Chapter 9:
Bosco left the building, not even sure what to do now. His lawyer had wanted him to be at vice-squad at about six this afternoon – for a line-up to prove the girls evidence. So he had about four more hours to go and nothing to distract himself. He knew he couldn't go home – he couldn't stand being there – all alone – trying once again to remember everything as clearly as he could. But there was no other place he could go.
He thought about going to see his mother – she didn't know about the last days' events, she didn't know what he was accused for, but he knew she would find out. She was his mother, she could see when there was something bothering him, when there was something on his mind and he knew she wouldn't stop asking him until he would tell her. He didn't want that to happen, he didn't wanna talk about this, didn't wanna explain, didn't wanna justify himself – not on her.
When he crossed the parking-space to get to his car, he could see someone arriving – Faith. He stopped, now knowing what he wanted to do. He needed to talk to her, needed to tell her what happened, needed to convince her. He needed her help, her advice, her support to make it through this. He knew he couldn't do this all alone – he needed a refuge, a friend he could stick to.
He went to her car and stopped about 3 feet away, giving her enough space to decide what to do, to leave if she wished for it. he knew he needed to be careful, he couldn't force her toor get too close, he couldn't get physical to make her see – it would only give more evidence against him.
"Faith?"
She turned around – not even looking surprised or puzzled – just gave him a sad look and didn't say anything. He felt how he got nervous more and more, he didn't like that look and her silence irritated him and it feared him.
"Can I have a few minutes,..., please."
She gave him another look, still not saying anything. Then she sligthly closed her eyes and nodded.
"Okay."
He was almost about to sigh in relief but he surpressed it.
"Thanks."
They went to a coffee shop on the other side of the street and sat down in a quiet corner of the shop. She gave him an expectant gaze and he started talking with some difficulty.
"Faith, I need you to understand, I need you to believe me, I need you..."
He silenced when she raised a hand and slowly shook her head. His fear was back on him – she wouldn't listen to him. She would leave – never giving him a chance to explain. But he needed to!
"Faith..."
"What happened, Bosco?"
He stopped talking and gave her a puzzled look.
"What?"
She looked him directly into the eyes, giving him a hard look.
"I want you to tell me what happened, exactly – no excuses, no lies. Just tell me!"
"I didn't do that!"
She raised and was about to leave the table they were sitting at. Fear overtook him once again and he didn't care about the idea of being careful any more, he just couldn't let her leave liken this. He grabbed her by the arm.
"Faith, wait!"
She stopped and didn't even look at him, her voice was freezing cold.
"Let go of my arm!"
He set her free immediately.
"Please don't leave like this."
"Then just tell me!"
"I didn't..."
"Do you know that girl?"
"Yes."
"Did you have sex with her?"
He nodded once again. Faith sat back down. Her look was still cool, but at least she was willing to listen to him. She couldn't look him in the eyes when she asked, almost whispered her next question.
"Did you rape her?"
"No. Not as far as I can remember."
Now she looked at him.
"As far as you can remember?"
"Hell- Faith, I was pretty much drunk and drowsy that nigth and my memory is a little blocked. I'm still trying to clearly figure out what happened. I don't remember everything, but from what I remember I know I didn't harm her."
Sympathy had reappeared in her voice when she went on questioning him.
"But why should she do this?"
"I have no idea – not even a clue. But whatever her reason was, I need to find out. The only thing I know is that I didn't hurt her."
Silence emerged between them. It seemed like Faith was deeply thinking about something – she was almost lost in thought. He eagerly wished for her to say something, make a decision, tell him what she thought about it. he couldn't take this any longer.
"Do you believe me?"
She gave him a sympathetic look.
"Of course I do. So what do you want to do now?"
"I need to be at vice-squad for line-up at six and they want me to give my testemony tommorrow night. I...I wanted to ask you, if you would join me,..., if you could be there tonight. I don't think I can do this,..., alone. Would you?"
"I'm supposed to work, you know. So lay too much on it. But I promise I'll try."
"Thanks Faith, thanks for – well – everything."
He got up being ready to leave.
"No problem, Bosco. I see you tonight."
