Anathema

Chapter Five... Be my Guest

Kali woke up the next morning around 6 am in Von's empty bed, her memories from the previous night hazy.

The only thing Kali could make out from the night before was Von saying some really mean things, then her crying herself to sleep.

On the nightstand, there was a McDonald's bag, inside a McGriddle and 2 hash browns - her favorite. Kali loves McDonald's hash browns. She ate in silence, savoring the familiar comfort of the food .

She didn't have a headache, thank God, but she still had this worried feeling in her stomach.

She searched for her phone. And it wasn't anywhere near her, She assumed she left it in the car coming in last night.

After she was done eating she walked into the living room and saw Von sitting on the couch, talking on the phone. She didn't say a word, just sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder and stared ahead at the TV.

Von finished his conversation and hung up the phone before asking her, "You ate?"

She shook her head 'Yes, still not using her words. This aggravated Von when she did this. "Use ya' words"

She waited a few seconds before replying, "Yes, I ate."

The air was heavy with tension before she thought it was time to unleash the question that had been festering within her since dawn.

"Why were you talking to me like that Von?" Her voice soft, dripped in anguish.

Her voice cracked from the memories of his words that cut her deep. She didn't care if it was true, she didn't care about the truth; she couldn't bear to hear it from him.

"Yo' ass bet not start crying folks," he replied calm and unyielding. "I'm not trynna hear that shit son." Kali's head jerked up, eyes flashed with anger

Kali raised her head and her gaze piercing the side of his face.

Tears cascade down her face like a torrent as she stood up, hunching over in his face, placing 2 arms on each side of his face, hands gripping the back of the sofa. Her face contorted in a mixture of hurt and rage.

"WHY CAN'T YOU NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE MY FEELING VON? YOU TALK TO ME LIKE I'M A ROBOT, YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME!" She cried out a desperate cry. A heart-wrenching plea, desperate for understanding and to be heard.

Von's expression remained calm, but his eyes betrayed a hint of annoyance. Man, I ain't never cried this much.

Von smacked his lips, his gaze shifting downwards. His eyes were low. I'm too high for this shit. He cocked his head to the side and squinted his eyes. He chuckled and licked his lips but didn't say a word.

Kali's hands shot out, shoved Von's chest with a force that belied her fragile state. "It's not fucking funny Von!" She screamed, her voice cracking like shattered glass. " You know I care about your opinion and you always say harsh stuff to me, you don't care!" She sobbed

She stood up, her body shaking like a leaf as she wiped her face with her sleeve before pacing back and forth in his living room, crying and constantly wiping her face.

Kali's cries echoed off the walls as she struggled to contain her emotions.

She was feeling overstimulated and unheard, her anxiety spiraling out of control. She didn't know where her phone was. She couldn't feel any other emotion.

The worry in her stomach has became more a constant, gnawing presence, making her tears worse.

She paced and paced. Von just sat on the couch watching her act like a manic. He didn't really know what to do. He wanted to tie her up and throw her in his closet for a week and force her to sober up, but that would be a last resort type of decision.