[WP] Your best friend shows up in your door at midnight. "We have to leave. Now."

She was dressed all in black, and her blond hair stood out against her shoulders. Her backpack was full. She was all detail now, something to look at and respond to, but not a real person. It was cruel of me, but I was still mad and felt like being stubborn.

"What do you want, Mel?"

"We need to go. Like, now. I don't know how long it'll take for the police to find us, so just emergency stuff, okay? Cash and clothes." She breezed in past me, pushing me aside and heading straight back to my room. So typical of her to - wait.

"What was that about the police?"

"Jim, they're coming. You gotta get packed, okay?" She shook out my bag onto my desk.

I stare at her; I am rooted to the spot with fear and anger. "Good night. You actually did it, didn't you?"

"Jim..."

"Are you insane? I told you I was out! It was a stupid idea; it was wrong! And you went and robbed the bank anyway?"

When Melissa got nervous, she always wrung her hands. It was a habit she picked up from her mom. They were shaking like fan blades now, and I could tell she was trying her best not to cry. But I didn't care.

"You got caught. You freaking got caught, didn't you?"

The tears started.

"So, you went and robbed Central, and you got caught, and then you had the nerve to lead the police to me? That was your brilliant contingency plan? How could you be so STUPID?"

"This was your idea! Stop yelling at me!"

"No, it wasn't my idea! Because when I had enough, I stopped! I took the bank plans, and I returned them because I knew what we were doing wasn't right. But you're addicted! Ever since we started pickpocketing, it's all you ever wanted to do! Just steal more and more, ruin everyone's life! Well, you're not ruining mine." I snatch my bag back from her in a rage.

"I'm sorry! I just... I want you to come! Please! I can't leave without you. I... I love you too."

She's on her knees, begging and crying. If she had said those words five days ago, it would have meant everything.

But I hate every second of this scene. It's all wrong. I see the money stuffed in her bag. I see my own bag, contents strewn across the desk and floor. I see my phone and my bed, and the way the overhead light has been flickering for the past hour, making the space dreary and abysmal.

It's all just detail. And I need things to be simpler.

I pick up my phone. "I'm not going with you."

"What? Jim, don't!"

"Leave. Or I'll call the police myself."

/r/WritingPrompts Thread