I stood staring at my figure in the mirror only pointing out any flaw, could be a speck or barely noticeable it would have been enough to stay home. The muffled sound of Justine's door opening took my attention away for a second, I stare at the door in the mirror behind me, a part of wished she would walk in right now and we'd sweep this under the rug, she'd explain herself admit her flaws and we'd move on, my heart beat began to pick up hearing her footsteps approach my door, I stare at the shadow of her feet at the bottom, I couldn't help but silently walk towards it, my hand reached to the knob but stay in the air, it's like we can hear each other breathe.

Moments passed and I heard her sigh, my arms slowly fell as I watched her feet recede slowly as if she was walking backwards. I can feel the tears brimming, but I refuse to let them fall, maybe going to work would be a good idea. My phone began buzzing then, unknown number. The fourth one in two days, I could hear Tanika loud and clear telling me not to answer the phone from afar, no one else but my saved contacts should have my phone number. Yet what if it's Rowan? I want to scream at him for abandoning me again.

"He-hello?" I cleared my throat, I could hear someone breathing, the wind sound in the background.

"Jane dear, how are you?" That sultry voice, oh man - could it be? "It's Rowan's grandma, you remember" she laughs.

Fuck.

"Hi- yes I do, may I ask how did you -"

"I asked your friend for it" she interrupted. Something's just doesn't change and friend?

"Who was -"

"I'm so sorry for the late notice I've been wanting to let you know that dinner is tonight, I've been so busy trying to not mess up the recipe to make it perfect for you." I heard her laugh.

"Oh really? You shouldn't have troubled yourself with all of that."

"You're an important guest, I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did, let this be my apology." Her tone genuine and clear, oh wow, it almost makes me want to try and attempt to Learn her name again.

"That's very nice of you thank you, but I'll be at work pretty late an-"

"Rowan has really missed you" like a dog my ears and senses on full alert, heartbeat nearly broke out of my chest, my legs wobbled, Rowan, I could feel my body turning into butter, wait no fuck him. "Rowan and I haven't spoken" I sighed sadly.

"Well, you are all he talks about here and he even cut class short just to see you, he has been doing exceptionally on his classes and studies in his English." she exclaims proudly. It always struck me as odd, though she is accustomed to modern life, why is it she never had a thick accent like Rowan.

After a moment's pause "Alright, what time?"

"Why don't you come after work?"

I glanced at my outfit in the mirror; white off the shoulder lace dress with a lace chest tie, hair in high Pom Poms, it was giving cottage girl vibes, geeking to myself in the mirror "yea, tonight will be fine." I needed to find a flaw, but this dress ended up being the best thing.

"Alright, I'll send you the address, Jim and I are ecstatic to have you over." "Excited to have yuh over Darelyn" Irish accent in the background made me smile. I'm glad Jim is doing great.

"I'll see you later Jim." I cheesed before the lines ended. Could things finally be turning around for me? It took so long but I was happy to have a little piece of Mind, maybe It's time to update a little on Watt-pad. Gathering my sweatshirt to head to work I'm stopped by something ominous; I could have sworn Justine went back to her room. Shadows of footprints beneath my door, has she stood there the whole time?

"He-" I didn't get to finish before she receded in a hurry, slamming the door behind her. That's Eerie coming from her, she could have just knocked but instead she's spying on me.

Deep breaths, deep breaths.

"Girl, time to move out." Tanika nearly screamed over the phone, "Shit like that is crazy and scary, she's not an ally you need to leave and quick."

"I don't even know how long she stood there tho, I swore I watch her shadow leave."

"Either it's a poltergeist or she's spying now, who were you talking to."

"It wa-" Rounding the corner before my shop I paused seeing a group of reporters flocking ... Cameron's father. Shit, they surround him like a group of birds pulling a worm out of the ground, they might as well chirp, all questions coming in aggressively at once.

"Jane, what is it?" My phone kept saying. "Jane what's wrong?"

I heard Tanika speaking but all I heard were the reporters, Cameron's father turned to my direction, and I quickly looked down pretending to be on my phone my neck nearly snapping forwards.

