Eye For An Eye. Ch. 5 (Ghostface x Reader x Frank Morrison)
Summary: Frank makes a reckless decision during their break in while you deal with the after math of discovering a body. You realize that Sheriff McCall isn’t the only one interested in questioning you.
A/N: I missed yall of course , I enjoyed writing this chapter. Thank you for the messages and comments. I hope you enjoy (((:
For the first time since their group began terrorizing Ormond , Frank’s stomach churned with anxiety as he drove them to their destination.
Your face kept slipping into his thoughts. The way you gazed at him, eyes guarded but still looking at him with such softness. Even after everything he’s done—who he is, you still look at him the way you did when you both first met in the orphanage.
He couldn’t erase the feeling of your noses brushing again each other. The small breath you took in before begging for him to stay. The disappointment in your face when he again couldn’t say yes.
He should have stayed. He could have stayed.
Why didn’t he just fucking stay?
His eyes were set on the road, repeating the question in his head, jaw locked and hands gripping the steering wheel. Julie paid no mind to the older teen’s tensed posture, messing with her car radio. Her own demeanor was the opposite, relaxed while leaning back once the station she turned to satisfied her.
It was her idea to take the smaller vehicle. Her parents had just bought it few weeks ago for her 18th birthday and she figured it was less known by the sheriff, lessening the chances of them being stopped.
In the back of the car, Susie was basically curled into herself, tugging at the ends of her sleeves and glancing at every car that happened to be out at this time of night. Joey excitedly bounced his knee next to her and was leaning forward between the driver and passenger seat.
“Jeez Joey, relax. I’ve never seen you so excited.” Julie grinned. Joey nodded his head with the same energy as his knee and gripped onto the driver seat , shaking it slightly.
“Hell yeah. I wish I could see that assholes face when he opens the shop tomorrow and sees the mess we’re going to leave.” Joey looks at Frank, waiting for a reaction, or really, a sign of approval from the older male.
“I thought we were just stealing some cash.” Susie finally pipes up, having not said a word since they picked her up, eyes darting between her three friends anxiously. “That’s..that’s what you said, right Frank ?”
They all look at Frank. They always did. It was part of their deal as the legion, as much as Julie tries to deny it, even she stares at Frank. Waiting to see what he has to say about what goes. He finally speaks.
“No stupid moves.” Franks locks eyes with Julie, daring her to object. “We get the cash. In and out.”
Susie posture relaxes slightly while Joey and Julie shoulders deflate in disappointment. But once those grinning masks were slipped on and they all managed to break into the side door with Joeys knowledge of the faulty doorknob and a twist of Franks pocket knife—there was an air of excitement buzzing through them again.
Joey lead them through the aisles towards the front where the counter was located. Frank made sure he was the last one, following close behind as he took in the surroundings.
The store was quiet and still inside. The only source of light was from outside, the large sign that glowed above the front doors, the fluorescent lights giving Joey enough to see as he begin messing with the register.
Frank watched for a moment, glancing at Susie as she begin to pace in front of the counter. She had her attention on the glass windows as though expecting a car to pull into the parking lot at any moment. Her own anxiety beginning to rub off on him as he can’t refrain himself from growing impatient when Joey struggles with the lock.
“Shit.” Joey mutters, slipping his mask up. “I can’t see shit in this, hold on.”
Julie rolls her eyes and leans back against the front of the counter. Her sticky fingers already grabbed a candy bar from the many snacks that decorated under it. It was a small unimportant thing but it only furthered Frank’s impatience.
He knew it was her own way of going against his orders. Before he liked the rebellion in the blonde, it’s what drew him to her. But not tonight. Something was different.
“I don’t think the mask is the problem.” She sighs as she takes a bite from the chocolate bar.
Frank head tilts towards the corner of the store when a sound suddenly broke through the quiet surface. A hum of a radio.
Stay. You said. Please.
Frank grimaced to himself, picturing the furrow of your eyebrows at the sight of his hesitation.
“Frank?” Julie says sharply and he snaps his attention from the sound to her. “This idiot can’t get it open. Use your knife—”
A door creaked in the back. The noise was too loud. Wrong. Susie gasped softly when a janitor stepped out, pushing a mop bucket before him. He was older, eyes looking exhausted from the many years of cleaning the same floors and shelfs in the tiny shop.
He froze at the sight of them.
