Category : Stories

Sub Category : Drama

    It's fascinating. People. How they fade in and out of crowds. How giving someone a second glance can show you a little into their lives. You can observe a lot by just watching. 
    You could argue that staring is rude (at least that's what my mom says) and I would learn a whole lot more if I actually talked to them, but people talk too much. Instead, I watch and wonder. 
    I take a long sip of my hot chocolate. I'm thankful for the warmth of my silver travel mug on my bare hands. I wish I grabbed a thicker jacket earlier, as this chilly weather was unexpected. The clouds are cluttered together, making the sky look like it has lost its colour.
     It's definitely going to rain, I think.
   After I'm certain there's no bird poop, I take a seat on my favourite bench. It has an exceptional view of the city, in my opinion. The streets are noticeably busy this morning. I whip out my camera and quickly take a picture of a man bumping into someone on the sidewalk. Actually, it's more of his over the top reaction. The other person continues walking as he yells something at them. I can't hear what he said but I'm guessing it wasn't too nice. He disappears into the crowd like most people do. I look back down at the picture. He must be around the same age as me; late-twenties. Looking at his briefcase and tie, I assume he's on his way to work. Why did he react like that? It wasn't even the other persons fault. He was the one who bumped into them in the first place. Perhaps he expects people to move move out of the way for him like he's the most important person in the world, caused by a big ego. Or maybe he was just stressed out because he's late for work. Yup, that's probably it.
   When my hot cocoa is completely gone and strangers start giving me strange looks, I realize I'm cold. The nearest bus stop is only a couple minutes away, so I pack up my things and start walking. The smell of thunder hangs in the air and I notice some people taking out their umbrellas. I pick up the pace a little. Lost in my thoughts, I almost trip over my own feet. That's when I see her. Though the glass of a cafe. My heart drops so hard, it hurts. 
There's no way
  My tears are heavy as they fall down my cheek. I clutch onto the trash can beside me and close my eyes. 
   This isn't real life. The people around me seem slow down. All I can hear is buzzing in my ears
Ghosts aren't real. She isn't really there, I remind myself.
   I try breath in, but the air is sharp on my throat. I stand up tall, attempting to look normal, but everyone can see right through me. In reality, no one cares. 
   I don't dare look through the glass and walk in a straight line towards the bus stop. I need to get home. I should call my therapist. People flood around me, waiting for the bus. I can't wait to get home. I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I think I'm in shock, but I don't know. I need time to process this. 
She's here. 
Now. 
Why?
   "Are you gettin' on or what, honey?" 
   I look up from my designer boots. The voice is coming from the bus driver. She has over a million tattoos and an eye brow piercing. I just stare at her, unable to produce words. 
   "Uhh.....hello?" She seems concerned. 
   "No. I have to go back. This can't a coincidence. She's there. She's really there!," I declare as tear flow from my eyes 
   "Okay then." She must be used to crazy people like me.
   I'm fired up with courage. Almost too much courage. I march back to that cafe with determination. I'm getting myself ready for disappointment because she's not really there, I know it. 
   The Cafe is called 'Cup Delight'. A bell rings when I step inside. It's so much warmer in here, thank goodness. I wipe the countless tears off my face. The Cafe has kind of a rustic vibe to is, but in a modern way. I actually like it. For a second I forget why I'm here. For a second. I get in line and look around. I immediately spot her. She's sitting on the far side of the Cafe at a smaller table by herself. She's absolutely breathtaking. She's wearing modern glasses and a messy bun, while doing something on her lap top. I start to feel dizzy. The floor feels like it's spinning out of control. I look around for the bathroom, in case I throw up. 
   I steady myself on the counter and take a big breathe. The barista calls me up to order, but I have no idea what I wanted. He asks if I hit my head when I watch the menu. I end up getting a caramel latte. As I wait for my drink, I study her. She seems...real. Definitely older, more mature. The last time I saw her she was she was nineteen. Maybe this is a mistake and she's someone else,
  "Latte for Jennifer!" The barista calls out. 
  She looks up from her computer and looks me dead in the eyes. Her jaw drops to the floor. Panic rushes through me. I want to run out of here as fast as humanly possible, but I know it's too late. She sees me. 
  "Oh my God. Jinny?!" She cries out. 
The colour in her face disappears. Maybe she really is a ghost.
  I swallow hard. I don't move, so she stands up and waves me over hysterically. The energy and confidence I had earlier drains out of me. Every step towards her table gets harder and harder. It feels as though I just did climbed Everest by the time I reach the table. 
  "Oh my God! I can't believe it!" She pulls me into a tight hug, but I don't hug her back. She's taking this much better than me. I haven't said anything yet. We sit down, face to face. I take her in up close. Her features have aged, but they're still perfectly symmetrical.  I have so many questions but I need to start with the basics. 
  "Gemma, how are you...not in the river?" I ask bluntly. 
  Gemma half smiles at me sympathetically, then places her hand on mine. 
  "I'm so sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I'm so so sorry." She whispers.      
  "I-I faked my own death"
   I can't help myself and start sobbing into my hands.
  "What? No. You're gone. How?" I weep in horror. "What happened to you? How could-"
  "Jinny, let me explain. It's a long story, ok? Just calm down." She says calmly.
  I just want to dissolve in my own tears. I want to know so much. Gemma needs to explain to me exactly why she left me, her best friend. She's been here this whole time. Extreme anger washes over me. How could she be so selfish. I don't underst-


