Chapter 19: Pity

Charlotte looked at Charlie, putting on a completely unfazed expression on her face.

Charlie merely scoffed and replied, "Don't play dumb with me Charlotte, I knew you weren't a complete moron. It was going to come to this and you knew it."

"Ah- is it no longer Ms. Charlotte?"

"Please, formalities can be skipped during times like these."

"Formalities you say? I would call it common courtesy."

They seem to have reached a stalemate. It only then did Charlie speak up.

"How... long have you suspected me Charlotte?" she cautiously questioned, as if she wasn't sure if Charlotte was a friend or foe.

"You are directly assuming I knew you were the actual killer?" Charlotte decided to play dumb.

"Please don't beat around the bush, I would hate to harm you," Charlie sternly warned.

Charlotte completely ignored her warning and replied, "I know more than you think, yet know nothing at all."

"Answer. The. Question." She pointed her knife at Charlotte.

Completely uncalled for, Charlotte laughed and raised both her hands up as if surrendering.

"Not my fault you don't know how much I knew or when I figured it out. All you know is that I did. So the real question should be: What are you going to do with that information?"

"What I am going to do? Anyone who witnesses a crime must take them to the grave. Your fate is sealed."

"And his isn't?" Charlotte peeked at the man behind Charlie.

He stood there dumbfoundedly for a moment before turning towards Charlie.

"Jack has nothing to do with this. Leave him out of it."

"Yet you say anyone who witnesses a crime must be buried six feet under. Contradicting, no?"

"Charlotte, for the number of weeks I have known you, you are so unprecedently kind. Yet in these few minutes, it seems like all of that was just a facade."

"Well- I wasn't acting when I was concerned for you. Really, I pitied you-"

"I don't need your pity-"

"And that phrase right there makes everyone who has ever said it be labeled as ignorant to their own nature."

Charlotte could not help herself. When placed in a fight or flight situation, she only knows how to do one thing. Run her mouth.

"Pity isn't necessarily a bad thing," Charlotte continued.

"Everyone always associates it with the feeling of being looked down on, and maybe some part of it is true. Pity is associated with viewing another as a weak link, someone who can't save themselves. People hate to be pitied because it hurts their pride, the pride of being someone strong-wilded yet they never show it on the surface. There is nothing wrong with admitting that as well. But sometimes, you paint a picture of who you are not and people assume."

Charlotte's tone slowly turned softer as she continued.

"To those, anyone really, who are so concerned for their pride, so wrapped up in it, ever considered pity may just be a show of concern? Sympathy is not a bad thing and it is a sign they care. Some may not want to admit this fact so I doubt you will as well, but I had a genuine concern for you and I wanted to help, whether you wanted to take it or not."

"Well- I am getting off-topic here am I not? Let's go back to why we are here... Ah yes- are you going to kill me?"

All Charlotte was met with was silence.

"You ramble quite a bit do you know, Charlotte?"

"What can I say, my mouth is uncontrollable when nervous."

It is obvious Charlie let her guard down after hearing Charlotte's speech. She lowered her knife and her eyes a bit wavering.

"You know, love makes you do the most unpredictable things. It haunts me every time I wake up and follows me to my wit's end."

"I am a victim of love and I can't seem to stop."

"I imagined this encounter several times when you finally found out. I had so much to say yet I am now at a loss for words."

"I love him... that is why I did things. I love him too much. But did I really love him?"

"I can't help but ask every time: Did I surrender to desires?"

"I- I know you are good, Charlotte. I am so utterly grateful to you, I can't express them well enough in words. I know you... pity me and I now going to admit it. Let me go, and we will never speak of this again. I will voluntarily leave, I really will and you could just forget everything-"

"You can't run away from this, you do understand."

Another round of silence ensues.

A voice that hasn't been heard finally spoke up.

"She is right Charlie. You cannot keep doing this."

The man finally identified as 'Jack' finally spoke up.

Charlie aggressively turned towards him, completely wiping off the vulnerable expression she was showing Charlotte just a minute ago.

"You! You know I am doing this for you! We are both guilty. You helped me!" she started to go into a frenzy.

"Yes, I am equally as guilty of enabling this behavior. I tolerated you even after everything so the best thing we should do is turn ourselves in!" he shouted over her.

"You don't understand! I won't turn myself in... I can't!"

As if he couldn't take it any longer, he screamed, "If you would have remained faithful to me- none of this would have happened!"

As soon as she heard this, her pupils dilated and she fell to the ground.

Charlie started to break down crying.