How to Survive Your 19th Life [BL]

Chapter 62: Obnoxious Me

The first thing I did with my newfound freedom was explain myself to Malai. It was a good thing that she was good at keeping things between us, because I told her that Emiel was cheating on me with Sylvia and I wanted revenge. She took this explanation pretty well.

I had to be careful still, as Emiel and I were still Javernick students. I made sure to mope around campus and, if I was out in public with Malai, to never be seen laughing or smiling too much. I did a similar call with my parents as in my last life to tell them I knew about the diagnosis, but I would wait until the end of the semester before transferring to Mountain View. If this didn't stick, I didn't want to be killed at their house for them to find.

I didn't see much of Emiel. I shared some obnoxious memes on social media like "I will always cherish the misconceptions I had about you," and my favorite, "Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option."

Malai commented on every single one of my posts with a broken heart emoji.

Weeks rolled into months and I was finally approaching summer break. This was the longest I had lived. I found myself watching all the movies that Emiel and I watched during my first life. I cooked similar dishes as well, but they didn't taste nearly as good.

Though I was free of him, it felt like I was finally able to process the end of us. But there was no evidence of our time together from before. No photos or texts. That history died when I died.

On the last day of school, I worked on loading up my car with my essentials before heading back home for the summer. I was out back throwing away my trash when Emiel approached me.

When I saw the dark look in his eyes, I knew that all of my work on being insufferable had gone to waste. He was still a crazy bastard.

"I thought about it, Sol," he said without a greeting. He wasn't wearing his usual killer outfit of all black, but a smart sweater vest and jean shorts. With his asymmetrical dangly earrings and neon eyeliner, he looked like he was in a 90's pop punk boy band.

I stumbled back in surprise, falling against the dumpster. He held a large red brick in one hand. I managed to get to my feet, but I was cornered as the dumpster perpendicular to the outer wall. I had a small window to run, but I had to be smart about when. It was broad daylight out and there were students nearby. Maybe security if I was lucky – which I seldom was.

"I can't live without you," he said. "We broke up over something so stupid, don't you think? I deserved your treatment of me. You were only trying to teach me a lesson, weren't you? I regret everything."

My options were to sprint and try to get help, to fight him, or to plead with him. Fighting wouldn't work. Running was a terrifying option as it left me vulnerable to being chased. Would anyone be able to help me in time anyway?

"I do too," I told him. Pleading it was. "Let's get back together, okay? I didn't realize that I meant so much to you. I was waiting for you to come back to me, but you never did."

Emiel laughed. He shook the brick. "You are only saying that because I'm holding a brick."

He was more self aware than I thought. I shook my head and smiled desperately at him.

"I don't want to die of course," I said. "But I feel sorry because I didn't know you felt so strongly for me. I know you won't hurt me. I love you too much for you to do something like that." I inched closer to him, dropping my garbage on the ground and reaching one hand out to him. "Let's go inside, okay? I love you Emiel, please."

"I'll never let you go," he said. His free hand reached out and cupped the side of my face. He was going to kill me. It was written all over his face.

"You broke up with me," I said. I grabbed his hand and kissed the palm. Emiel blinked rapidly. "How could you do this when you were the one that ended things?"

"You drove me to it," Emiel said. "It hit me... that you aren't that type of person. You aren't greedy or jealous. I know who you are Solomon. You are perfect. Divine. Maybe there's something wrong with your head. Maybe if I rearrange your brains, you'll come to your senses."

"I'll be dead then, Em. Please, I love you Em. I love you."

Emiel swung the brick. It hit me in the jaw first, but the momentum was enough to knock me down. Something in my throat crushed and I couldn't bring myself to shout for help. All I could feel was blinding pain and my mouth being limp and unable to close.

The next blow cracked my skull.