Love Hurts

Jaycee slowly opened her eyes, blinking as the fluorescent lights pierced her vision. She tried to block the light from her eyes but she couldn’t move her arms. Her eyes flung themselves open, darting wildly around the room. Her grogginess cleared and realised that she was in a hospital room. Jaycee tried to look down at her arms but her body protested with a sharp pain in her neck as she moved. She collapsed back on the bed, panting heavily. Her other sense began to focus and, at first, all she could hear was the beeping of her heart monitor. It was not a reassuring sound. It echoed around the room and it sent a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, Haycee realised she could hear people talking outside her hospital room. She tried to get up again, but she was in too much pain. She furrowed her eyebrows as she laid back down slowly, blinking at the ceiling as she tried to remember what had happened.

All she could remember was the park. Her face wore an intense expression of concentration as she tried to recall why she had been there. It was raining. Thomas had been there. So were Jenny and Amy. The girls weren’t meant to be there, it was wrong. It was wrong, but Jaycee couldn’t remember why. And she couldn’t remember why she had felt so angry. But now, Jaycee could feel her mind clouding over again, every thought became a struggle. She willed her eyes to stay open, but they inevitably betrayed her and Jaycee floated back into unconsciousness. 

~

Jenny sat in the empty room with her hands folded on the table in front of her. No matter how hard she pressed them against the table, they wouldn’t stop shaking. Her eyes were red and blotchy from crying. Jenny jumped when the door slammed against the wall. A tall, dark haired man walked in, carrying a file. He sat down in front of Jenny, “I’m Detective Ian Malborough. Why don’t you tell me what happened in the park with Jaycee and Thomas?”

Jenny choked a sob, her hands tightening on each other, “Jaycee sent Tommy a test saying she wanted to meet up with him. Amy and I were gonna go shopping so we walked with him to the park, where we could get a tax. It was raining, but Tommy had a big umbrella, like the ones golfers have?”

Detective Malborough nodded, watching her intently. Jenny stopped for a moment, his green eyes piercing into her soul and she knew she had to talk to him. S Jenny took a deep breath and continued, “Jaycee was already at the park when we got there. She looked so angry, but Tommy told us to go and that he would see us later. We were going to have dinner. But Jaycee looked so angry and I don't want to leave Tommy. Amy dragged me away and then...and then…”

Jenny began to cry, sobs wracking her body. Detective Malborough pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Jenny, waiting for her to stop crying. Eventually, her sobs died down to sniffles, “I heard Tommy screaming and when I turned around, he was on the ground. Jaycee was kneeling over him and she was stabbing him over and over again.”

Nodding slowly, Detective Malborough urged her to continue, “What happened next?”

Jenny looked up to him, her eyes still watering, “Tommy’s umbrella was on the ground. I grabbed it and I hit Jaycee on the back of the head.”

~

Amy dabbed at her eyes with a tissue that was not soaking up anything anymore. She dropped it in the waste basket near her feet and fumbled for another one. She had been treated for shock and now she was waiting for the doctor to tell her she could go home. She looked up as she heard someone come into the hospital waiting room. Relief flooded over Amy and she started crying as she ran into the man’s arms, “God, Steven, I’m so glad you’re here.”

Steven stroked her blonde hair and coaxed her to sit back down with him, “I came as soon as the nurse called. What happened?”

Amy laid her head on Steven’s shoulder, speaking through her sobs, “Oh god, it was so awful! We only wanted to go shopping. But Thomas started shouting at Jaycee!Jaycee...I don’t know who she was trying to help...she hit Jaycee with an Umbrella and then she...she stabbed Tommy... over and over again...I don’t even know where she got the knife from!”

Amy collapsed into uncontrollable sobs. Steven wrapped his arms around her, trying to process what she had told him. After a few moments of silence, he looked down to Amy, “Have you told the police all of this?”

Amy nodded, sniffing, “They don’t believe me. They think it was the shock. Tommy’s dead!”

Amy started sobbing again and Steven rubbed her back soothingly. He nibbled his lip, his own eyes filling with tears. Thomas was his best friend. Steven knew he needed to see the police. 

~

Detective Malborough walked into Jaycee’s hospital room with his hands in his pockets. His head was pounding from this case. Not a single witness outside the little friendship group, no CCTV cameras and a dead body. The two girls had conflicting stories on who did the stabbing and he was hoping the girl in the hospital bed could shed some light on what actually happened.

Jaycee was sitting up in her bed. She had just finished a meal and she looked tired. She watched the detective apprehensively as he sat down next to the bed. He seemed to analyse her for a moment before speaking, “I just want you to tell me the truth, Jaycee. That’s all that matters.”

“It was Thomas and Jenny,” Jaycee’s voice was a harsh croak and she reached for a glass of water before continuing, “I had been sleeping with Thomas. Just a few times but then he stopped replying to my texts. I just wanted to meet up with him, get an explanation. We’ve known each other for years, we went to school together. But he started shouting at me, telling me he didn’t need to give an explanation. Then it all went dark and I felt a pain in my head. And then I woke up here.”

The detective watched Jaycee for a moment before nodding and standing up, “Thank you.” 

He was about to leave when  Jaycee spoke up, “Is everyone okay, detective?”

Detective Malborough looked at her with pity in his eyes, “I’m sorry, Jaycee. Thomas is dead.”

Jaycee broke down crying, pulling her knees up to her chest and curling around them. She cried like a lover losing her soulmate. The detective quietly left the room, letting her grieve.

~

Steven was waiting outside Jaycee’s room for the detective, and caught him on his way out, “Detective Malborough? I need to talk to you.”

“I’m very busy, please talk to one of my sergeants,” Detective Malborough brushed Steven ff and tried to continue down the hall before he was stopped by the younger man.

“Its about Thomas’ death. I think I know what might’ve happened.”

Ten minutes later, the men were sitting in the cafeteria drinking coffee out of styrofoam cups. Detective Malborough looked at Steven over the rim of his cup. He thought that the young man looked guilty, and he understood why. He set the cup down on the table, looking at Steven, “So you’re telling me that Jenny and Thomas were in some sort of secret relationship?”

Steven nodded, “I know Amy is her friend, but Jenny is crazy. If Amy said that Jenny stabbed Thomas, then I believe her.”

“Jaycee told me that her and Thomas had been sleeping together.”

Steven sighed, “Poor Jaycee. I swear she has always been fond of Thomas. He was all she ever wanted, and I think they might’ve been good together. Thomas was a good guy. He wouldn’t have ever tried to hurt Jaycee or Jenny.”

“Why did Jenny and Thomas keep their relationship secret?” Detective Malborough leaned over the table, feeling as if he was finally beginning to understand the madness.

Steven shrugged, “Like I said, Jenny was crazy. Tommy only told me cause he said he needed to talk about it to someone. He said Jenny probably thought someone would try to tear them apart if anyone knew,” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, “Jenny is delusional and paranoid. If she found out that Tommy and Jaycee were sleeping together...I believe that she would kill him.”

Detective Malborough nodded his head gravely. He stood up, buttoning his jacket, “Please, assure Amy that someone will be along to take both of your statements. THey should be enough to secure a warrant for Jenny’s arrest.”

He was about to leave when he turned back to Steven with a warm smile, “Thank you for helping me find the truth. We will get justice for Thomas.”