Runaway Cleo

Ch. 8: Can We Really Call This Love?

I go to the mall since I only have an hour to spare. Cleo has me on some kind of scavenger hunt and I'm not in the mood honestly. She has less than 6 months to live and she just wants to play games.

I'm tired of playing games. I want to do normal, coupley things with her. I want to go to the beach and to have picnics and just walk around this mall with her hand in mine. I can't have that with Cleo, she's just so chaotic. Why does she have to be that way?

I need stability. I can't even have that with her. She's leaving me soon. So why am I even trying?

I have feelings for her but what if they aren't real? Or even worse, what if they aren't enough?

Can you honestly love someone that you know zero things about? What if I'm just carrying my 9th grade crush into something that's not even there?

I'm knocked out of my thoughts when I notice a girl walk by. My ex. We make eye contact and I smile at her but keep walking. I have Cleo now.

I go by the pretzel place and decide to take a seat at one of the tables. Not even 5 minutes after I start eating, she walks up. Miss Reagan Olivia Bliss.

"Hey, Chris?" She says it almost like a question. I'm not surprised why either, she did dump me after a year and a half of dating.
"Reagan." I can even hear the hatred in my voice.
"How are you?" She sits at my table and I make eye contact with her as I cringe inwardly.
"I'm good. You?" Just be nice, Chris.
"I've been better"
"That's relatable." She stares at me for a minute and then says something almost incomprehensible.
"Istillloveyouandijustwanttogetbacktogetherandnseeingyiutodayjustprovesthatitmighthappen so..."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Chris, I miss you." My heart stops. Why would she miss me? We dated almost 6 months ago and she broke up with me for good reasons. "I don't know what I was thinking. I thought I could find someone better but i was wrong. You are everything I need, it was wrong for me to accuse you of loving someone else. Please take me back. Please."

She's begging me to love her again. But how can you love somebody again if you never loved them in the first place? I transferred my love for Cleo onto the first human to shown me affection. It sucks that that person had to be Reagan.

"Look, rea. I wish I could, but I'm in a relationship with someone right now. It's good. I don't want to ruin it. I'm sorry." She looks saddened and almost disappointed.
"I uh- I understand. Well, uhm. thanks for the talk?"
"Yeah. Uh- anytime. Text me- maybe we could catch up over coffee sometime?"
"I'll keep that in mind. Have a nice life, Chris?"

She leaves it like that. An open question for the masses.

Have a nice life?

Why did I say that though? Cleo isn't in a relationship with me. We aren't anything. She's already dead. It's wrong but it's true. I feel so bad. And even if I was in a relationship with her, why'd I ask Reagan out to coffee?

Gosh have I dug myself into a big hole.

Even though I still have a half hour before I need to meet up with Cleo, I call her. I need answers, now.

Her phone rings once. Twice. Three times.
She picks up.

"Look I need an answer. What are we?"
Before an answer comes out, I hear a gasp. "Cleo, can we really call what we have love?"