Lethe Vita

Chapter 2

He had hardly registered the amused face of the pockmarked Radio Shack employee who had watched a twenty-one year old leap between displays to figure out the best phone for purchase.

He hadn't so much as blinked when he forked over nearly a grand to pay for David's new phone.

He had barely spoken more than two words to his friends, all of whom had pelted him with questions.

They wanted to know what had happened to cause him to drop David's phone.

Dylan couldn't answer. If he answered, it would make it real. If he kept it to himself, it would remain a horrible nightmare.

He reasoned with himself. Maybe he had misheard. Maybe the phone had cut out the rest of Brenda's sentence.

Who is Dylan...fucking, he thought. Yeah. That's it. Bren asked who is Dylan fucking. Or maybe it was who is Dylan seeing. Who is Dylan kissing, snogging, flirting with. Could be who is Dylan to think he can just call and...nah, wasn't that long. Who is Dylan talking to? She could've thought I was talking to someone in the background. Who is Dylan to us? That would make plenty of sense. I mean, neither of the twins are too happy with me now, and who can blame them?

I fucked up. I fucked up, bad. And then I made an even bigger fuckup of everything.

Why the fuck did I tell Kelly that? Why? What the fuck was I thinking? One sitting across from me, the other dead? Maybe David's right. Maybe my brain is mush.

He attempted to calm his accusatory thoughts.

She didn't ask Who is Dylan. No. No way. I heard that wrong. I know I heard that wrong. There's absolutely no way that was even a little bit close to what she said.

Brandon continued to refuse his calls. Brenda's inbox remained full. Even Val had become unreachable.

Bobby Walsh had answered his phone, though his warning to leave Brenda alone did nothing to alleviate Dylan's concern.

Bobby's sister Lottie Walsh had said in no uncertain terms where Dylan could go and how he could get there.

They were the Walsh relatives Dylan had known best, the closest cousins in Brenda's large family tree. He and Brenda had hosted Simon Walsh's children their second Christmas together in London, and now both of those children were furious with him, too.

Add it to the list, Dylan thought.

If he'd angered Brenda's cousins, he didn't even want to try calling her parents.

Not on his own mobile, at least.

After what he had done to David's, none of the gang permitted Dylan to borrow theirs.

He denied Gina sex. Gina wanted to know more about Brenda. He didn't want to tell her. That was a private matter, something Gina hadn't earned access to and never would. Gina said if he felt like that after all they had been through, then perhaps a breakup was in order. He told her it didn't matter to him; she'd been making eyes at David, anyway.

Gina suggested he send her a postcard from Hell.

He told her he'd already been well acquainted with the place and been promoted to head watchman.

She told him when he was ready to apologize and make up with her, she would be waiting.

She'd stayed waiting, for Dylan didn't apologize.

He had no plans to apologize; not to Gina, at least.

He declined to speak with Kelly, who demanded to know why he had lied to her.