TBC
Bosco left the building, not even sure what to do now. His lawyer had wanted him to be at vice-squad at about six this afternoon – for a line-up to prove the girls evidence. So he had about four more hours to go and nothing to distract himself. He knew he couldn't go home – he couldn't stand being there – all alone – trying once again to remember everything as clearly as he could. But there was no other place he could go.
He thought about going to see his mother – she didn't know about the last days' events, she didn't know what he was accused for, but he knew she would find out. She was his mother, she could see when there was something bothering him, when there was something on his mind and he knew she wouldn't stop asking him until he would tell her. He didn't want that to happen, he didn't wanna talk about this, didn't wanna explain, didn't wanna justify himself – not on her.
When he crossed the parking-space to get to his car, he could see someone arriving – Faith. He stopped, now knowing what he wanted to do. He needed to talk to her, needed to tell her what happened, needed to convince her. He needed her help, her advice, her support to make it through this. He knew he couldn't do this all alone – he needed a refuge, a friend he could stick to.
He went to her car and stopped about 3 feet away, giving her enough space to decide what to do, to leave if she wished for it. he knew he needed to be careful, he couldn't force her toor get too close, he couldn't get physical to make her see – it would only give more evidence against him.
"Faith?"
She turned around – not even looking surprised or puzzled – just gave him a sad look and didn't say anything. He felt how he got nervous more and more, he didn't like that look and her silence irritated him and it feared him.
"Can I have a few minutes,..., please."
She gave him another look, still not saying anything. Then she sligthly closed her eyes and nodded.
"Okay."
He was almost about to sigh in relief but he surpressed it.
"Thanks."
They went to a coffee shop on the other side of the street and sat down in a quiet corner of the shop. She gave him an expectant gaze and he started talking with some difficulty.
"Faith, I need you to understand, I need you to believe me, I need you..."
He silenced when she raised a hand and slowly shook her head. His fear was back on him – she wouldn't listen to him. She would leave – never giving him a chance to explain. But he needed to!
"Faith..."
"What happened, Bosco?"
He stopped talking and gave her a puzzled look.
"What?"
She looked him directly into the eyes, giving him a hard look.
"I want you to tell me what happened, exactly – no excuses, no lies. Just tell me!"
"I didn't do that!"
She raised and was about to leave the table they were sitting at. Fear overtook him once again and he didn't care about the idea of being careful any more, he just couldn't let her leave liken this. He grabbed her by the arm.
"Faith, wait!"
She stopped and didn't even look at him, her voice was freezing cold.
"Let go of my arm!"
He set her free immediately.
"Please don't leave like this."
"Then just tell me!"
"I didn't..."
"Do you know that girl?"
"Yes."
"Did you have sex with her?"
He nodded once again. Faith sat back down. Her look was still cool, but at least she was willing to listen to him. She couldn't look him in the eyes when she asked, almost whispered her next question.
"Did you rape her?"
"No. Not as far as I can remember."
Now she looked at him.
"As far as you can remember?"
"Hell- Faith, I was pretty much drunk and drowsy that nigth and my memory is a little blocked. I'm still trying to clearly figure out what happened. I don't remember everything, but from what I remember I know I didn't harm her."
Sympathy had reappeared in her voice when she went on questioning him.
"But why should she do this?"
"I have no idea – not even a clue. But whatever her reason was, I need to find out. The only thing I know is that I didn't hurt her."
Silence emerged between them. It seemed like Faith was deeply thinking about something – she was almost lost in thought. He eagerly wished for her to say something, make a decision, tell him what she thought about it. he couldn't take this any longer.
"Do you believe me?"
She gave him a sympathetic look.
"Of course I do. So what do you want to do now?"
"I need to be at vice-squad for line-up at six and they want me to give my testemony tommorrow night. I...I wanted to ask you, if you would join me,..., if you could be there tonight. I don't think I can do this,..., alone. Would you?"
"I'm supposed to work, you know. So lay too much on it. But I promise I'll try."
"Thanks Faith, thanks for – well – everything."
He got up being ready to leave.
"No problem, Bosco. I see you tonight."
TBC