Italics- thoughts/ flashbacks/ dreams
Bold- author talking
Underline- narrator talking, known as the main character
Normal- normal story

2047 words

ꨄ❦ꨄ❦ꨄ➪

A blindingly bright phone is put in my face, ruining another thoughtless sleep, "what's wrong with her face? I know something is wrong."

I turn over to face the most beautiful girl in existence, "it's 3 am love, go to sleep."

She is so eager, "I can't sleep till I finish this picture."

"You can't finish the picture without a clear mind, take a break and sleep."

"But I'm so close and I have to finish the picture, pleaseee?"

I pull her to my side and look at the phone. "It'll cost you."

She faces me, "what do you want?"

"Hug."

She wraps her arm around me and a leg over mine, I put an arm around her waist and trace her the stretch marks on her hips. The other holds the back of her thigh.

"You have to ease the shadowing and give her face more color. Round her face a little and bring the eyebrows down. The eyelashes are too long and her eyelids aren't defined. Her lips are too round."

"Thanks. And you're making me tired."

"Then sleep."

"I'll forget everything you said though. I'll never finish the picture."

"I'll tell you again in the morning."

She thinks about it for a moment, "ok fine."

I pull her on top of me, "good night."

"Good night."

ꨄ❦ꨄ❦ꨄ➪

She didn't want to be in the bedroom, she wanted to be in the front room, on the couch. She hates staying in the bedroom all the time. The sunlight makes her skin glow.

"It's Tuesday."

"It is."

"Everything has fallen apart."

"How?"

Her face becomes sad, "mom still hasn't said anything about Thursday night. I told you I have to say sorry or we'll never talk again."

Across the room sits the accused lady on her phone. I look back to my everything sitting sideways on my lap.

"You shouldn't have that responsibility."

"But life sucks and I do. I'm scared to though cuz I don't want another fight. My heart can't take it."

"I could talk to her for you."

Fear strikes her, "no, she'll get mad at me."

This is painful. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to stop feeling so pathetic. I know I shouldn't feel like this but I do. I failed everyone..."

I caress the side of her face, "you didn't fail anyone, you only failed her manipulative behavior. Nothing about you is pathetic, love."

"I know that I'm supposed to believe that but there's some mental wall thingy that won't let me."

I love her openness and honesty. I wish I had these communication skills, I wish that talking would help the same way it helps her.

"You will believe it soon, I'll make sure you learn your self value. Are you sure you want to apologize first?"

"Well she ain't and this the hard parts of a healing toxic relationship and relapses. It's usually easy. I just say sorry and she says sorry and all is good till next time. But at least the spaces have been expanding between each time. There shouldn't be a next time."

"Do you need help with anything?"

I don't know what happens in these situations, never seen them happen before but I'll help her in any way possible.

"No, I'll get it over with right now so this internal torment can end."

With that she gets up and walks over to her high mother.

"Mom?"

"Hm?"

ꨄ❦ꨄ❦ꨄ➪

"I'm going out."

"Please be safe."

My angel nods and comes back after 20 minutes, "I don't wanna be here right now. Can we go somewhere?"

"Of course."

She gathers her belongings. I follow her to her room.

I lean on the door frame while she does whatever she has to, "where do you want to go?"

"I'm the most indecisive person ever, you pick."

"How long do you want to be out for?"

She puts on her sweater and walks around the bed's corner, "a few hours and we gotta go on a walk first. It's like 60 something outside, it's perfect."

"Alright."

We leave the property.

"You still never told me what that horrible feeling is."

I grab her hand, "because I don't know why it happens. If I knew then I'd make it stop bothering you."

"Oh. Where are we going?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Wow. Why not?"

"Surprise."

"Is it Subway?"

"No."

"Burger King?"

"No."

"Walmart?"

"No."

"Target?"

"No."

"Athena's?"

"No."

"Disney."

"You are naming every place too far for walking."

"Oh we're walking there?"

"Yes."

"CVS?"

I look down at her, "why would we go there?"

"Cuz it's walking distance."

"Not there."

"Walgreens? The fancier CVS."