“Hey..” he said in surprise, placing the mop against the wall. The masks seemed to be barely registering in his mind, or maybe the sight of Susie; plaid skirt and baggy sweater has his guard down. “The stores closed..You kids shouldn’t be in here.”
Kids. Frank anxiously twirls the closed knife in his hand. The nickname settling and lodging a sudden deep feeling of disgust to grow inside.
Does he not see them as a threat?
The janitor eyes fall on Joey. The realization clicks into place. “Joey? ”
“Stay back.” Frank orders. His fingers snaps the knife open in one swift motion. Everyone tenses up.
“Shit.” Joey fumbles with his mask and looks at Frank then Julie. “Shit I’m fucked !”
“Look. I don’t want any trouble” He says slowly. His voice was shaky, eyes beginning to dart between the four. Uncertain.
It satisfies Frank.
“Then stay the fuck back. And let us get what we want and we’ll be out of here soon.”
“Joey, if you and your friends just leave, I won’t say anything—“
“Shut the fuck up.” Frank snaps, pointing the knife at him.
“Come on.” Susie hisses , pulling on Frank’s arm. He only pushes her away, and she turns to Julie in desperation. “Let’s do what he says, let’s go. This is stupid!”
Julie doesn’t say anything. She shifts on her feet, not knowing who to focus on. Joey continues to mutter under his breathe, that buzz from minutes earlier now turning into dread. But for Frank, his excitement only grew as the fear in the man’s face was evident.
“I just gotta take care of something real quick. And I’ll come back.” He had said.
The janitor eyes move from Frank, towards Joey then towards the door he had exited. Frank knows what he’s thinking.
“Frank.” Julie warns, also noticing the man’s attention.
“Don’t even think about it.” He snaps but the janitor seemed set. He rushed towards the door and Frank didn’t think. He moved before the rest of the legion could react, following close behind the man.
It all happened so fast.
The man’s yelp rang through the empty store. Sharp and final. His body slamming against the closed door. Franks knife marking its spot inside his neck. He twisted it before pulling it out, blood splattering on both his hands and the wall before him.
The sight egged him on. He couldn’t stop. The knife repeatedly assaulted the man’s back before he felt himself be pushed back. The janitors last ounce of strength nearly knocked Frank off his feet.
Frank stepping back in both awe and disgust as he watched the janitor stagger, his gurgles the only source of noise as they all watched in silence, before he slumped to the ground. He held onto his throat, desperately staring up at Frank, his eyes pleading and full of horror.
I swear to you, I’ll come back. Frank had promised.
You didn’t say much. A simple Okay. Your eyes were guarded, not fully accepting his promise. Like you knew he wouldn’t keep the promise.
You knew that Frank was capable of fucking up again.
Frank sucked in a sharp breath. For the first time all night, the anxiety subsided.
“Oh my god.” Susie made a broken sound, covering her mouth as a sob escaped. It broke him out the trance. He looked back at the group.
All their masks were off, exposing a group of teenagers, watching him then the struggling man who was attempting to crawl. Julie stepped forward, her eyes glimmering with such awe. She didn’t look scared so he shoved the knife towards her. And she got the hint.
Julie shoved a final blow to the man’s neck, before pulling back with a soft gasp. His chest heaved one last time then stilled, and that final action finally broke Susie’s restraint as her sobs escaped. It filled the empty space.
“No no no no …oh my god oh my god. Frank! ” She cries and Frank finally looks her in the eye. Her hands gripped the roots of her hair tightly.
“What did you do!?”
~~~~
“What is wrong with you?” Your mother yells, her eyes holding an expression that only deepened the knife of shame that was embedded into you since you were born.
You could only listen as her sobs grew quiet , the sounds of sirens drowning it out. Your eyes couldn’t tear away from the sight of your bloody hands, fingers trembling not from fear, but adrenaline.
“What did you do?”
You snapped your head up. Your body tenses up at the accusation. Though, the voice wasn’t your mothers this time.
Instead it was the Sheriff, who sat across from you.
A metal table separated the two of you. The interrogation room was small. The pale walls had some stains in them. It smelled like burnt coffee and was stuffy enough that the warm layers you had on were beginning to itch.
Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sickly yellow light over your features and making them stand out to Sheiff McCall. Your eyes were red rimmed and glassy, eye bags more prominent as your skin was sickly paled. You looked smaller to him now, hollowed out as your soft features that usually carried a small smile were now blank.