"Tanika," why the fuck am I whispering out in the open.

"Girl what's that noise what's going on?"

Peering up slowly just in time to see him step into a large black car, the window on his side rolled down.

"Sir what do you have to say about your son being accused of all these allegations." One reporter asked.

"How do take accountabilities for all the citizens tax money maxing out." A female journalist chimed in.

"What are you going to do about the company filing for bankruptcy?"

Ba-bankruptcy?

Though I couldn't see his face, the wind brought his voice to me.

"These allegations against my son have proven to be false, obviously the news needs something new to spice things up" he laughed "my son works hard but the citizens work harder, more restaurants and business will soon be filling these streets, God bless everyone." The window rolls up and drove away. I watch the reporters fly into their cars and follow suit.

"Jane? Jane? Jane!"

"Yes, I'm here, I'm here." I breathed acknowledging Tanika; I'm surprised she didn't hang up.

"What was all that noise?"

"Cameron's dad,"

"He's there? Hide!"

"No, yes but no, like he was in front of me, but he didn't see me ... I think."

"Girl what you mean you think." My feet felt like I was pulling anchors while glancing left and right, heading to the shop.

"Explain,"

"Go read News blogs.com and come back to me."

"Alright." Our chat ends as soon as I make it to my shop. How I have missed this place, haven't been gone for too long, but being where I am free the most is ... well freeing.

Nothing tampered, nothing wet and nothing out of place, the only thing missing was Rowan, I am angry indeed, but I couldn't help the smile that broke out knowing I'll see him again.

Already an hour in and I've helped twelve plus customers, not paying any attention to the conversations echoing in the shop until one of them had my ears perked up when they said the name of the devil.

Near the door, two girls hunched over to each other whispering, discreetly I move in closer while arranging my flowers. "Hey, did You here there was a protest at Kevins house."

In question the other girl repeats, "Kevin?"

"Kevin Capris."

Accidentally I tugged too hard on a pedal nearly toppling it to the ground, Fucking hell. They remained quiet behind me for a while before I had to pretend to move further away.

"A protest? Oh my gosh who?"

"A huge group of women, they threw eggs at his house, slashed his tires and threw used tampons into his pool."

That's genuinely disgusting but impressive.

"Oh God, gross." The one listening laughs.

"Yes girl, thousands of girls were there telling him to come out and face them face to face, chanting 'Rapist' outside his house."

In shock the girls mind almost blew "What? How do you know?"

"He raped my best friend, I was there, he finally is getting what he deserves and we're going back tonight."

"Did he come out to face you all?"

"No, instead they called the police, and his bodyguards, he is such a coward."

"Excuse me ma'am I'm ready" God-dang I feel both the girls turn to me, "I'm coming."

From my peripheral vision one of the girls pulls out her phone from her pocket, "What's it called?"

"Download Watt-Pad, this is the author,"

"PeachyBootyWriter8089?"

I stare stoically into nothing, really Jane. Alright we're changing that name tonight, is that why Kevin hasn't come after me yet? He hasn't been able to leave his house. I could have sworn someone told me because he was on probation. Wait a second, that someone was Cameron, of course he'd lie.

"Does anyone know who the author is?"

I silently smiled to myself, "No, but they seem to know these people personally, like the characters names are almost alike, but what has people thinking is how relatable the characters are to the ones in real life."

"But what does that have to do with the readers though, it's like you guys are making a hunch on someone," girl shut up I thought to myself.

The girl shrugs "We all seem to have gone through something and just connected that way, I mean follow up with the story and see for yourself." glancing around I could see the hesitance in the girl listening.

"I don't know, I mean he hasn't done anything to me, he has been nice to me." her face of concern and worry. I forgot Kevin has fans all over the world.

"Be careful though he'll turn on you." The lady speaking began moving towards the counter, though I have never seen her personally or have any relations to her at all it was like I caught a glimpse of adrenaline and exhilaration in her expression. Relieving the ache that's been living in her chest for quite some time. This would be a good idea to let Tanika know. My phone chimed than, I rolled my eyes at the name -oh for heaven sakes.

