Soulless

Five | 5466

Lunden Evergreen

I knocked on the oak door and waited patiently. I heard something on the other side of the door fall. Then, there was light shuffling, and as the door swung open, she stood half awake.

"Lyndon B. Johnson is in the house!" Eleanor cheers, and once the door is fully open, she pulls me in for a tight hug. Her roommate, Mia, sits up with her tablet in hand and waves at me silently.

"I told you not to call me that?" I said, and she nodded in response, as I knew she didn't care. She'd call me that forever.

"Yes, I heard you, but it's not not funny. So I kind of have to, by nature, you know? Why waste such a good nickname?" Why did I allow this girl to be my friend? That was my mistake.

"You make me want to transfer."

"But we just began junior year, plus you already started a feud with a professor a month in. I think we are off to a fantastic start!" Closing the door behind her, we began to make our way out of her dorm. She remained in her pajamas as I was ready for the day. But I owed her breakfast, and I knew even if I didn't come wake her up. She would've thrown some sort of fit.

"I'm getting a cinnamon-raisin bagel; it's all I've been thinking about for hours." To me, that sounded disgusting. There is nothing worse than prunes or raisins, and I proudly state that.

"That's the most disappointing breakfast I've heard. Now me, I will be devouring a long waited cinnamon roll" We made our way to the cafe near campus and waited patiently in line.

Soon, the warm cinnamon bun was in my hands as I followed Eleanor to a booth. I stirred my iced tea as she began to eat her bagel. I liked simple weekend mornings like this, where Eleanor pretends to enjoy a raisin bagel, and I act like I'm not grossed out.

"You shouldn't diss it until you try it. You might even love a cinnamon-raisin bagel?" She argued as I stared at it in disgust and focused back on my bun.

As I'm about to take a bite, my phone buzzes, distracting me, and I take it out of my pocket and answer, annoyed.

"Hello?"

"Lunden, stop ignoring your texts. I have you for Christmas this year. You cannot just avoid me. I am your father, and that means something." I shut my eyes and cursed myself for ignoring the caller ID like an idiot.

I'd been so careful until this very moment. Eleanor looks confused, and I turn the phone to show who I answered. For starters, it was wild that my Dad thought he earned the right to see me on Christmas like he had custody; I was an adult. I'd stop by for Christmas until last year.

But his wife drove me absolutely insane. Then I snapped and promised that was the end.

"Dad, I don't even know if I'm coming home for Christmas. I think I might be going to El's," I said, sinking into the chair and preparing for yet another fruitless conversation.

"You're spending it with a friend you've known for a few years rather than your own family? Lunden, please, I don't want to fight with you; I just want to see you?"

"Why would I spend it with you and a stranger in one big isolated house? That sounds like the worst Christmas ever. I don't know what you want me to fulfill. Time machines don't exist, and absences don't just go away; think of it as a trade-off. How about that?" I ended the line before he had another word to say.