A folder was laid out in front of him. His pen tapped on the table as he watched you closely. His calloused hands rubbed the stubble on his beard as he glances down at his neat writing.
You blink away the memory but looking at your hands, that were still stained but less fresh, almost pulled you back in.
“What..” You clench and unclench your fingers, shaking your head. Wait, what did he ask again?
He sighs and leans forward to rest his arms on top of the table. His eyes held sympathy. A look you weren’t sure you were comfortable with.
“You said you went outside because of a noise.. and you noticed Jenny’s back door was open then..” he clears his throat. “What did you do?”
Oh.
The mess in the living room. The broken glass. The blood on the floor. The blood on the walls..on your hands and..and..
The body. You couldn’t remember exactly what you did after you found her. It was all scattered, like different pieces of a puzzle you were trying to find to make it whole.
There were some you could place together. Your hands slipping from trying to push yourself up fully from the floor as you dragged yourself back, away from the body. Lungs constricting from the shrieks you continued to let out as you finally managed to escape the house.
You couldn’t remember clearly. Did you call the police? No. You couldn’t even let out any words as a neighbor pulled themselves out of bed and came out to check what all the noise was about.
The next thing you remember was three police cars showing up and an ambulance, a scene very rare that caused for the rest of the neighborhood to take residence in their porches.
You were in the back of an ambulance. There was caution tape. There was the sight of police offices going in then out of the home. Suddenly the sheriff was in front of you and placing his jacket on you. Shes in shock A paramedic had said to him. Then you were in the back of a police car.
Blood.
There was blood. So much blood.
You shut your eyes close for a second and take in a deep breathe. The metal chair felt cold under you. Another sigh escapes his lips, filling the small room.
“Kid..I know this is hard. But I need you to walk me through it one more time. The parts that are clearest.”
Your voice comes out hoarsed from the screaming earlier, pushing through the pit in your stomach as you allow yourself relive it again. “Um..I went inside. I saw everything thrown around the living room and..”
You swallow hard. “I slipped.. I slipped on... It was blood..it was everywhere..and then I saw..”
“Take your time.” He says softly.
Some tears escaped and you didn’t have the strength to wipe them away as you finally answer. There was no point in holding in a sob anymore. The image stuck on your mind.
“I saw her body..” You breathe shakily. “Jenny..she was lying there in the hallway and she wasn’t moving.”
“Kid” He tries, but you barely notice it.
“She was just lying there. There was so much blood and she was just there, she wasn’t moving or..god I didn’t even check on her body, but I knew she was dead..” You cried and finally looked at him. “I just knew , I knew he did something to her. He hurt her sheriff. He did this to her.”
He stayed quiet for a moment, studying your face before finally setting his pen down. He leaned back in his chair. “John didn’t do this.”
“What?” You exhaled in disbelief. “He did..Everyone knows how he was, how could you even think it’s not-“
“The victim wasn’t Jenny.” He finally states and your words get caught in your throat. “It was John.”
It didn’t land right away. Your mind replaying what you saw in the hallway, remembering how sure you were that it was Jenny. You knew the moment you saw the body. You saw her, it was her. But..
It was too dark. All the lights were off and you didn’t see their face. You only saw the shape of the body. Contorted in a way that you only saw the back of it. It finally hit.
“No..” You whisper. “That’s not—but..”
You stopped, confused and horrified all at once. It didn’t make any sense. “He was suppose to be gone. Jenny said he had a business trip.”
His expression didn’t change. “He never left.”
You squeezed your eyes shut, a wave of relief mixed in with guilt caused for a sudden tightness in your chest and throat. You struggle to speak, “does that mean—Jenny, is she..? She’s okay? I didn’t check the rest of the house , I ran. Was she okay?”
At this, the sheriff finally looked away from you and down at his folder. He licked his teeth, smacking his lips and exhaled deeply. His expression was unreadable now, hesitating as though he thinking how to deliver his next sentence.
“We can’t locate Jenny.”
Any sort of relief was ripped away as you stared at him.”what?”
“We checked the house, and the property around. Jenny wasn’t found. Her car was gone as well. We called around and no one has seen her since—“
“She’s missing?” You interrupt, barely processing it all. “So someone has her? Shouldn’t you guys be looking around town? She could be hurt, or she could be dead or..or..”