  My eyes flicker open. I'm in the backseat of a car. I'm moving. I'm terrified.
  "What's going on?" I ask the driver. 
In the rear view mirror I see Gemma. I gasp. My memories hit me like a train. I barf on the seat next to me.
  "Jennifer! Oh my God! It's just me! You passed out in the restaurant! You're alright!" 
  "No! You're alive!" I throw up again. 
  "Yes. Crazy, I know. There's some water in the door. Please stop puking." She says coldly. 
I drink almost all the water in that mini plastic water bottle. My mouth is dry and it tastes gross. My heart is beating faster than the speed of light. Her voice sounds unreal.
  "You're safe. I'm just taking you back to my place, ok? I'll explain everything."
I nod. I can't breath. I feel like passing out again. And just like that, I do. 

  "Jinny, wake up. We're here" 
  Gemma taps my shoulder gently. She unbuckles my seatbelt for me and helps me up. I'm still dazed so she wraps her arm around my waist as we go up the elevator. She hits floor 7 and looks away from me. It's like she can't stand to see me. I hate that. 
  We step out of the elevator and walk down the hallway. She leads me through a door with a pink welcome mat into her apartment. 
   "Umm...so this is my place" She says uncomfortably.
   It's not too big with two bedrooms, but you could say it's spacious. It's very modern, mostly white. I'd say it represents her personality fairly well. I mean, from what I know about her.
  "How long have you been here, alive?" I ask in a deep voice.
  "Like in this apartment? Seven months, I think," she responds normally. "Why don't you sit down?"
   I slowly make my way over to the white couches. 
  "Want anything to drink? Water? Coffee? Juice? I think I have some wine"
  "I don't drink. Never have, never will" I say. She should know that. She knew everything about me.
   "Right" Gemma replies, thinking exactly what I was thinking. She hurries over to me and sits in her leather arm chair. 
   "I have so many questions..." I start crying again. I pinch my neck to make I'm not having a nightmare.
   "This must be scary, Jennifer. I just want you to know I'm sorry and I'll tell you everything,"
   "Why did you die?"
   "You mean fake my death." She sighs "Well, you know how I was. I was younger and liked to party a lot. When you went to California for that internship, I had nothing to hold me back...from going all the way. I hung out with the wrong people and got into drugs. I did some bad stuff and probably hurt a ton of people. I made some money selling and transporting drugs and smuggling animals into the country. This guy, they call him Douglas, I ripped him off a truck load of fake crack. He was offering big cash and I didn't have enough, so I faked it. He lost thousands of dollars and came after me."
  I feel dizzy again.
   "What...Why didn't you tell me? Or tell the police?! I could have helped you!"
   "You would never understand! No one did! How could I possibly go to the cops, I would've gone to prison! I was alone!" She slams her fists on the coffee table, making me flinch. This is not the Gemma I knew.
   "You had me..." I say weakly. 
   "I was alone!" She screams. I stare into her eyes, searching desperately for the girl I once knew. They were as empty as the rainy wind outside. "Until I met Lloyd. He was the love of my life. I told him everything. He replaced you. He understood me like you never could" 
  Her words feel like a shot to the heart. I whimper silently. She blames me. She obviously knows she went to far and puts two fingers over her mouth. 
