Cute Voice

July 15 - Epilogue pt. 1

"Jason."

"Finally! What took you so long? We have to talk- I know your secret- please-"

"Jason, stop..." 

"I'm here, Shelly, I came, but you lied, didn't you?"

"I-"

"You said you were real. I begged you to tell me and you said-"

"Jason, stop. You had to hear that, it wasn't me, it was you..."

"I want to be together. I love you. I want to be your boyfriend, I want to make you happy, but you lied to me."

"Stop crying, Jason, you're going to make me cry."

"Wh-why? Why did you l-lie to me? I-*breaks*"

"Jay- stop..."

"*crying*"

"We can't be together, because we live in different universes..."

"Then I won't take my meds ever again. Then will you come?"

"If you really want, you can dream me up as coming down the alleyway your in and take me home tonight, but Jason..."

"..."

"It's never going to work...I don't belong to your universe, you can't- and anyway, you have to go back on your meds."

"No-"

"Yes. Right when you get home."

"But then-"

"You have to."

"But you-"

"Jason, the whole conversation about reality we had- I'm you, so my opinion was your opinion, and you never really believed the thing about the spiritual. You think I'm fake now because I only exist in spiritual thought. You believe in your own theory but only as it excludes yourself because you think you're 'crazy,' don't you see?"

"I- I don't. I can't see anything it's raining too hard and I'm crying and-"

"Shh. Stop, you sound miserable!"

"I-"

"You know me, I cried by freaking beauty and the beast!"

"Sorry- sorry-"

"You would have been a really good boyfriend, Jay..." 

"And you-"

"I was everything you needed. That man on the bus, too. He told you what you needed to hear. I came-"

"Stop- please- just- just stop"

"You have to go back. You have to go home, and take your medicine and go to Columbia and let me go..."

"Why is it so easy for you? Didn't you say you loved me? Were you lying then also?"

"I-"

"Shelly please..."

"I can't say yes, Jason. I can't tell you it's okay. I can't have you stay in this alley forever  to call me every day."

"But-"

"You have to let me go. And think about it a little. Think about everything I was."

"You're not- dead-"

"Please, Jason, listen to me."

"*sniffle*"

"If you want a little self-discovery, just think about everything I am. My mom- you're dream mom. My distant and crazy, and, oh, alcoholic dad. My insecurities-"

"Those are yours, they're all yours and you can keep them because you're not dying and you're going to be fine, My Lady you're going to be okay-"

"You're not, though. Your condition will worsen-"

"And I could be with you-"

"We can't, Jason. We can't work."

"It's like I just found out you live even further than Seattle but where you are, I could never reach."

"Exactly."

"But I'm scared Shelly, and I'm dying-"

"You're WHAT? Wait, WHAT?!"

"There's this thing in my chest, and it really hurts, and I can't breathe, so I'm dying..."

"Yeah, Nobody, that's the feeling of immense pain. Welcome to being Somebody."

"It's just-"

"I know. I know, baby. I'm sorry. Please go now. Please text Nick. Make things right with your dad-"

"I can't-"

"-You could, and then take your meds and go to college and become whatever you want to be-"

"Not without you, Shelly."

"Yes, without me."

"I- *breaks*"

"Go."

"I don't want to leave you..."

"But you do. You deserve this. Please go."

"I love you..."

"Goodbye, Jason-"

"Wait-"

"..."

"Give me something-"

"How?"

"Send me a text, send me a picture of you-"

"But that's-"

"Impossible, I know, but do it, Shelly. I need to have something. Anything."

"You'll have your life back."

"I-"

"Bye, protagonist-"

"Did you just-"

"You were the main character the whole time, Jason, you just didn't know it."

"...B-bye Shell-*cracks, clears throat, then says quietly-* Shelly."

"..."

"..."