I didn’t want to but I did.
“You wanna help your dad and Marlon?” he asked.
“Y-Yes,” I said instantly, my voice breaking. “Yes.”
“Then you need to stay out of it.”
I shook my head again, tears building fast again.
“No, I?—”
“Whatever is going on in that room,” he continued, not raising his voice but not backing down either, “is something you can’t witness. Not only for your sanity, but in case you need to testify in court.”
Fuck.
“Marlon saved you by getting you out of there,” Marcus said. “Don’t waste it.”
My chest tightened so bad it hurt.
“Go,” he said. “Finish the party and keep people out of here.”
I stared at the door.
My mind screamed at me to open it and run in.But my body, my body didn’t move.
Because deep down… I knew he was right.
And I hated it.
The second Marcus and Patch disappeared into that room, it felt like the door swallowed everything. I stood there for a second, frozen, then forced myself to turn around and walk back into the party.
Everything looked the same. It didn’t seem like anyone heard what I heard.
Music playing, people laughing, glasses clinking like nothing just happened and I played along. I smiled, nodded, thanked people for coming, and checked on the staff. I kept telling myself it had to be a dream. Because if something really bad happened, I would’ve heard sirens by now.
Something.
Anything.
But there was nothing.
Time dragged and then slipped right past me.
I moved through the crowd on autopilot, saying the right things, doing what I was supposed to do, pretending I still had control over the night. People started leaving, the energy died down, and everything got quieter. The party I worked so hard for was ending, and I couldn’t even feel it. I was just waiting for something to break the silence.
Then my phone rang.
I pulled it out slow, my hands shaking as I stared at the screen.
My dad.
I answered, but I didn’t say anything. I just held the phone to my ear waiting for him to speak first.
“…hey, baby girl.”
I didn’t reply.
“…I need you to listen to me, alright? What happened back there… it got out of hand. Faster than I expected. And I had to make a decision.”