    "Sorry, Jinny. I just..." Gemma doesn't finish. "Lloyd is the one who thought of starting somewhere new, together. The plan was to run away in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on our backs. We just had to wait for him to set it all up. Deep down, I knew Douglas would find me, but I was caught up in our romantic adventure. We lived in a small town. Everybody would notice that we were gone, but I didn't give a fuck. It was stupid, I see that now." She rubs her shoulder awkwardly.
   "One night, a few days before we were gonna go, I walked in on him with another woman" A single tear falls down the right side of her face. I study her expression. She looks like she's in pain. I want to comfort her like I used to. I say nothing.
   "It was devastating. I actually thought we were going to get married. Mind you, I was like eighteen years old. I didn't handle it well, not at all. I was lost. It was the worst feeling ever. So, I went to that big red bridge over top of Marshall River"
   "But that's how you....That couple tried to stop you. You jumped anyways. They-they saw you do it." I say, confused.
   "I jumped, that's true. The thing is, I survived. I believe it was a sign from the universe telling me to keep going. The couple never checked if I made it to the shore. The police were on their way so I had to act fast. I could not go back. To my family, my friends, you. I hated that town with all I had, so I simply left."
   My mouth is wide open. My eyes start to sting and my arms are shaking. 
   "You 'simply left'?! You sick bastard! You made us think you're dead! The whole fucking town! My best friend since Third Grade is dead. You were my world, Gemma, and you ruined it! That's so cruel and selfish!" I yell. 
    I cry even harder
   "I know. I'm so sorry, Jinny. I just had to go. I had no choice, Jinny."
   "No! You don't know because you weren't there for me. And you had so many other choices. You abandoned me without saying goodbye and that broke me! It put me in the darkest place of my entire life. And why? Because YOU got in trouble?! Because YOU fell for a dumb boy!?"
   Now she's crying. Looks incredibly frustrated with me, like I did something wrong. No. Like she did something wrong. 
    "Hurting you was never the goal. I love you, Jinny. This was a long time ago. I wish I had the power to go back and change things. I hate who I was, but I'm okay now. I have a job, friends, a house. Everyday since that night, I've thought about you. Just hoping one day I'd see you again....my wish came true. I'm truly sorry. Will you ever forgive me."
   I look into her eyes once more. There's a slight sparkle of hope in her eyes. Of the friend I had. Of the of girl I've been longing for. Gemma crawls over to me and lays her head on my shoulder. I hug her tightly and my voice cracks.
  "I forgive you."
  "I missed you so much, Jinny" she says softly.
   "Dido" I smile.
We both sob into each other for what seems like hours. When I don't have any tears left to cry in my body, I pull away from her.
   For the first time since I've seen her, I finally catch my breathe. I'm overjoyed that she's here. I really did miss her. 
   "Do you live by yourself?" I ask.
   "Sadly, yes" She chuckles. "What 'bout you?"
   "I live with my fiancé, Lucas, and my dog, Lilly."
   "That's great, Jinny. I thought you were allergic to dogs though?"
   "The doctor said 'I grew out of it'." I pause "No one calls me Jinny anymore by the way."
   "Huh. I guess I'll be the only one" She says kindly. I study the freckles on her nose. I note that she dyed her hair from blond to light brown. It suits her better, but I don't say so.
   "I go by Nicole now, not Gemma. Nicole Richards. I work as a budget analyst, but I'll probably get a promotion next week." She tells me. 
   I put out my hand and she shakes it.
































































































   "Nice to meet you, Nicole"