say hello but he was too enamored with his phone to notice me.

"Well try harder. All the leads I've been given turned out to be shit. I need to find him before he comes in contact with her. He's going to do it sooner or later."

It was then that I stopped dead in my tracks. What the hell was he talking about? Even though I was farther away now, I could still vaguely hear what he said next.

"I'm such a dumbass. I should have never come up with that idea in the first place. Now it's my fault that she's being followed."

In my shock over what he said, I dropped my pocket knife. The voice of metal clashing against cement made him turn around. He quickly turned around and hung up his phone.

"Who was on the other line?"

"Zoe." He said carefully, trying to decide his next steps. Meanwhile, I stayed in place, my mind scattered everywhere.

"Who was on the other line?" I repeated in a grim voice. I'm not stupid; if I'm given enough time I can figure it out.

He only sighed and put his phone away. This was why he felt guilty when he 'wronged' a friend yesterday.

That friend was me.

"His name is Jeremiah Fisher. I'm sure you know him."

My mind scrambled to put together the name when I made a connection. He was the person that I bumped into during my graduation. He was also the person who I called using the number Paige gave me. The thing I couldn't figure out is why.

Why would Thomas want to contact the best friend of the person I despise?

I looked at the time and saw that it was eight o'clock. I didn't have for this. I still had to prepare a plan.

"We'll talk about this later and you're going to explain everything."

I picked up the pocket knife that fell onto the floor and his gaze landed on it. Thomas' eyes scrunched in confusion.