Absinthe novel Chapter 57

"Will you sit down?" Faye complained, "You've practically walked 20 miles just by pacing back and forth! You're giving me a headache."

I stopped walking and turned to stare at Faye.

"No!" Faye said loudly. "You don't get to make that pitiful face at me! Let's go out and grab some coffee."

I nodded absentmindedly and allowed Faye to drag me by the hand outside the police station.

"God, that place was gloomy as fuck," Faye said.

We walked for a few minutes before we saw a Starbucks. Faye pushed the door open and hauled me inside.

"Go get a seat," Faye commanded. "I'll order your usual."

I took the empty seat closest to the door and just beside the store's floor to ceiling glass windows. The chairs were the hard, wooden ones and not the cushioned type. I was fully aware that Faye hated sitting in such an exposed area, but I wanted to be able to see the police station from where I was, just in case Jiwoo or Rob comes out looking for us.

"Hell no," Faye said. "We are not sitting there!"

"But..." I tried to protest but Faye cut me short.

"Rob will call the moment something comes up," Faye said. "You don't need to watch the station's entrance like some sentry!"

Reluctantly, I followed Faye towards the softer cushions and bean bags at the center of the coffee shop and sat myself across her. Faye handed me a hot chocolate. I was looking forward to an espresso but I guess this hot cocoa would do the trick, too.

"Relax," Faye said, "Your boyfriend was taken in as a suspect because he was wearing the exact same outfit as the perpetrators. I'm sure he'd be out soon."

"How'd you know that?"

"Robert told me," Faye answered. "The jewelry store owner at the mall already submitted the CCTV files. The perps were all wearing white shirts and jeans, possibly to blend with the crowd. But their faces were captured and as soon as they finished taking up Jiwoo's statement, I'm sure he'll be released."

Faye's explanation felt like a welcome assurance that everything was going to be okay. However, I still could not help but worry, especially since I saw how the police brutally hit Jiwoo's back.

"Thank you," was all I could tell Faye in response.

I couldn't recall when, in the last three hours, did I call Faye for support. Robert must have told her.

"Why'd you do it, though?" Faye asked, her expression quite unreadable.

"Do what?" I asked back, genuinely unsure of what Faye meant.

"Why'd you call Rob?" Faye put down her steaming mug. "You know that this will turn out disastrously."

I also put down my hot cocoa. Faye's right. I've debated on whether to call Rob or not. But there was really no one else to call. And I figured that Rob would be professional about it.

Even if Rob and I haven't fully talked about my new relationship with Jiwoo.

"I'm not talking about Rob," Faye said, eyeing me patronizingly. "God! You have no idea what mess you got yourself into!"

I collapsed against the comfortably soft chair and melted both in mind and spirit.

"It's not about Rob!" Faye emphasized. "And judging from your reaction, you haven't told him of your relationship with Jiwoo yet, haven't you?"

I shifted in my seat, anxious as to what words will come out of Faye's mouth next.

"I'm talking about Jiwoo. Just think how this whole situation would feel like for him"

"What do you mean, Faye?"