The Deadman ✔

Chapter Three

If you were to open up a baby's head before teaching them to read—and I am not for a moment suggesting that you should—you would find nothing but an enormous drool gland.
-Dave Barry

Often I find myself thinking, or hoping at least, that Violet knows I'm a good person. Of course, I already know that her best friends think I'm an asshole but that doesn't really bother me.

This is all a joke to them.

One I'm getting pretty fucking sick of.

Then again, I reason. They don't know how fucked they make my mental state.

After graduating three years ago and working as a successful engineer and mechanic I know how hard I need to push myself to get the best things out of life. 

Though now I am pushing myself a little too hard, working most nights late into the early mornings just to accommodate Violet's demands and wants as much as I can. She doesn't exactly make this easy for me.

Especially since she asked- -told- -me to stop smoking.

Most of my closest family knows this, since it does affect my health, but can't support or hate the action. Hell even Eliza doesn't like that I'm not smoking, and she hates that I smoke in the first place.

Eliza's ringtone- -the werewolves of London- -blasting out from my phone startles me, making me shove Nonnie's bag into Avery's chest, making him glare at me but I just ignore it and answer the phone.

"Don't you know the government is listening to every call." I say, having never liked to go along with 'hello' as a way to answer the phone. "Besides that, sup Squirt?"

"I dunno, I'm just fucking bored. Link is still a loser, no surprise there. Also, my brother is a dumbass and I don't know how you can put up with his girlfriend. Anyway, what are you up to besides being one large ass nerd?"

"I'm not that big a nerd," I grumble but quickly realize with my cousin's scoff that it's more than a lie. "Whatever. I'm at the college campus."

"Being a slave, as per usual?"

"Funny."

"I wish it was funny, that's just fucking tragic."

"Whatever I gotta-" Macy screams as Luci- -Eliza's half-wolf dog- -barges past their group towards me. "-go?" Hanging up as fast as I can, I catch Luci from where he jumped after barreling towards me past all what is to him, strangers.

Eliza must be here.

Little shit tricked me.

Laughing, I crouch down so the dog can stand on his own while still licking me all excited-like. "Hey, good boy Luci." He barks at me, wiggling around like he wants to play before bouncing up to lick me again. I'm pretty glad that most dogs like me. "Where's your girl, huh, boy? You're such a good guard dog, yes you are."

Her parents got him as a birthday present but he turned out to be a great guard dog and is known for protecting children, which makes me believe there's a lot more than just my cousin who is here now.

"A!" Eliza squeals in delight, jumping right on me, which makes me stumble back. Wrapping herself around me, she squeezes me tightly -probably getting in all the contact she can before her body starts giving her the whole 'bad vibes' thing. "I missed you."

She reminds me so much of home that I feel myself choke on the feeling.

"I missed you too Squirt," I murmur out, squeezing her just has hard back. "You tricked me."