Page 82 of Bring me Back
Time stood still. I was too old to be someone’s boyfriend, and I certainly wasn’t Katie’s. I growled about the wrongness of the statement, but Hallie was on the move. Like lightning struck and set her free. She went down the stairs, passing Katie and me at the bottom. I called her name because it was my favorite prayer, with no plans of what to say if she actually let me speak.
She didn’t, though. Hallie marched to the side, grabbing her bag and hurried to the door.
“Hallie, I swear, I broke up with Katie six months ago.” I turned to Katie. “We broke up six months ago!”
“The whole town knows you are together. I knew it was a plot to get my attention…”
I left her talking because Hallie was moving across my lawn. Out of my property, out of my life. It was the first hours of the morning, a couple of neighbors were leaving for church, and another grabbing the newspaper. Normal Bluehaven stuff. And there I was, barefoot, with my pajama bottoms, running down the street after Hallie, leaving Katie’s screeches behind.
By noon, the whole town would know what happened. I put Hallie in that position. They would talk and tear her apart and I was the responsible this time.
“Hallie! Hallie, please!”
She spun with force, a fierce expression, tears down her cheeks. I hated myself right there. I wanted to protect her so much and I couldn’t. I was a coward, like the rest of the town.
“You dated Katie Campbell?”
I halted. My lack of response was enough for her. Her head shook, she took a step back, and I followed with one forward.
“Hallie I…”
“Your ex-girlfriend is Katie Campbell.” An arrow without mercy. And then she turned and marched away. I was on the move the next second, jogged in front of her, stopping in her tracks.
“We broke up months ago, I promise you. I have no idea what she’s doing here…”
“She’s here because she thinks I’m plotting revenge!” Hallie yelled. “She’s here because she knows the whole picture when I don’t!”
“She doesn’t, not if she thinks you would…”
“Yes. I wouldn’t get with you to stick it to her because I’m not insane. But it’s more than that. It’s because I didn’t know Katie was your ex.” As she said it, she winced.
My hands raised, like I could prevent her from running. “Hallie, listen to me. Can we talk?”
“How long did you know?” She asked quickly, a tear running down her cheek. She wiped it with the back of her hand.
“Hallie…” I shook my head. Ashamed.
“How long did you know your ex-girlfriend was the same one who took those pictures of me?”
I closed my eyes. I opened them again, and Hallie was still there, watching.
“When I learned it was her, I liked you enough already. I didn’t want you to think…”
What didn’t I want her to think? That I was hiding it? That I was stupid enough to fall for Katie’s charm?
“I liked the way you looked at me,” I added lamely.
Now she looked at me like she looked to the rest of Bluehaven. Disloyalty. I liked to be the one exception, but now… Now I was one of them. One of Katie’s.
I hated my skin for ever touching her. I hated my past self for never seeing the cruelty the easy smile hid. I was ashamed for ever thinking Katie was a good person. A nurse, a young girl full of friends and a loving family. God, we weren’t even that serious. I never met her family, but she talked enough of them for me to think they were good people.
“When? The Ferris Wheel?” she pressed, and I nodded.
It was only when Hallie said the name of her tormentor that I put two and two together. And once I did, everything fell into place. I knew Sharon and Delilah were Katie’s family, but when I asked Hallie if she knew why the Campbells hated her, she said no.
I could’ve pressed for a better answer, but I felt safe about the answer I had.
I rubbed my face, collecting my thoughts. “I broke an arm a while back. Mark was with me and insisted on driving me to the hospital, next town over. She works there as a nurse. I never knew… Hallie, it was our first date already when I found out she was from Bluehaven. I…”