Hugs & Blows

Frigid Aire

Odette walks inside the large beachfront home and finds Ethan sitting on the couch waiting up for her, "You're back soon." He says.

"Drew eats sunflower seeds like a psychopath." She says.

"What?"

"I don't know. He eats them cruelly."

"What?"

"There is this scene in this one terrible movie I watched, a killer was eating sunflower seeds. Drew reminded me of it, he was singing crappy weird violent songs. I'm just in no mood for him. "

"This still about Xana?" Ethan asked.

"No. Betsy was the one who truly enjoyed Drew's company. I guess I'm just fed up with his antics."

"Do you want to stop inviting him out?"

"Yes."

They pause, sitting together in a silence heavy with thoughts of what they should be discussing.

"Are your bags packed?"

"No, wait for what?" She responds confused.

"For our trip." He says monotone.

Odette's heart stops, she knows what's happening, she's pushed him too far. He's given up on her, she's going to get committed.

"What trip?" She asks with a frightened gulp.

"Thanksgiving." He says, realizing why she looks so scared he adds,

"I'm not sending you away."

"Where are we going? When?"

"Kentucky. In three days. Then we leave to go to Michigan. I told my mom that I couldn't get off work until after Thanksgiving, so my family is celebrating it late."

"You're a really good boyfriend." She says but she sounds numb.

"Thanks." He says with a sigh. After five minutes when she still hasn't responded he adds, "Why did you cut 'Attention Whore' into your leg?"

Odette flinches at the question, and winces lightly. "Because I hate myself." she answers with a shrug of her shoulders, because she doesn't really know what else to say, if there is any thing else to say.

"I felt like cutting on my wrists was an attention whore thing to do, I felt like by recovering I was proving that I was not really fucked up. I was so angry with myself. I had to hurt myself. I needed to externally express my inner hate." She says after thinking about it.

"I don't." Ethan sighed, "You can't. I can't. I don't know what to say. I don't think I can fix this." He stutters defeatedly.

"I don't want you to fix it." She says.

Ethan has no response he just mutters "Alright." and has to fight to keep himself from crying. He loves Odette, but she's being cold and distant. He's scared for her and he's worried he's losing her.