My Dollfriend

Chapter XVII

To Dally.

In this world, Nick does not believe in ghosts. Period.

To everyone who doesn't understand why I bring this up.

Wait until Dollfriend is done.

Also, apparently "Vole" is something.

One more thing. I'm not a law expert and I did google, but the answer isn't clear. For this, let's just assume that Paisley's sentence would be second-degree murder which is at least four prison years.

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Because her throat had swelled, Arissa was in the emergency room while Cole was there for some form of checkup and to get a few glass shards removed. Once that was over, he was free to leave whenever and catch up with his best friends who would tackle him to the floor with a giant hug.

Which happened, of course.

"Dude!" said Arin as he grabbed Cole by his shoulders once they stood. "Do you have the slightest idea how worried we were about you?"

"Not really since..."
He was going to tell them what happened in the basement, but he still couldn't believe what happened to him.
"Since they... tied me up and... and..."

"'And'?" said Stephen kinda leaning in. "Did they make you talk to evil spirits?"

"For the hundredth time, ghosts DO NOT exist!" said Nick clearly tired from hearing about ghosts. "Those ghost hunting shows are fake, the internet can lie about ghosts, and I'm willing to bet my ass that the whispering in the night is just the damn wind!"

Cole chuckled as he shook his head. He noticed how Joseph had been quiet most of the time... He also looked like he was about to cry...

"Hey, Joe?"

"...hm?"

"You okay?"
Joseph said nothing as he hugged his best friend. Cole could feel the tears land on his shoulder as he held on tightly to Cole's clothes.
"What happened?"

"When your kidnappers took you away," started Stephen. "Their license plates fell off..."

"They flew into the highway and went through the windshield," said Arin. "The plates had launched into the engine of a car as well as through the necks of the driver and passenger..."

"There was no way they could've made it alive," finished Nick. "Your kidnappers killed Joseph's parents..."

Cole hugged Joseph unsure how to respond other than saying how sorry he was.

A little while later, Arissa was in the recovery room, but only one person was allowed inside. While his friends stayed in the waiting room, Cole had stepped into Arissa's room.

A smile was on Arissa's face as she saw her boyfriend with not one but two stuffed animals. Both were fine with the animals; it's the dolls that gave them the creeps.

A lime green bunny and a forest green bear named Hopp and Rose were given to Arissa making her smile.

"Thank you, Cole."

"Anything for My Dollfriend."

"..."

"Arissa?"

"After college... I'm goin' ta be movin' to Arizona for a new job..."

"Oh... Well... We'll still keep in touch, right?"

"Oh yeah. Totally. You c'n bet your ass on that."

There was a light chuckle before Cole kissed Arissa's cheek. They talked for a little more before Cole left. He had to leave since he was going to file every charge he could against Paisley. After all, she was filing X amount of charges against him. Why not fight fire with fire?

The trial came and went taking no longer than a day to complete since there was bullshit in Paisley's story and the fake ginger had called the judge a bunch of sexist, racial, and homophobic slurs that I refuse to repeat. I will tell you my favorite one that she said that probably got her the extra years behind bars.

"At least I'M not a fatter than the sun like you!"

Cole was trying his hardest not to laugh or smile since the judge was getting red. He didn't want the judge to think he was laughing at him since he was thinking about what Paisley's punishment would be for insulting the judge like that.

Paisley was sent to prison, assigned community services for after she gets out of prison, and charged with a hefty fine which was to Cole's name that had paid his father back for the small hospital bill as well as Arissa's bill.

The rest was put away into savings and such and Arissa and Cole were now at their graduation ceremony in their fancy clothes.

Arissa had slipped a little thing into Cole's pocket before giving him a kiss goodbye until she one day comes back into his life just as Cole's friends arrived to congratulate him.

Cole pulled out the thing to reveal Arissa's broken watch that was set to 10:04 with a note.

This is my birthday and I've broken the watch even more so you can't change the time unless you take it apart and put it back together! I'll be waiting for a birthday call or text on this day, you know, but don't let your besties see. Let's have them keep guessing what I am to you. Lots of love always and forever~

-Your dollfriend, AJ

"What's it say?" said Stephen trying to peek over Cole's shoulder.

Cole instantly folded the note and tucked it away so none of his best friends could see it. There was no way he was going to let them find out his frenemy became his enemy, then his friend again, and now his girlfriend.

Besides, it was kinda funny to watch them try and pry it out of him.

For years, Cole had been secretly talking to Arissa as she traveled the country because of her new job. He could've sworn he heard something in the background after the first nine-ish months of them being together but he was never sure what it could've been.

They would share their stories of what happened at their jobs and how their day was when Cole had brought up a picture of his new roommates.

Hunter Conan/Psi Pathe and Rainger Conan/Cho Pathe.

Things somewhat changed once the similarities were pointed out and Arissa had revealed a plane ticket for where Cole was living with his best friends.

Arissa was coming back.

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Word Count: 1035