Their was shift in his face and demeanor. There was no more sympathy. It was the same tension he held the many times you seen him talk to Frank when he knew the boy was lying about something. As though he was holding in a question or statement that would break through whatever facade was being presented.
He exchanged looks with the deputy that was standing near the door. “Look..did Jenny ever make any comments to you about leaving town? Or did she ever talk to you about her issues with John?”
The words lit a spark in you. No. You should’ve known that sympathy was only a trick. Suddenly the walls felt closer than before.
“She didn’t do this.” Your voice doesn’t waver, growing louder. “No. You guys are wrong.”
“We always think we know someone but you never-“
“No!” You snap , slamming your hands on the table and the deputy behind you straightens. “I know. Jenny isn’t that type of person. She would never do something like this.”
“A body was found.” His voice goes stern, matching the intense eye contact. “John is dead and the only other person who was suppose to be there is Jenny. And she can’t be located. Her car and belongings are gone. These are possibilities we have to consider. We aren’t saying she’s guilty.”
“Yes you are.” You suddenly hate the way his jacket feels on you, shrugging it off and letting it fall on top of the chair. “And it’s wrong. You. Are. wrong.”
“She’s a person of interest as of now. And we need any information we can get. Anything that can help us know where to look. Figure out who did this.” He states.
“It seems like you already have that figured out.“ You repeat sourly.
“Kid ..please I understand this is hard for you. I really do.” The look of sympathy reaches his eyes again. “I hate that you had to walk into something like that.”
Bullshit. Why would he care? You were just an incompetent witness in his eyes. That look he threw you and his voice changing to a tone of vigilance, as though he was afraid of spooking you. Like he didn’t want to push you too far. He was treating you like a child.
You look down at your hands again. They were covered in blood, streaks smudged all the way up to your elbows. Your sweatshirt and pajama pants didn’t escape from any of it either. Dried flecks decorated the materials.
What child would look like this?
With his jacket now not covering the crime scene on your clothes, the sheriff seemed to have taken in the sight and he checked his watch as an excuse to not face it.
“I’m sorry for holding you here for so long, kid. Especially in the condition you’re in..” He starts and you dont look him in the face. “I’ll have one of my men take you home. Get cleaned up, take time to rest and I’ll contact you soon if there’s anything else.”
You’re not needed anymore.
You stood up, the fight in your body disappearing. You felt so tired. You were about to turn away when the sheriff speaks once again.
“But if you know anything that can help us. Anything you noticed. Something that could help us. Please reach out, okay?”
A folded map. The envelope and the bag of clothes in her back seat.
You walk through the door. The weight of everything returned as you walked down the narrow hallway, not from the blood that covered your hands and arms or the body, but from the idea that Jenny was alone somewhere. Already being turned into a story that didn’t belong to her.
A deputy walked close behind but you pretend to not notice, ignoring the stares from some familiar faces sitting in the lobby of the police station. Your eyes stayed glued ahead of you, focused on the glass doors.
“Is Sheriff McCall in?” an all too familiar voice broke through your bubble. Jed was standing in front of the front desk, almost towering over the counter but his hunched and polite demeanor didn’t make it look intimidating.
His hair was pulled back into a low bun, exposing the pen behind his ear, kept in place by his glasses. He was holding a notebook and a tape recorder by his side, along with a camera that was wrapped around his neck.
“…just a quick word ma’m. I’m Jed Olsen, Ormond Gazette, passing through. Heard the call on the call scanner and figured I can get ahead of any false stories being told..” his voice trails off as you start to tune it out. The receptionist seems to be amused, or easily distracted by his face, clearly charmed as she lets out a small laugh at whatever you had missed him saying.
He really looked the part. A curious reporter who wanted inside scoop on his next big story. He really wasn’t lying when he said something would come up for him.
But why this? There was some embarrassment at the fact that you were involved in a way. Now he was going to see you in a different light you were hoping to escape from. He’s going to see you covered in blood and he’s going to know.
As though sensing eyes on him, he turned his head your direction. You make eye contact and the recognition in his facial features has you forcing yourself to look away and duck your head.
Shit.
You glance up as the glass doors into the police station are pushed open and Frank comes rushing in. He looks almost disheveled as you, minus the blood. Blonde strands sticking up from his fingers abusing them.
He reaches you in three long strides, hands already coming up to take hold of your shoulders as he takes in your appearance.
