Chapter 3 - 1997
1997
Dear Jack,
Last night, I dreamt about you.
I saw your face for the first time in a year...and it scared me. At least I know I didn't forget it.
After that night you became like a dark memory. I go back to that night over and over again, like some scary dream. I also go back to the moments just before...The way you smiled, the way you laughed...
When you left, no one batted an eye. It was days shy of your graduation, anyway. I would have been there in the crowd clapping for you, even if your dad wasn't.
People talked and said you left early to get away from your dad, but I know better.
I used to talk to Claire about you...I talked about maybe one day trying to find you...
'You worry too much, he's a smart guy and he's charismatic, you know', she said. 'He'll be fine on his own', she said. 'And someday, everyone's going to know his name.'
I couldn't believe how incredibly stupid and hopeful she was. Of course she doesn't know what happened that night...not like I do.
I asked her if she really thought you were gone for good? If she really thought you would leave without saying goodbye to her? I know the truth, the answer was yes..but I would never tell her that.
'He left to get away from his dad, so I understand.', she said. 'He didn't have time to.'
The more I talked about you, the more she got tired of me..
'I don't have time for this , why can't you just get over him...it seems like you knew him way better than I did anyway.' She told me you had left Gotham for good and that I needed to forget about you.
Gotham was your home and you hated it, just as much as you loved it. You couldn't leave...not really. It was a part of you.
Those days when we would take the train out of were so happy to be somewhere else...anywhere else, but the truth was, we were could never really say goodbye to Gotham, could we?
OK, I really wonder what you're doing right now and since you haven't come to see me yet, you better be making a name for yourself. I don't know why I'm even bothering to write you something you're never going to read.
I'm sorry, we left things the way we did...without a proper goodbye or anything, but you were hurt, so I understand. I just wanted to help you by the way...
If I had known you weren't going to come back, I would have never let you go.
Dear Jack, if you could have waited another year...we could have left together.
PRESENT
How did this even happen? What are the chances that I would end up being the one asked to interview him?
I was going to have to interview that twisted psychotic murderer... him, The Joker...I shuddered just thinking of his name. He would never be the boy I used to know. I adored him...I looked up to him. He was intelligent, charismatic, funny. He was the bravest person I ever...
How could this happen this have happened, I thought...to him?
Once I saw the news about what was going on in Gotham...once I found out what had happened to him... I was shocked...my best friend had turned into a monster.
After that, I hoped to God I never saw him again.
I was embarrassed to even have known him.
I cried over him once, but not anymore.
The next afternoon, I was on my way to visit an old friend. Katherine who I used to work with at GCN. I needed someone to talk to since my recent revelation.
I rang the doorbell and waited.
"Coming...coming..." The door opened.
"Hello... Jules?!"
"Hey, Kat!"
"Oh my gosh! I haven't seen you in so long. You finally decided to visit...why didn't you call?"
"Uh, I wanted to surprise you."
"Come in, come in. Have a seat." She lead me into her kitchen and I sat around the table.
"Do you want anything...water...tea...wine, perhaps?"
I laughed. "Thanks for the offer, but water's fine."
After passing me a glass, she took a seat across from me. She smiled.
"So...how's life?"
"It's good." For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why she was smiling.
"So...?"
I smiled too. "So...what?"
"You nervous?", she asked. Finally, it dawned on me...she knew.
"So does everyone know?" I laughed.
"Yeah and they're all mad jealous. Collins won't shut up about it..." She sighed. "Is that a yes?"
You don't know the half of it.
"No...not at all.", I lied. I looked at her again. "Of course I'm freaking nervous. Who wouldn't be?"
"Well, I think you're lucky...I would have killed for that job...No pun intended."
"Really, I don't feel that lucky...I feel..." Who was I kidding? I couldn't tell anyone how I truly felt.
I couldn't tell anyone about how I used to know him... who knows what that would do? Or maybe I could... out him... out him after the inteview as a final "screw you" and let everyone know the man he's become.
I wonder what his reaction would be to seeing me...would he even recognize me. Maybe he would be so far gone that he wouldn't even remember me. It would be a shame.
"There are some questions that I'm dying to ask that psycho, myself...what he put our city through...I don't get how someone can feel no remorse whatsoever when they hurt people?"
"He's a psycho...there is nothing to get."
"I guess you're right. Say, I think Bane would have been really awesome to interview...if he weren't dead. Interview...and then get shot by a firing squad."
"Thanks for the image Kat. Can't wait to take that disturbing thought with me when I go visit my mom later."
"Oh, no problem."
"I'm so curious to hear what that sick sob has to say..."
My eyes became wet.
"Oh my God, Julia! What's wrong!?" She raced to my side, and began rubbing my back.
"It's nothing. I'm fine." I lied, trying to quickly wipe my tears away.
"Don't tell me it's nothing."
"It's just...I really missed this place so much...I really missed you..." I lied again.
"Aw, sweetheart. We missed you too. Cody's just about to get home from school by the way."
"I really want to see him Kat, but it'll have to be another time." I stood up.
"Oh. that's OK."
"Yeah, I'm meeting Hunter like right now."
"It's fine." We walked toward the door.
"You have to promise to tell me if anything crazy happens in Arkham."
"You'll be the first to know."
"Good. You'll call me later, right?"
"Of course."
"When do you go over there?
I groaned. "Tomorrow...night"
"Night!? Why so late?"
"You'd have to ask the people at Arkham that."
"Oh boy." she sighed. "Well then, good luck."
"Thanks." I walked out the door.
"I'll pray for you.", she called out. I looked at her.
"That was a joke, Jules."
I smiled slightly. I couldn't bring myself to laugh...not now. I felt sick.