Three Phantoms of You [bxb]

Heartbreak to: Nolan

Nolan:

It's unhealthy.

It's definitely unhealthy to think of dirty thoughts, right? I mean, they're not dirty, but a kiss.

My mind has been replaying all that has happened in more possible flashbacks than when Vecna goes back and forth to people to get body counts. They're not the same, but it did give me the same thrilling vibe of dying because of it. 

Reading books is not helping either, because in one or more ways, there's a kissing scene, or is it actually a smut? Fun.

"Can you get me a paprika in the seasonings aisle? I forgot," my mom commands as she continues to look for a cranberry-flavored gelatin. I told her to just get an unflavored one, but she doesn't budge because she said it's easier to make already mixed.

I move my body away from how I'm positioned behind the shopping cart, with my hand on my chin and my feet crossed from under it. "Sure," I say.

My eyes go searching from aisle to aisle just to see someone familiar, even though I know where I'm going to get what she asked for. If there's a possibility for us to bump into the thrift store, then surely it can happen in the grocery store too, right?

But then again, Kiev doesn't do groceries somehow. But someone else does. Shit.

However, it's too late. As I try to walk away from seeing him eye-to-eye, he calls my name and catches up. 

"Hey, Nolan," a familiar voice calls.

Once again, I'm greeted with his phantom—a blonde ambition that I'm trying so hard to forget. And look, he's even wearing the hoodie I gave him. How nice.

I try to force a smile out as I face Kai. "Hi."

He looks at me incredulously, as if trying to think of something to say; however, he is lost on words. "I thought—uh, you didn't tell me you were going here as well," he says.

Well, no shit. I didn't even have any contact with him in the past six months or so. I don't really know. And I'm not really planning to update him about anything, especially my visit here.

"We haven't really stayed in touch, you know," I start. "For me to call you up, like— Hey, I'm staying at Anders, by the way, how about you?—Yeah, it's not like that."

I know how dumb I might look at the moment, trying so hard to hide my awkwardness, but it's really not working. "Wow, you already forgot our talk yesterday." Really?

Is my mind really that caught up with kissing Kiev that I somehow forgot that I talked to Kai yesterday? It probably is because I can't even remember what I did yesterday other than fantasize about him all day long. 

But I'm not about to embarrass myself right now, so... "Yeah, sorry. My mind is kind of blurry. Of course, I remember." I concur.

He just gave me a quick "sure" without further asking me about it. Phew. "So, who are you with? Because I remember you saying you don't like grocery shopping," he asks.

I did tell him that, and it's still true. However, bavk then, I actually do come here often because he always forced me to go with him when we were still together. "My mom."

And since I already mentioned her, it's definitely time to make an excuse. "Yep, and she'll probably kill me if I don't get her her paprika already," I say, trying to chuckle lightly.

"Of course, of course," is all Kai says, and the both of us stay from where we're standing, awkwardly not knowing what to do next.

But I'm too distracted and quickly want an escape. "It was nice catching up," I say. "See you here, I guess.