“Jesus Christ” he breathes, his eyes trailing from your face to your sweater, then finally landing on your arms. His face crumbles a little bit. He yanks off his leather jacket off and wraps it around you in one swift motion. It carried his warmth, the smell of cigarettes he was chain smoking outside the police station minutes before and cheap cologne engulfed your frame.
His usual scowl returns to his face as he eyes up the sheriff that was following close behind. “You assholes were just going to leave her leave like this? You couldn’t fucking cover her up. A fucking sweater or a blanket? Bunch of useless asshol-“
“Frank.” Sheriff McCall finally steps into the lobby, no look of surprise on his face at the sudden appearance or outburst. “I’m glad you’re here. How about you stop harassing my men and come inside so we can talk.”
Frank froze mid step as he was already steering you towards the glass doors. He turned slowly, eyes narrowing into something dangerous. The feeling of blood that painted his skin hours earlier still fresh on his mind.
“Talk?” He scoffs. “Why the fuck would I do that? She’s covered in blood. I need to get her home.”
“One of my men will stay with her.” He narrows his eyes, beginning to crack from the lack of manners. He steps asides, making it clear to the both of you that it wasn’t a question. “Protocol, Frank. It won’t take long.”
Frank hesitates at first and you prepare to hear a few more insults to fly out his mouth but he resigns, taking a quick look at you. “I’ll be back.”
It sounds familiar. Echoing his words from the night before. Why did that feel so long ago?The memory felt so faded , like in a different timeline instead of just a few hours earlier.
You could only nod, holding the ends of his jacket closer to your chest as you watch him disappear behind the door before you walk to one of the many empty seats and sit down.
Your hands still trembled a bit, gripping onto his jacket like a lifeline. You couldn’t even grip onto a single thought to keep you grounded. Your mind felt like it was scattered around and there was pieces of it on the floor and your hands were too slippery to grip onto a single one to bring you back into who you were before the discovery.
Or maybe you were afraid to face any of it. The reality of it all. Where was Jenny? Did she finally decide it was time to leave?
Did she do it? No. That didn’t matter to you. As much as the sheriff tried to highlight the importance of Jenny’s involvement, you only really cared for one thing. The one question that you could hold onto.
Why did she leave you behind?
“Hey..y/n?”
You snap out of your focus on the floor tiles as the chair nexts to you creaks slightly and look towards the source of the voice.
Jed watched you closely, the small leather notebook you’ve noted earlier in his hands. The tape recorder was in the other.
“I’m Jed Olsen.” He says. It sounded almost rehearsed, easy but..off. “Im a journalist. I was hoping to ask you a few questions, off the record, if you’ll like.”
For the first time in 12 hours, you allow yourself to let out a small laugh. It was rough, a rather harsher sound but you allow yourself to release some tension. The absurdity of the situation was beginning to pull at you.
“Somehow we keep meeting in an even weirder situation than the last.” You finally say softly, bringing a knee up to your chest and hugging it tightly. Leaning your cheek against the top of your knee as you glance at him.
Jed lets out a small chuckle of his own.His expression shifted , a small smile pulling at his lips. The professional sharpness he presented dulled, bringing back the soft demeanor you faced before.
“Sorry. Bad habit.” He states as he shakes the notebook in his hand. He slides it back into his pocket, like he’d never meant to use it.
“It’s okay.” You shrug, bitterly adding, “You’re not the first person to ask me questions. And won’t be the last.”
“Hey. You don’t owe anyone anything. But with what you saw, it makes you important in other peoples eyes.” He says.
Important. That felt wrong. How could you be so important? All you did was walk into something at the wrong time. You didn’t matter in this story. What mattered was Jenny.
“I don’t want to be important.” You assure and his expression shifts but you can’t pinpoint what it was.
“Most people don’t.” He leans back against the seat, eyes still focused on you.
“I don’t want to be a part of whatever rumors this town is going to spread.” You stare back at your hands. “I don’t want her to either..whatever they say about her..I can’t stand to hear it.”
“Jenny..right?” He asks softly and you nod. “Small towns tend to get loud when things like this happen. Stories starting moving faster then the truth.”
Your jaw tightens and Jed studies you. “You don’t think she did it, do you?”
“No.” You say immediately, “She wouldn’t do this. I don’t care what the sheriff or anyone has to say. They want to turn her into something…something ugly. And she’s not. Not like everyone else in this town, not like..”
Like me. You don’t say it. You swallow that down hoping it could just disappear. As long as you don’t say, it wouldn’t be true , right?
