Page 60 of Swan

Goddammit.

I was such a wuss for wanting help to get out of a damn shopping centre.

Tears welled again; I bit my knuckle to keep my sobs at bay.

I pushed on Maya’s number and held it to my ear.

“Hey, girl. What’s happening?”

“I’m sorry, Maya,” I whispered.

“Swan? What’s wrong?”

“Shit,” I hissed, sniffing. “I-I thought I was going to be okay. I-I thought no one would….” A broken sound left me, and I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. I’m in the bathroom at the Storewood Shopping Centre. Down the end where Darling’s is. These girls… they’re waiting outside. T-They knew who I was. Knew it was my fault.” A choked sob left me until I locked my lips.

“I’m coming. We’ll get you out. You stay there, okay? Don’t worry about these silly girls, Swan. They’re nothing. They don’t know you. And, girl, it isn’t your fault. Do you want me to stay on the line?”

Drawing in a breath, I dropped my head back and glared at the ceiling. “No. I’ll be okay. Sorry to be a pest.”

“You’re not a pest. Be there soon.”

The line ended, and I gripped my phone in my hand.

If Maya was at her home, it wouldn’t take long to get here. If she was at her parents’, it would be longer. That was the same for the compound.

I hoped she’d been at home.

Bouncing my knee up and down, I wrapped my arms around my waist, hands still clenching around my phone.

I waited.

And waited.

When the door opened, I let out a noise and stilled.

“She’s still in here,” one of them said.

“Hey, are you hiding from us?” There was laughter.

The door opened again. I pulled my feet up onto the toilet and hugged my legs.

“What’re you looking at, lady?” snapped one of them.

“Nothing.” Whoever had come in quickly left.

There was a bang on the door I hid behind.

“Come out, murderer. We just want to ask a few questions.”

When I said nothing, they banged again and again and again.

“Don’t be a pussy.”

They laughed.

“Wait, she can’t be a pussy. Her name’s Swan. What a pathetic name.”

More laughter.

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