You Belong to Me

Distance

It took a little bit of time for things to go back to normal for real but even then, there was this unfillable hole feeling in my chest that was so heavy it was hard to breathe sometimes.

It mostly effected me at night when I'm by myself, alone in my empty apartment. I stopped counting the days since I last saw Kai and Cam, it only seemed to make the hole deeper.

I wasn't even dating Kai and yet it still feels like a heartbreak.

And I prayed every night that Cam was alive and okay. I found myself passing by different police stations constantly but my body wouldn't cooperate and let me walk inside one to file a report.

Paranoia kept telling me if I tried to talk to them, they'd either think I was insane and lock me away, or worse. They'd believe me but only because they already know what's going on and I'm now a witness they can't have.

So I had to live with the fact I basically left my friend alone to die. And I felt absolutely disgusted with myself for that. But I kept telling myself also, Cam's parents still live just upstate and they talk constantly, if at any point they were worried about him, they would've contacted me by now, wouldn't they?

These were the thoughts that haunted me at night continuously on a loop. It's enough to make anyone mad.

I started relaxing more, not picking up extra shifts since I can go back to not worrying about the loan.

Granted, I was still broke as shit, but now all my money can stay with me to put towards bills.

It's Friday and pay day again. I was focusing my energy into making this a great day.

I had just dropped off an order at one of my tables and went back to the kitchen where Brent and Lacey were standing closely together and whispering.

I couldn't hear much but I picked up just a couple words, 'Evie', 'date', and 'perfect'.

Oh dear god. Please don't let them be doing what I think they're doing.

I cleared my throat loudly, drawing their attention. They both jumped a little and turned to look at me.

"Oh, hey girl!" Lacey said a little too fake enthusiastically.

"Hey, bitch!" Brent's usual form of greeting.

"Hi guys." I gave them a tiny wave. "What's going on?" I asked, looking from one to the other, hoping to catch them off guard.

"Oh, nothing. Just gossip. You wouldn't be interested." Brent tried to chuckle but his nervousness made it sound weird.

"Actually I would love to hear the gossip! It's my fave." I responded back over dramatically, fluttering my lashes to match their fakeness.

They both stood there, awkwardly shuffling their feet side to side.

I'm not a broken and lost little puppy!

I folded my arms across my chest. "Cut the shit guys. What's really going on?"

Brent broke first. Surprising considering Lacey usually caves first. "Listen, we love you."

"Uh huh." I said slowly.

"And we just thought maybe you and that guy didn't work out, so we thought..." Lacey chimed in but didn't finish.

"You thought what? That I'm a loser? Cause that's a given but-"

"No babe! We'd never think that about you!" She cut in quickly.

"But we just thought you could use some cheering up..." Brent finished for her.

I nodded my head slowly. "Okay... and what did you have in mind?"