The Strange Tale Of Ayla Jae

Chapter Eleven - "We Dwarves Are Natural Sprinters..."

Dave's motel room is surprisingly clean and decent, despite the loud air conditioning unit strapped to the window and occasional dank smell. It's hard to think straight, but I've managed to carve out a small corner of the place for my own. It might sound pathetic, but this small spot of the edge of the loveseat and floor around it is basically home for me right now. I'm glad to have it. Curled up in my gray hoodie, I feel just a smidge of comfort, and it makes my soul ease.

Chloe is sacked out the other side of the seat, while I'm on the floor leaning against it. I got up to trying and find something to drink, and I just couldn't bother her when I came back. So, here I sit, randomly watching the rerunned episodes of some 90s sitcom and glancing over at the door in hopes that Dave will show up soon. He said it would take fifteen minutes to get something for us to eat, but it's been almost thirty. I'm getting worried. Well, I'm getting more worried.

I hear small mumur behind me and the soft shuffle of a blanket.

"Ayla?"

Oh good, she's up.

"Hey wizard. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"What? Oh, no. Umm, is Dave back?" Chloe's voice is tired and quiet. I'm glad she finally slept, but I need a little conversation. This room might feel a little cozy, but just beyond is a rough landscape of confusion.

"Got lonely, didn't ya?" Chloe says.

It takes me a second, but I realize what she's jesting at. When I'm in a rough spot, I tend to grab my deck of cards and play a dumb made up game which mostly entails me shuffle cards around until my mind gets worn out and tired.
I look down to reveal my mess.

"Yeah," I force a chuckle, "you know me."

She sits up a little.

"Is there even a point to that game yet?"

I can't help but smile.

"There's always a point to it." I pick up a few cards and arrange them. "Maybe someday I'll actually show you what that is."

"You're so transparent sometimes, you know that?" She shuffles a little more, reaching down into her bag to pull out a small hair band. With a quick flick of the wrist, her hair sits up high as she settles back down against the arm of the seat.

"I don't know about that." I tell her. I lay a few cards down in order then swap a few with new ones I pull from one of two decks. "Ironic that you say I'm transparent. Everyone else seem to focus on how difficult I am. Even my parents, apparently."

Chloe doesn't say anything, but when I glance back over my shoulder, she nods over to the empty side of the seat. Leaving my pile of distraction on the floor, I slowly leap onto the seat and do my best to get comfortable.

"You're always so hard on yourself, Ayla. Can't you take a few minutes of your life to just appreciate that not everyone is out to get you?"

"No." I say with a chuckle. I'm not exactly joking, but there's truth in it.

"Dave's here, Sam's around, I'm here. Sometimes that's enough."

"I want to believe that, Chloe. I do. I'm just...afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Chloe asks, sitting up.

"Of what people want from me. What some want to do with me. I don't understand it, and I don't want any of it. I'm just a weird girl. Why isn't that enough?"

I'm getting upset, but I feel Chloe drape more of the blanket over me and cozy up again. I start feel the exhaustion from the last few hours weigh on me, and my head leans against the couch and Chloe's shoulder.