I grip the rectangle device closer to my ear, clutching it for some sort of comfort, even if the person on the other side isn't in the least bit soothing. Claudette has been spewing obscenities and degrading me as a person the moment she called, yet I don't cut the line, knowing that there are some truths to her words. Those truths hurt though.
My eyes blur with tears, a part of me fighting to keep them at bay.
The other part wants them to roll free, showing the world that I am as useless as I make myself out to be. It's pathetic.
Why am I like this? Why can't I change? I tried, no, I try, but I can never get it right. I'm patient enough, right? I'm understanding enough, right? I'm not a bad guy, right? Then, what's the problem?
"It's not you," Claudette says, "not everything has to be your fault." I don't respond to that. She's being nice. She's making an investment in her business. I'm useful to her, that's why the most unlikely person in the world is comforting me.
"Yeah," I mutter, wiping the small drop of liquid that slipped between my barriers. I sniff, trying to draw them back, to no avail. They fall without a care in the world, and I try not to sob.
"Look." Her voice is stern, scolding. "This is what I warned you about," she repeats for the thousandth time, "nothing lasts forever, and you of all people should know that by now."
I know, I know. But...
"Yeah," I mutter again, "but I wanted to-"
"Hope?" she interrupts, scoffing, "give. It. Up. How many more times do I have to tell you, look at your past! How many times are you going to keep tripping over the same stone?" I let my silence answer her and she clicks her tongue, clearly annoyed. Even with a thousand kilometers between us, I can see her frowning and mouthing curse words that I don't understand. "People lie and people betray, nothing you can do about it."
I hadn't told her the whole story. I don't want to tell her the whole story. I didn't tell her that they didn't betray me, they just took paths that were more convenient for them than the one I'm walking on.
I don't blame them.
I can't blame them.
"Come back to Georgy," Claudette orders, and I nod. "Come back to your old life. I'll be waiting for you." She ends the call, shutting me in this stifling room once more. I bury my head in my knees and do nothing, only think.
Think, think, think, and more thinking. I don't know what I'm thinking about. Am I even thinking? I am, but about what?
Good question.
What should I do now?
I'm back at square negative three. Should I go back to Georgy? That would be logical. I'll go and visit Madam Taylor first and purchase a Scent Eraser so I can run around doing some errands, that would be nice.
When I go back, I'll drop by at Mrs. Mish, mess around with her for a bit, and continue on my way. I'll get in contact with people and be their Loopie again.
The smart Loopie.
The take-no-bullshit Loopie.
The untrustworthy yet trustworthy Loopie.
The me-I-never-liked Loopie.
The lonely Loopie.
Yeah, it'll be fine. It'll be safe.
My phone vibrates in my hand, and the melody of my ringtone fills the room. The number is unknown and I ponder on taking the call. I press the home button and place it against my ear.
YOU ARE READING
Run Away With Me
Werewolf"Fishy kisses are better than kisses," I say, the words coming out of nowhere, "and like that, two people together are better than marriage." "What are you talking about?" "Nothing really," I sigh, hunching over myself more to trap the warmth, "it'...
