Better Hollow {Finished}

Expiration Date

Expiration Date

Ramona laid her in bed, her mind restless but her body still. It was two weeks after their romantic rendezvous, and the expiration date of their love was approaching too quickly. Ramona was rethinking the entire situation, and it's stupidity. How could she be such a fool? She was strong and independent, but she'd let some blonde, fluffy haired boy turn her into a fool. The worst part was, she didn't plan on changing. Though Mabel and Ramona's family may not understand, the pain was worth it. They didn't understand the pain of turning over in the middle of the night and seeing his absence from her bed. The screaming, fighting, holes punched in the walls, it was all worth it when she woke up next to him.

Ramona sat up, choosing to live through another day. She opened her blinds, staring out her window at James' house next to hers. Her eyes closed as she sighed, today was the day that he would end things. She could feel it, there was this feeling in her stomach, like a tangled ball of yarn was sitting in her stomach, waiting to be unraveled. It was strange to think that even with the birds chirping, the mourning doves singing, the sky blue, and the clouds a bountiful white, that she could live in such a state of constant confusion. James emptied Ramona and filled her up with nothing but his love, leaving her drained when he left.

"Can you be over in five?" James said in a text that popped up on Ramona's phone. The romance had seemingly died in the span of a week. He went from kissing her good morning to telling her that he hadn't talked to her all day because he'd been busy when, in actuality, she'd watched him sit around on his roof smoking all day.

Ramona stood up, taking off her shirt, throwing it onto the floor. She kicked off her pants, walking in front of her mirror to view the stranger she'd become. She picked up her mirror mounted on her wall, took it off its hook, and turned it around to face the wall. She walked away, pulling out one of James' shirts that she'd stolen, and some shorts. Ramona loved the way James' shirts draped around her, enveloping her body, and hiding her.

Ramona left her house, shutting the door behind her as she stepped out. She strode over to James' house, jiggling the stubborn doorknob to let herself in. She could already smell the cigarette smoke, it washed over her like a wave. She crept upstairs, keeping her footsteps soft, slowly walking in order to prolong her arrival in James' room. Her breathing was slow, it was as if she was trying to prepare to lose her breath.

She made it to the top of the stairs, staring at James' door. She took a few deep breaths and pushed open the door. James was sitting on his bed, smoking a cigarette. "We need to talk," he said in a morose tone. Ramona's eyes looked dead, she didn't blink much, they just constantly twitched. She sat down on the edge of his bed, keeping her distance.

"Lucille is going to be home in two days. It's time we end this. I don't want to hurt you, but I told you this would only be for a few weeks. I still love you, but we can't be together," James said robotically. Ramona slowly blinked, her mouth was dry.

Ramona stayed silent, her mind somewhere else. Her head permanently cocked, like she was frozen in time, forever contemplating her love. "How can you say that," she asked, gazing at the carpeted floor. "You say you love me, but I don't think you do. You say all these things, but your actions only prove a third of them. You sit here and tell me that you're sorry for all that you've done, but you continue to do it. Before you, I said I'd never be second choice, I would never settle for second best. I changed that for you. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't rather be no choice at all than second choice. I'm sorry too though, I never should've asked you to love me," Ramona spoke into the hazy room.

"You asked for this. You practically begged me to 'let you love me' and now you're telling me that it's my fault. You're saying all this shit that I lead you on and that I don't love you. How is it my fault that you're hurt when you're the one that did this? You put yourself here," James said, all of his sympathy gone. It was like he'd gone cold, like the fae had taken him and replaced him with a clone.