Pretty Boy

Chapter XIII: Estranged

Ollie could not relax once he finally tried to fall asleep. He played the images back in his mind. Scarlett leaping off into the water, kissing Mitch, the faint light coming closer from the bushes. He was feeling faint yet jittery, he caught his hand shaking. He wasn't used to feeling this way. He rolled over, making the corners of his sheets fly off, he grabbed them and pulled them over the bed. He was never really taught the correct way to make a bed and put the sheets on. He got on his phone, he knew it wouldn't help but he persisted anyway. He pulled up his messages to Scarlett. He was sure something had to be wrong, something she wasn't telling him. She wouldn't push him aside like that for nothing. He wanted this information desperately, but it would have to wait for tomorrow.
Scarlett awoke in the ER. She was lucid and automatically knew why she was there. She had done it again. Spilled over the edge of the cup that was once half filled, but now was overflowing. The bed was small, it was a large room with curtains dividing the beds. A girl cried, it was a baby, must've been pretty bad. She looked to her right to see the leader of the pact sitting there. "Hey- you're up," He said. No family had shown up to her side, though she wasn't surprised about this. "The doctor said we can leave whenever you feel up to it," He was sincere and kind. Nothing like the persona he pretended to be at the bridge. "What's your name?" She asked. "Peter," he said. This made her stomach turn. Ollie had just met someone named Peter and now she was being saved by another. "Is something wrong with that?" He asked with a smile. "No-- I just wouldn't take you for a Peter," She said with a smile as she began to stand up. She didn't know what time it was, it was late. "It happens to the best of us," He grinned and began to get out of the stiff chair just across from her. "I should be getting home," She hoisted herself to her feet and began towards the door. "I'll drive you home," He followed her promptly to the door. She had no complaints.
The drive home was productive, he found out about her, she found out about him and his whole persona thing that he has going for him. He tried to explain it's appeal, but it just ended up coming across as overbearing. She gave him directions to her house. It was nice to be in the company of a man who wasn't gay for a change. She had always questioned her sexuality, she went over and over it in her mind and still she couldn't find the answer. She saw herself in the side-view mirror, she was hazy, with a bandage on her forehead, it made her look just as she felt. Estranged.
Dreams came easy to her, even when she was awake in a dream. She never floated on clouds or kissed her dream guy. She was always stuck in her bathtub, fully clothed. The water was red, deep ensaturating red. She felt no emotion as she would stare at herself from above, eyeing the razor in her hand. And then... It would end just like that, no satisfaction of dying or the bloody screams of her mother, only silence. She would awake, calm. She would check her wrists slowly. Only scars, like it always had been.
Ollie awoke to the sound of his father arriving from wherever he had been the past few days. "Where the hell have you been?!" He heard his mother belt from down the hall. He didn't care to hear the rest, only bickers and whines. He had hit her once. That was when she threw a bottle of Jack Daniels at him. It missed, but that wasn't what was important. He threw her around the kitchen like a rag doll. Ollie kept still and listened as the final plate shattered. He tossed the covers over his head and tried to drown them out. This argument wouldn't last long. He would either leave or she would leave and that would be the end of it for a couple days at least. Ollie was drained from the past couple nights, he needed at least one day to recuperate before diving back in. Time. Time was always a factor. He only had a certain amount of time to keep up what he had going for him. He hadn't started his winter break with a goal, but now it was to go to as many parties as possible. Although being chased through the night by what he could tell was a cop was scary, he found it thrilling and daring. He wanted to do it again. He hadn't thought of Scarlett, she didn't even cross his mind. Ollie's mother suddenly burst into his room, making him jolt. "Did you get your Christmas shopping done?" She asked sternly. Ollie sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm going with Scarlett tonight," He had no plans with Scarlett, and now that he finally said her name out loud he realized he hadn't spoken to her since the car. "You said that yesterday," She said. "I know we just didn't get to it," He said softly, he didn't want to fight, he would do anything to make her leave his room. "I bet you don't even know what I want for Christmas," She said as she folded her arms. It was true, but she also had no clue what he wanted, what he really wanted anyway. "I'll figure it out," He pleaded. "You better," She left the room. He laughed at the absurdity of it all. He began to message Scarlett in an attempt to rekindle the now dying flame.
*OLLIE* How you doing? Can I come over?
*SCARLETT* I'm fine- and yeah what time?
*OLLIE* Can I come now? I need to talk to you.
*SCARLETT* Same- I'll see you soon

It was 11:23 a.m