Detective Jumping Jacks "Had a meeting, we'll move the date tomorrow night. Stay wet for me nosy."

Date? Oh, shoot that's right I was listening to him pound the life out of some girl. Was that tonight? And it's not a date. Besides tonight would not have worked any ways I'm having dinner with Rowans grandmother and finally getting to confront that jungle man and his beautiful eyes and that long curly hair, that unearthly Adonis like body and that long hard -

"These flowers only come in red right?"

Slamming my bottom lip shut before drool leaks out, I snap myself out of the image in my head, what did she say? "I'm sorry what?" I make the smile wide as possible to hide my nasty thoughts.

Pushing the flowers slightly towards me "These are only in red?"

"Oh, yes." I noticed the girl she was talking didn't come forward but waited by the door, an expression I couldn't make out while her eyes stared at the floor. "Thank you have a good day." The girl from the door returned to her smiley face when the girl in front faces her, that doesn't seem right.

Is that how Justine -? No, don't think like that. My phone chimed again.

'Girl, twelve of Cameron's restaurants shut down due to embezzlement the board in Europe want to overthrow him, Philips dad was arrested in North Korea for falsifying the money, and Kevin can't leave his house because the girls brought weapons.' I read the whole paragraph in one breath; I didn't even know half of all this was going on, where was this information coming from? Glancing at the top of my screen I realized my phone screen, where was my data? It was then I realized my phone was limited 'do not disturb', turning off the button my hand shook with the number of notifications coming in from NEWSBLOG.com and Wattpad, text messages and social media reports.

Ho-ly ... shit.

Each break I got from customers, I spent time on TIKTOK, videos of Kevins home with thousands of girls in purple shirts standing in front of Kevins house screaming 'rapist and dozens of slurs.'

A young lady came to the screen then, each question the reporter asked she answered with tears in her eyes. "Why have these girls gethered today in front of the infamous home of Kevin, what is the reason?" the feminine reporter asked, she was invincible to the camera, the young lady that painted black smears on her right eye and a painting of blood under her nose, she drew a vivid detail on her face of what I assumed she had to look in the mirror after what Kevin has done to her, "This -" her eyes brimming in tears "this was what happened when Kevin didn't get what he wanted, I was afraid to face the world for years because I did not want to have sex, my face paid the price. I almost lost my life that day" she is angry even when she cries.

"The government won't do anything so it's time women bond together." another girl screams.

Kevins home is completely vandalized, all cars broken from the window and set on fire, home egged with a dark red pool, oh my - goodness.

"This is a march to stop men like him from becoming into office, and we won't rest until he is in behind bars forever."

After each video all I thought of was Tanika, this would have been perfect for her, it doesn't help too much from the trauma of her sister but being surrounded by this crowd could be therapeutic.

Deep breaths while the phone rang, Tanika seems like the private type of person, I don't want to step on her shoes or I'll be reminded to mind my own business the hard way, but she has helped me already through a lot, hadn't it been for her to help me publish, literally none of this would be happening.

My heart hammered when she said hello a loud noise behind her, "hey, uh are you busy?" I cringed from the noise.

"A little bit, what's up?"

"A little? You sound like you at a concert, but I'll make it quick, they are protesting at Kevins house tonight and -"

"I know I'm already here." she squealed happily.

Wait ... bitch what? "Wait ... Bitch what?" I say out loud.

"Girl I've been getting these notifications back-to-back, I had to pull up. You want to come?"

"No, I have dinner tonight with Rowans grandma" Snapping out of my state of shock.

"Alright girl be careful and text me how it goes, go get your man." she laughs before ending the call. It was good to hear her cheery voice, had this finally turned around and Karma was catching up?

Knock on fucking wood.

Closing time came on cue I received a text form Rowans grandma, the address. Fuck I almost forgot. This is the first time I wanted to be surrounded by people, deep breaths, deep breaths, I recite before closing the store.