Me. Her. Him - Chapter 74

Background: Angela is shocked when William, an old friend from her past, who she hoped never to see again, comes back into her life, after he applies for a role at her work and successfully secures the job. William’s sudden reappearance puts Angela on edge. She’s terrified he’s discovered her secret, which she needs to protect her family from. William’s convinced Angela knows what happened to his former girlfriend, Caz, who hasn't been seen for twenty years, and that something terrible happened to her. The only person, who can help Angela, is her once best friend, Michelle, but Angela hasn’t seen Michelle for more than a decade. Faced with the threat of William’s return, they know they’ll need to work together to save their future, even if this does mean reopening old wounds, and revisiting a past they'd rather keep buried.

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All I can think of, as I grab William’s legs, and as Michelle grabs hold of the upper part of his body, is that someone’s watching our every move, and they’re on the phone to the police right now. If anyone’s seen us, we’re done for. I keep expecting the sound of police sirens to split the silence of the night at any moment, but there’s nothing, just the whistle of the wind on the water and the trees murmuring to each other in the background.

With a sigh of relief, I shove William’s legs onto the van and Michelle manages to drag him further up. I can see her hands are covered in blood, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. I stand there in silence as I wait for Michelle to say something. She fishes around inside his coat pocket and throws me a set of keys. My car keys, which are now sticky with William’s blood. I wipe them on my jeans, but then I think how I’ll need to put my jeans straight in the wash when I get home. In fact, I’ll have to put every single item of clothing I’m wearing in the wash. It’s like she’s handed me a lifeline.

‘Michelle, what are you?’

‘I can take over things from here, Angela. Go home. You won’t have to think about this again. Live your life.’

Michelle doesn’t look at me as she speaks. I wonder if she’s still thinking about what William revealed to me earlier, what I was so oblivious to when we were young. How could I have been so blind? If Lauren and Hayley knew Michelle loved me as well, why the hell didn’t they say anything to me? It would’ve been a bit strange if I’d found out, at first, but I wouldn’t have mind it. I wouldn’t have let it spoil our friendship.

I glance at William’s bloodied face and my stomach contracts. Michelle climbs out of the van and slams the doors shut, before locking them. She’s still for a moment, as though she’s taking in the enormity of the situation for the first time.

‘Michelle, I . . .’  

‘Go home, Angela. I’ll deal with this from here.’

She doesn’t look back at me as she heads for the driver’s seat. I wonder if this was her van and William stole it, after she drove to his place. I still don’t entirely know what happened when she got there. All I know is that William overpowered her and then made contact with me using her phone.

I don’t want to ask her what she’s planning to do next. I think of William, lying there in the back of the van, his body limp. Will it be around an hour, or two hours before he comes to and realises what’s happened. If I hadn’t stopped Michelle, she would’ve completely smashed in his face, while he was lying unconcious on the ground. 

Michelle climbs into the driver’s seat and starts the van up. I look around frantically for my car, and then I spot it, several feet away. I stumble towards it, wondering if I should be driving, given I was only injected with a sedative not too long ago, but I need to go. I can’t stay here.

I watch Michelle pull the van out of the car park and then onto the main road. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about what she’s going to do. I get into my car, and drive home.

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Character List:

Angela Watkins - Protagonist 

Paul Watkins - Angela's husband

Rebecca Watkins - Angela's daughter 

Michelle Blake - Angela's former best friend 

Kirsty - Receptionist (Angela's friend) 

Olivia - Angela's boss

William Harris - Angela's former friend 

Caroline (Caz) - Angela's friend 

Hayley - Angela's former friend

Lauren - Angela's former friend