Jed nods slowly. “That’s usually how these stories go. But for what’s it’s worth, I don’t buy that version of the story. Not without proof.”
You blink at him in surprise, dropping your knee and turning to him. “Really?”
He nods and you want to let out a sob of relief.
“I’ve sat in a few interrogations. Stories that get twisted fast, words turning into something that’s not even close to the truth.” His voice stays soft, and you cling onto every word. “Cops mean well, but they look for quick answers. Something that fits the report.”
You swallow hard, not speaking but listening. Really listening. His voice drops a bit, just enough to feel private, a secret between the both of you.
“Not me though. I always try to get the real story here anything else. Make sure people’s voices are heard. Not the version that looks perfect on paper.”
Jed reaches into his pocket and pulls out a simple white business card, sliding it between the two chairs without touching you. “If you ever need someone to talk to, someone without a badge, you can call me. No pressure. On or off record.”
You stare at the card, his name in bold letters against the paper, and you close your fingers around it. Your breathe catches, a small shift that you didn’t recognize moving in you before the moment is broken by a door banging open.
Frank stormed on, shoulders set and eyes already scanning the lobby like his mind was set on one thing. They sharpened once they set on Jed, sitting to close to you, posture too relaxed for his liking. They soften once they land on you a second after.
He seem to swallow down whatever displeasure he felt from the scene, reaching you and already holding out his hand for you to take.
“Come on.” He says softly, not glancing at Jed again as he guides you towards the glass doors once again. His grip firm but gentle, like he was afraid you’ll break if he moved to fast. Jed simply smiled politely which you returned quickly, nodding at the both of you as you finally exit the building you were stuck in for hours.
~~~
The reflection in the mirror mocked you. Your glassy eyes were slightly puffy, squinting from how bright the light in your bathroom was. Small blemishes of a fading red marked your nose and left cheek from you absently rubbing the tears from your face through the night.
It almost seemed like a dream—or a memory. The sight reminded you of a younger version of you that you buried deep in the back of your mind, away from the surface.
It was going to stay there.
You peeled off the clothes, tossing them to the side and quickly make work in turning the shower on. The knob was twisted all the way to hot and the pipes groaned before the water came. The water hit your shoulder, back and your hair.
You felt the warm water pool down your skin, down your legs and arms and dripping down to the bottom of the tub. You shut your eyes tightly at first, knowing that the water wouldn’t be clear as it went down the drain.
The soap was the only object you focused on, rubbing it on your hands and rubbing it over your body. Scrubbing away at skin, ignoring the way the water was beginning to burn and how raw the act was beginning to feel. It seemed like forever before you could down.
It was still there. Fainter now, less visible. A shadow under the surface.
Your breath hitches.
“Stop.” You press your forehead against the shower tile. The hot water pounded against your back as you tried to breathe.
“It wasn’t me.” You say before getting more soap and scrubbing harder. It took a while but slowly, the blood begin to fade to nothing but the feeling didn’t. You stared as the water around your feet begin to clear up.
But you knew better to think you got rid of it. The memory clung to you, it wasn’t something you could shake off. Even as you turned off the water and the bathroom got colder than before, the memory clung tighter onto you.
Deep down, that feeling you kept hidden begin to break through. You weren’t sure if was fear. It was touched again tonight and it touched you back.
And it wasn’t done with you yet.
Frank paced slowly around the room. It was three paces from the window to your bed, turn and two paces from your bed to your bedroom door. He repeated about 10 times before finally forcing himself to sit on the end of your bed.
You had been quiet the whole car ride, staring out the window as though searching for something. He even thought that it seemed like you were looking for Jenny, hoping to catch a glimpse of her somewhere. Anywhere.
The house had been quiet when you both arrived, no sight of your foster parents. Frank wasn’t surprised they didn’t bother to be home to greet you, rather to clock into their shifts than deal with their only source of extra income problems. You didn’t seem to mind, focusing on making your way to your bedroom and into the bathroom.
The bathroom door was still closed. The shower had been running for quite some time. A little longer than usual.
Frank rubbed his face, laying back onto your bed.
I should’ve came back sooner.
The thought wouldn’t leave him alone. It stuck with him when he first turned into your neighborhood earlier that morning. The police lights and caution tape surrounding Jenny’s front porch didn’t really phase him. Only when he tried going up your porch and they had stopped him, did he realize how late he was.
