Obsessive Love Disorder [PART 3]

11

December 24, 1996
Charlotte

"Close your eyes, dude."

"Can't you just hand it to me?"

"That ruins the surprise!"

I roll my eyes from the corner of the couch, my knees tucked underneath my chin as I watch Stu and Davey bicker. Stu is holding something behind his back while my brother desperately tries to reach around and grab it, getting more and more frustrated as Stu evades his hands. 

"Ughhh... fine," Davey groans, gasping for breath and plopping himself on the ground at Stu's feet. Victorious, Stu pumps his fist and sits crisscross opposite him with a goofy grin plastered on his face. He moves his hand from behind his back and produces a plastic-wrapped comic book, placing it gently in Davey's waiting palms. He opens his eyes-

"NO WAY!"

"Yes, way!" Stu laughs, catching Davey in a sudden hug. "I remember you told me last month that you've never had your own Batman comic, so I ran home and grabbed one for ya. Just take care of it, okay?"

Billy scoffs from across the living room, where he was previously picking at his nails absentmindedly. He looks extremely peeved, but not angry. "You went home for a comic book? That's too risky."

Stu clears his throat and subtly gestures to Davey, who is too busy flipping through his new comic to notice. "I was careful, Billy. I wasn't going to, uh... get murdered by the killer while I was there."

Billy nods, getting the hint, and returns to fidgeting with his hands.

It's been nearly two months since we left Woodsboro. It feels like it's been two days and two years all at once. This cabin has a way of tricking your mind and driving you crazy, even with people to keep you company. 

Last month, Billy and I reconciled... well... not reconciled. I'm still mad at him for putting us in this situation and the batshit insane things he did, supposedly 'all for me.' It boils my blood when I think about him hurting people to protect me. It makes me feel violently nauseous when I dredge up the memories of watching Sidney die. I'm sore all over from the shit my father did to me, I have near-constant migraines now, and it takes every strength in my mind and body to pretend like everything's okay for Davey's sake. 

But I don't hate him. I wish I did, but I don't. No... I love him. I wish I hated him, but he still gives me butterflies when he winks at me. My heart races when he sits near me, and my mind fogs over when he touches me. I want to hate him so desperately... but I can't. I just can't.

"Charlotte, your turn."

I snap out of my thoughts and make eye contact with Davey, who looks at me expectantly. 

"Oh... right," I say quietly, reaching behind the couch to grab a small box, which I toss to Stu. "Merry Christmas."

Stu grins and examines the box with eager eyes. "A box set of Metallica cassettes? That's fuckin' sick! Where'd you find this?"

"Thrift shop in that town down south."

Stu cackles as he sorts through the different tapes. "Thanks, Charlotte!"

I smile half-heartedly in return and settle back into the cushions, trying to distance myself from this scene as much as possible. Celebrating Christmas while we're evading police... not very jolly. 

The boys continue to swap gifts as I zone out, staring through a crack in the curtains and out the window. Stu really wanted to have a gift exchange to make things seem a bit more 'normal' for Davey and insisted on driving each of us to this little town a couple of hours away to buy presents without anyone recognizing us. I haven't turned on the TV in months, but I bet our faces are plastered all over the news.