Too Good To Be True?

Chapter 15 Ⅰ

I sighed and lazily tapped away on my keyboard with one hand, the other petting Marley's head which was nuzzled in my lap. I had finally decided to move back home, not that I was mad at Ash for what happened at the wedding, but just because I felt like it was time to try and get some normalcy back in my life. I would be lying though if I said their lovey-doveyness wasn't also starting to get to me. So I finally packed up my few things, went and got the dogs from my neighbors who had been watching them, and settled back into my big, empty, lonely house. I was still sleeping in the guest bedroom which at this point I considered my room since I couldn't imagine my old room as anything other than our space. For a long time I couldn't even bear to go in there, but eventually I worked up the courage and started transferring some of my belongings to my new room, always avoiding looking at the bed whenever possible.

It had been about a week since the wedding and I was still upset that I had missed her call and that she hadn't answered when I'd called back, but I was slowly coming to terms with it. Cam had been keeping me updated on Angel's progress, what sort of things she'd been remembering recently and I was so glad to hear that she was making leaps and bounds with her memories. He even said she had asked about me a few days ago and I was so ecstatic that I nearly had a meltdown. She still didn't remember me, but the fact that she was even considering reaching out gave me so much hope. I just knew that once we started talking again, she would remember everything in an instant. I just had to be patient a little longer.

I was putting the finishing touches on a thumbnail when I heard my Xbox ding behind me. I always had Netflix playing in the background while I was editing so I figured one of my mates must've seen I was online and was inviting me to join a game or something of the sort. However, when I looked over my shoulder to see who it was, I nearly toppled out of my chair. I just caught a glimpse of the notification before it disappeared, but I knew exactly what it said.

Elsiegurl has invited you into a party.

I leapt out of my seat, nearly stepping on Marley's tail as I clambered over him and snatched up my controller. I fumbled with my headset, trying to slip it on my ears and accept the invitation at the same time, but I sadly didn't have enough hands. When I finally managed to get settled on the couch and have the headphones on my ears somewhat straight, I steadied my breathing as best as I could and pressed accept.

"H... Hello...?" I asked, terrified that this was my imagination playing tricks on me.

"Hey, Squid. What's up?"

My hand shot to my mouth to hold back my sobs and my mind screamed in success. She sounded so chill, so nonchalant... she sounded just like her old self.

"H-hey, Elsie, I uh... i-it's great to hear from you. How, uh, how have you been?"

"Oh, I'm doing alright. Remembering more every day."

I could not hold still for a single moment, my body was just itching to leap up and dance around and go hop on a plane this instant. "Wow, that's amazing, I'm so hap-"

"Yeah. So, uh, I saw one of your videos," she interrupted and I immediately clammed up, having to remind myself yet again that I couldn't get carried away. She wouldn't talk to me for weeks if I pushed her too far, so I stayed silent until I was sure she was finished. "Pretty cool, bro."

My lips quivered against a smile. "Oh, really?" I breathed, my voice nearly cracking from the waterfall of emotions pouring over me.

"Yeah, so I was wond- hey, stop that- I was wondering if y- hang on a sec, I'm talking to someone!- if you would want to- oh my gosh, you're impossible!"

Obviously there was someone in the room with her and obviously it had to be Cam, being his annoying self as always. Really not the time, Cam! I thought angrily. Surely she had told him who she was calling, why on earth would he be trying to distract her?

"Uh, Elsie? You there?"

She laughed and continued, "Yeah, sorry, my friend here keeps bothering me. What I was trying to say was that I was wondering if you'd want to record sometime."

I couldn't help it anymore. I leapt to my feet, lifting my controller in the air like a first-place trophy. "Yes!" I exclaimed, a little too emphatically. I quickly cleared my throat and corrected myself, "Y-yeah, I mean, sure, that would be cool with me. So, uh, when were you thi-?"

She started laughing again and I froze as I heard another voice through her microphone.

"Come on Angel, you can do this later, I came all the way over here and I want to make the most of it."

My blood immediately turned to ice. That was most definitely not Cam's voice.

She continued laughing, harder now. "Stop!" she pleaded through her laughing fit. "I'm ticklish!"

The boy chuckled, loud enough that I could tell he was right next to her microphone... to her face.

"I know," he said, obviously pleased with himself. "That's why I'm doing it."

"Ugh, I hate you so mu- mm!"

I stood there, completely numb as I heard her headset fall to the floor.

I slowly moved my thumb across the controller, barely having enough strength to hold down the power button. I didn't hear the Xbox sing its goodbye, I didn't feel the pain in my toe as the controller slipped from my hands, and I most definitely didn't hear her lips meeting someone else's over... and over... and over again.

She...

She's...

"She's gone."