After they had murdered the janitor and Julie managed to calm Susie down from a panic attack, Frank had acted fast. He nearly slapped some sense into Joey, who also couldn’t control his emotion. It came like second nature to Frank, planning the next two hours of their adventure.
Julie and Susie cleaned up the mess while Frank and Joey carried the body out to the car. He made sure to grab some trash bags from the stores storage closet to shut Julie up about making a mess in her trunk. Once they were certain the shop looked untouched, they drove far out, up the mountains near the resort only the group hung out at.
They buried his body. It wasn’t as easy as Frank seen in movies. Shit , they didn’t even have shovels. But they managed to make it work through the many sobbing outbursts that took over Susie and Joeys own sluggish pace.
It was nearly 5 am when they finally drove back in silence. Once half way to Susie’s neighborhood, Frank spoke up.
“We need to have alibis.” He states. “A story that we all stick to no matter what.”
“What do you mean?” Susie hiccups, she hadn’t stopped crying since the ride started. “You think they’ll find the body?”
“I don’t think they will.” Julie reasssures, looking back at her best friend. She could read Franks mind easily. “But just in case Suz. In the future if someone were to find his body.”
Susie starts crying again, looking away from any of them.
“You think he’ll be reported right away?” Joey speaks up. “I remember he didn’t have any kids or a wife...”
“I doubt your old boss would report it. Just think the old man is missing a few days of work” Frank states. “So we have time. And we need to stay low.”
They all nodded, seeming to believe that their leader could get them out of a mess once again.
Frank stared at the ceiling, the pocket knife feeling heavy in the back of his jeans. It was as heavy as his regret. But the regret didn’t stem from what happened in that store.
No. That felt right. Even if Frank tried to, he couldn’t bring himself to care for the life he had taken the night before. If he could, he would replay that moment over and over again.
What he did regret, was the fact that it had delayed him in coming back in time. If he had been here earlier, he could have stopped you from going outside. Or you wouldn’t have gone inside that home alone. You wouldn’t have been the one walking into that scene. Maybe you wouldn’t be scrubbing off that blood off your skin like it was your fault.
The shower shut off. He sat up, listening. He could hear the shower curtain being pulled aside. Then the sound of your small sniffles and shuffling.
He waited for a while.
The door creaked open. You stood there, an oversized sweater that you had borrowed from him a year ago, before things changed. Your hair hung damp and tangled down your shoulders, clinging onto your neck and collarbone.
You looked smaller somehow.
“You okay?” Frank asks, already knowing the answer. “I mean, fuck I know you’re not but..I’m here. Alright? Whatever the hell you walked into. You can talk to me.”
You rubbed your elbow, biting your lip as you take in his presence in your room. It was hard to not think about the promises he made before everything changed, but you pushed it aside. Because as much as you wanted to ask if he was ever going to come back last night, all you cared was that he was there now.
“I don’t know..” You answer, voice small. “I don’t know, Frankie.”
The old nickname crushes something inside Frank. Frankie. You haven’t called him that for the past year. Not since he left you behind for the new thrill of what the legion brought him. His heart cracked wide open and he finally reaches out, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards him.
He wraps his arm around you and cradles the back of your head as he practically pulls you on his lap. You relax into him, leaning your head on his shoulder as a few more tears slip. Your shoulders shook as begin to cry softly.
“I was suppose to watch a movie with her tomorrow.” You hiccup. “She promised we would eat popcorn and order pizza..and now.I’m so confused.I don’t understand ..”
You pull away and look at him, your breathe hitching as your voice grows more sharp. “They’re saying she’s a suspect, Frank. It doesn’t make any sense. She wouldn’t do something like this..she—it’s Jenny. You know. Everyone knows that John was the one that hurt her and she never hit him back. And now she’s gone.”
“Hey..” he whispers, running his fingers through your damp hair while his other hand caresses your cheek. He tries to be reassuring. “I know. I know. They’ll figure it out eventually. The truth. They’ll find Jenny..and they’ll know.”
You close your eyes for a moment, leaning into his hand as his thumb rubs softly against your cheek and you pretend to listen to him. You pretend that he understood, allowing yourself to bask in the small comfort that he was here with you now.
“I’m here now.” He continues, as though convincing himself of something he held within. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”
You both stayed like that. Both stained with blood from the night before, unaware that a new beginning was festering.











