I tried to explain, my words tumbling over each.
other.
“What do you mean, Myanmar?” David stared
at me, like I was delusional. “He’s been in
Switzerland this whole time, going to school.
there, video chatting with his parents every
month. How could he have been in Myanmar?”
I didn’t tell him Alex looked exactly like Jake,
the madman from Myanmar. I was struggling to
process it myself. Jake was dead. I saw the fire consume everything. The DNA results confirmed
- it. And David said his cousin had been in
Switzerland all this time. How could he be Jake,
who’d grown up in Myanmar?
David wouldn’t lie to me. Were there really two
people who looked exactly alike? My mind was
a mess.
After calming down, my parents left for their respective homes. David offered to drive me
back to my apartment. As we pulled out of the driveway, Sarah called, complaining of an upset stomach, asking David to make her some orange peel tea.
“I’ll be there soon. I’m taking Emily home first.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
They argued on the phone.
“Go to her,” I said, watching him anxiously glance back at the house. “I’ll take a cab.”
“You can’t get a cab here.” David’s voice was sharp, unusual for him. “Emily, there’s so much I… want to talk to you about.”
“David, Sarah is pregnant with your child!” I reminded him.
<
12:30
32
“That doesn’t give her the right to manipulate
me!” He slammed his hand against the steering
wheel.
Just then, someone knocked on the window.
“Need me to drop her off?” Alex stood there, impeccably dressed. “I’m heading into town.”
My immediate reaction was to refuse.
“That would be great, Alex! Make sure you take Emily right to her door, it’s not safe for a girl to be out alone at night.” Sarah, apparently having come downstairs, linked her arm through David’s.
“No problem,” Alex said, taking his car keys.
“So sorry, Emily. I’m really not feeling well. You don’t mind, do you?” Sarah leaned against
David, looking weak.
I stood there, frozen, then got into Alex’s black
Mercedes, choosing the back seat. I clutched
my phone, the emergency contact screen lit up
throughout the ride.
“You seem tense,” he said, glancing at me
through the rearview mirror.
Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away.
“I’m fine.”
“Have we met before?” He seemed perfectly
calm, unlike me.
His question sent chills down my spine.
“No.” I didn’t want to talk to him.
“Are you sure?” He smiled. “The way you look
at me, I thought I resembled someone your
knew.”
12:30
I kept my head down, digging my nails into my
palms.
After a moment, I whispered, “Jake.”
He didn’t turn around. His expression in the rearview mirror didn’t even change. He wasn’t Jake. I relaxed slightly.
“Who’s Jake?” he asked casually.
“A scumbag.” I blurted out.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
“Is that so?” he chuckled. “He’s a lucky man to
be remembered by you.”
We arrived at my apartment complex. Looking
at the entrance, I suddenly remembered.
something. “How did you know where I live?” I
hadn’t given him my address. I’d been too
preoccupied.
Г
He parked and got out to open the door for me.
“My cousin sent me your location.”
That made sense.
“Anything else you want to ask?” He smiled.
“No, thank you.”
I hurried inside and bolted the door. My heart was still racing. I was definitely traumatized by Jake. Alex was completely different, and all the evidence pointed to them being different
people, but I still saw Jake’s shadow in him. A shadow that felt even more menacing than the original.
My phone rang. It was David. Sarah’s words flashed through my mind, and anger flared. I hung up, blocked his number, and deleted his contact.
The next day. he intercepted me at the library.
“You deleted me on Facebook, and now my
phone number? Emily, what are you doing?” He
looked exhausted.
“I don’t want anything to do with you anymore.”
“Why?” His face hardened.
“Why? Don’t you know why?” I retorted.
He’d suffered for three years because of me, then found solace and a new life with my best friend. And he was asking me why? How childish.
His face crumpled. “Emily… are you in love with someone else?”
“If that’s what you want to believe, fine.”
“Is it… my cousin?”
I stared at him, dumbfounded.
<
“Was he at your place yesterday? Did he… I
heard it on the phone.”
“The phone? When did I call you?” I was
confused.
“Yesterday afternoon.”
I thought back. Had I accidentally called him? Then it hit me, a wave of sadness washing over me. He was my emergency contact. The first number on the list.
“If I was with your cousin, your girlfriend should
be happy,” I said, tired of explaining.
“Did she talk to you? Did you delete me because you’re mad at her? She’s pregnant,
Emily. Her emotions are all over the place. Don’t take her words to heart.” He pleaded with
- me.
“I’m not holding it against her because she’s
pregnant.” I was getting angry. “If I was, I’d ask
you both, why were your phones turned off the
day I was kidnapped?”
His face paled, his expression shifting uneasily.
He stammered, unable to form a coherent
sentence.
My heart turned to ice. I had my answer.
I turned and walked away.
I faltered for a second. I was in a foul mood and
didn’t have the energy for him, so I just kept
walking.
“You here to play ball? I saved us a court…”
“Not anymore,” Alex’s voice came from behind
- me. Then I heard footsteps following me.
“Why are you following me?” I turned and asked
him.
