CHAPTER 8

Inside her bedroom, Shane paces nervously while talking on the phone.
“It’s desperate that I talk to her”, she says.
“I’ve already told you, she’s not home…”, Mrs. O’Shea replies in a very embarrassed tone.
“Well please leave a message that I called”, Shane begs her.
Mrs. O’Shea sighs.
“I’ll do that”.
Shane hangs up the phone and throws it into a mirror, which smashes.
She puts her hands on her head, covering her eyes.
“Shit!”, she hisses, frantically.
She collapses on her bed, still burying her face in her hands.
Exhausted, she looks up and sees her journal lying on the floor.
She picks it up and flips through the pages.

**

Later, that night, Shane is walking down the street carrying a small package. She enters O’Sheas apartment building and rings the doorbell.
Mrs. O’Shea answers the door and, when she sees her, seems pissed, and annoyed.
“What do you want?”.
Shane’s eyes are big and reddened, upset.
“I need to talk to Carmen”.
Mrs. O’Shea shakes her head.
“She’s not here”.
“Do you know where she is?”.
“She’s out”, the woman cuts her off coldly.
Shane licks her dry lips, her blood pumping into her head.
“Do you know when she’ll be back?”.
“Later. Listen, we’re entertaining some guests, so – “.
“Carmen! Carmen!”, Shane yells trying to enter the house.
The woman stops her midway.
“Shane, I already told you she’s not here!”.
Shane steps back.
“Fine. Could you please see that she gets this?”, she murmurs, defeated, handing her the package.
Mrs. O’Shea nods.
“I’ll do that”.
“It’s really important!”, Shane exclaims anxiously.
“I understand”, the woman states, quietly, “Good night”.
She closes the door.

**

Jenny is sitting in a chair, doing her nails.
She checks her watch, takes a moment and makes herself upset.
She picks up the phone and dials.
After three rings, Tasha’s sleepy voice answers.
“Hello…”.
“Tasha?”, Jenny murmurs, her voice cracking.
“Yeah?”.
“It’s Jenny”.
Tasha sits up, nervously.
“Hi Jenny”, she whispers, “Is everything okay?”.
Jenny starts crying.
“No”.
“What’s wrong?”.
Jenny sniffles.
“It’s Shane. She’s out of her mind”.
Tasha frowns.
“What do you mean?”.
“I think she’s high on drugs. She hit me, then took off. I’m afraid to be alone…”, she pauses for a second, “…Please, come over”.
Tasha nods.
“I’ll be right there”.
Jenny hangs up the phone.
She instantly becomes calm and returns to doing her nails.

**

Carmen is sitting on her bed, staring at Shane’s package.
Finally, she picks it up and opens it.
She takes out a journal and a letter.