If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 40

"You always catch me at a bad time. When I know you probably think it's a lie. And I know I told you last time was the last time. How could you pull the plug and make me flatline?"

- Flatline by Justin Bieber

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Obsession. [əbˈseSHən]

Preoccupy or fill the mind of something or someone continuously, intrusively, and to a troubling extent.

Payton was driving himself crazy. He knew that his obsession with Aubrey was uncanny. Anytime something went wrong between them he felt like his life was over. He didn't want to eat, drink, or even sleep. He was completely and utterly smitten with everything Aubrey. There had to be something psychologically wrong with him. She consumed him, but all he did was constantly push her away.

Aubrey's beautiful, angelic face intruded his every thought. Living his life without her wasn't an option so of course he wanted to find out where she was staying. He looked everywhere. He desperately stopped at Austin's house even though he knew he wouldn't find her there. It wasn't until Austin told Payton that he didn't know where she was that Payton grew worried. He hadn't known that Austin was lying though, so the two weeks that he hadn't talked to her hit him hard. He wanted to hire someone to find her, but he knew that would only add fuel to the fire.

The reporters had eventually stopped talking about them in the papers so he knew he couldn't find any help there. Junior's principal said he switched schools, and it was illegal for him to say where. That's when Payton came to the conclusion that she skipped town, never to look back. That thought endlessly protruded throughout his mind which resulted in him completely falling apart.

-

"Hello?" Aubrey answered the phone even though the number was private. She prayed it wasn't Payton. A month without him was already driving her insane so speaking to him wouldn't do her any good.

"Hello, Aubrey?" a female voice comes through the speakers. Aubrey let's go of the breath she was holding and looked over at Junior, who was sleeping on her lap.

"Yes, this is she. May I ask who's speaking?" she responds sweetly.

"This is Bonnie."

Aubrey exhaled loudly before raising her eyes to the ceiling. "Okay, and is there a good reason why you're calling me?" her tone was stern.

"I need your help... Well, actually, Payton needs your help," Bonnie whispers.

Aubrey straightened her spine quickly at the mention of Payton. "What happened? Is he alright?" she rushed.

"No," she sighed. "No, he is not. He's practically falling apart. He's staying out all night, not talking to any of his friends, his games are horrible, drinking every night, and goes out to a party every weekend. He's acting like a dámned crazed teenager going through a phase and everyone here knows why."

"Bonnie, this isn't my fault," Aubrey tells her immediately. "Yes, I've watched his... games. Yes, I miss him. A lot. But I can't go back to that. He—"

"Aubrey, you don't underst—"

Bonnie was cut off by a disgruntled voice. "I'm just saying... that bítch Dora? I'd explore her."

Aubrey furrowed her eyebrows. She tried to decipher whose voice it was until she realized it was Payton's. She immediately grew sad and loudly sighed. "Bonnie, put Payton on the phone."