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Jeremy Banks
Issue date: 3/17/06 Section: Voices
Peter looked at Charlotte, whose tears began to increase steadily.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears away.
He then gently patted her on the cheek.
"There is nothing to cry about," he assured. "All you have to do is cooperate, and you will survive this."
"Please…," she began slowly. "What do you want?"
"Well, I used to think not too long ago that you were what I wanted. That all changed when you betrayed me with him."
"That's not true, man," Michael interjected. " I never-"
"Liar!" Peter shouted.
He then slapped his old friend so hard that his top lip began to bleed.
He turned his attention back to Charlotte. "You need to admit what you did, and then explain to me why you did it!
"Did you ever love me?" he asked.
He could feel tears begin to form, but he fought them off as best he could.
"Yes, Peter," she answered, albeit somewhat dryly. "I did love you."
"Why did you constantly flirt with everyone?" he continued, having successfully fought off the approaching tears. "Wasn't I good to you?"
"It is just who I am," she replied. "Sometimes when I am friendly, it is mistaken for flirtation."
"Why do you persist in lying to me?" Peter asked, with the melancholy slowly beginning to turn back into rage. "Just tell me the truth. It was a setup from the get-go. This man turned against me, and he conspired with you to make a fool out of me. Just admit what you did."
"That's not true!" she pleaded. "I just. . . ." Peter lunged at her and grabbed her ponytail again.
Her tears came again, and she began to sob uncontrollably.
"Do you think this is a joke?" he screamed. "You are going to die if you do not tell me what is wrong with me!"
"I'll tell you what is wrong with you!" proclaimed Michael. "The truth is, your anger and your obsession with perfection have driven everyone away from you, and rather than own up to your shortcomings, you choose to shift the blame on others!"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears away.
He then gently patted her on the cheek.
"There is nothing to cry about," he assured. "All you have to do is cooperate, and you will survive this."
"Please…," she began slowly. "What do you want?"
"Well, I used to think not too long ago that you were what I wanted. That all changed when you betrayed me with him."
"That's not true, man," Michael interjected. " I never-"
"Liar!" Peter shouted.
He then slapped his old friend so hard that his top lip began to bleed.
He turned his attention back to Charlotte. "You need to admit what you did, and then explain to me why you did it!
"Did you ever love me?" he asked.
He could feel tears begin to form, but he fought them off as best he could.
"Yes, Peter," she answered, albeit somewhat dryly. "I did love you."
"Why did you constantly flirt with everyone?" he continued, having successfully fought off the approaching tears. "Wasn't I good to you?"
"It is just who I am," she replied. "Sometimes when I am friendly, it is mistaken for flirtation."
"Why do you persist in lying to me?" Peter asked, with the melancholy slowly beginning to turn back into rage. "Just tell me the truth. It was a setup from the get-go. This man turned against me, and he conspired with you to make a fool out of me. Just admit what you did."
"That's not true!" she pleaded. "I just. . . ." Peter lunged at her and grabbed her ponytail again.
Her tears came again, and she began to sob uncontrollably.
"Do you think this is a joke?" he screamed. "You are going to die if you do not tell me what is wrong with me!"
"I'll tell you what is wrong with you!" proclaimed Michael. "The truth is, your anger and your obsession with perfection have driven everyone away from you, and rather than own up to your shortcomings, you choose to shift the blame on others!"