Eighty Days of Heartache

the thirty-first day;

THE THIRTY—FIRST DAY

MOST PEOPLE FIND solace and comfort in natural places. Most find the park a peaceful setting, but our local park is where drug addicts take heroin, so I find that anything but comforting. Others find the beach serene, but when the tide that is my life is already trying to drown me, I've developed a recent phobia of the beach. And there's a rare selection of people that like going to the lake, but there isn't a single lake in sight of our town.

This is why I find myself at Apple Jack's really late at night.

I think if you conducted a survey that asked what places you find comforting, a small — minuscule — amount of people would write down 'RESTAURANTS,' or 'PLACE OF WORK.'

Yet here I am, chewing on my tiger fries whilst Pink tidies up a table that just left. They were the last table, other than myself, that decided to stay for a late night snack.

I find Apple Jack's comforting because my brother works here. My boss, Jackson, is really sweet and gives me a good discount, and I have Pink here who's more than happy to be my own unpaid therapist.

That, and Theo is banned from Apple Jack's.

"So sweet pea, why do you look so upset?" Pink questions as she slides into the chair opposite me, taking some of my fries and eating them swiftly. "Uh, I haven't eaten in four hours."

"Is my brother still here?" I ask, watching as Pink gives a quick shake of her head.

"The fucker left half an hour ago when the last table finished with desserts," she rolls her eyes as she pops another fry into her mouth, before letting down her freshly dyed hair. "So I have to lock up."

Nodding my head, I take a few fries for myself and find myself thinking they taste a little bland. Perhaps that's down to the fact my appetite has been skewed since last nights antics.

"Theo's back."

Pink doesn't say anything for a moment. She's looking deep into my eyes, as if trying to gauge my reaction to the fact that Theo has returned to town, but she won't be able to find one. I've cried that boy out of my system... for this week, anyway.

"Oh," she mutters lowly whilst sipping on my coke, her hair hanging in front of her eyes so we can't make eye—contact for a moment. I'm thankful I don't have to tell her this whilst looking at her in the eye. "When did he come back?"

Swallowing, I take back my drink and take a sip of it; as if to wash down the bad memory. "Yesterday... he stopped by to pay me a visit."

"Shit— what did Blake say?" Pink coughs, covering her mouth as she looks at me with eyes that just scream shocked. When I don't reply, she puts two and two together. "Blake wasn't there? What did your parent say?"

Shaking my head, I sheepishly whisper, "they weren't there either... Theo had a master plan to get me alone and, well, it worked." I shrug my shoulders, feeling my dry eyes burn a little.

Pink's silent for a moment more, before her whole body begins to shudder visibly. "You want to tell me what exactly happened?" She grins, and I chortle slightly before shaking my head.

"I don't even know your first name."

"Because it's terrible."