"Nope."

She throws her arm in the air and it hits her side. "Ow, are we going to the bakery?" She points at it up ahead.

"No."

"The tobacco shop?"

Her guesses don't make sense anymore, "no."

"Cermack."

"No."

"McGuane park."

"No."

"T- mobile."

"No?"

"The police station," she looks at it across the street.

"No."

"Well I give up."

"Probably for the better. Your guesses suck."

"That's rude."

"It's the truth."

She rolls her eyes for the first time in months. "You should tell me where we're going through."

"Why?"

"It's vital information for my well being."

I want to smother her in kisses to make this nonsense stop. "How so?"

"I dunno but it is."

"I'm still not telling you."

"So you don't love me?! Tell me where we're going so I know you love me."

I pull her to my side so the people that seem to be in a rush can go by. "I do love you and that is why I am not telling you."

"That makes no sense."

"Just like your previous statements."

"Na they make sense. And Imma keep your shirt forever."

"Not if it were to suddenly disappear right now."

Her eyes widened, "you wouldn't."

"Or would I?"

She wraps the shirt around her arms, "I won't let you."

I put my arm over her shoulders, "don't worry."

"You scare me sometimes."

"You scare me too."

She looks up "How the fuck do I scare you?"

"Falling off the bed in the middle of the night."

"Oh, I don't plan on falling off the bed though."

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

"Yeah. Believe it. Are we going to the beach?"

"Is there one around here?"

"No."

"That's your answer."

"Awe."

"We're here."

She looks around, "I love this place! I haven't been here since I was 2!"

She hugs me, I hug her back and kiss her forehead. She smiles so sweetly,

"Lessgo," she grabs my hand and pulls me into the park with the most excitement this week yet. It's so wholesome. She is so adorable.

I follow her up the green hill, not on the path at all. "Do you know where you're going?"

She stops, "wherever the pond is."

"Follow the path."

She looks down, "oh."

We get on the path and I guide her, for she has no idea where to go. Once we reach the spot immense happiness grows within her.

"I'm so happy."

"You should be."

She stands in front of me and puts her hands on my shoulders with lots of determination, "we should be that cute couple that sit in the grass in a cute spot and watch the swans and be really cute together like in the movies."

"I would love to have nothing more."

"Oh this is amazing. Let's go over there," she points to a tree.

We get over there, I sit against the tree and she sits between my legs, facing the water down below. I'm facing her beauty.

"I love you."

She turns around, "I love you too. And this, this is amazing." She turns back around to watch swans.

I wrap my arms around her waist, she leans on me.

"We're the main characters here."

"You are the main character, love."

She pokes the back of my hand, "nooo, you're the main character too. I ain't doing this shit by myself."

She wraps my arms tighter around herself, I undo it so she can breathe.

"I won't be doing anything with you if you can't breathe."

"I can breathe. And I have an idea of where to move. Do you wanna move though? I don't remember."

"I'll go wherever you want to go."

"But do you wanna move?"

She is home, the house doesn't matter. "Yes."

"Yay. I wanna go back to my apartment. There's sun and Athena is right there. Everything is easier and simpler. You're house is beautiful but I don't feel like I should be there. It's too much." She turns to me, "are you mad at me?"

I trace her soft jawline, "why would I be?"

"Cuz I don't wanna live at your house."

"I can't get mad at you for something simple as that, I do not want to live there either."

"Oh ok. That works out I guess. Now my side hurts." She turns back around.

"When do you want to move?"

"After break and I gotta make a video for YouTube. I'm weeks behind." She takes out her phone and holds it above her, capturing both of us in the camera. "Say hi to YouTube."

"…"

"Fine then." She turns it around and records the scenery.

She turns it off, "my arms hurt."

"It's been 47 seconds."

"That's a long time. My arm pain is valid."

"We have work to do if 47 seconds makes your arm hurt."

"I was lying, my arms don't hurt at all."

Can not stand not seeing her angelic face. I put one arm across her back and one under her legs and turn her perpendicular to me.

Her curious eyes look up at me, "hi."

"Has anyone told you how pretty you are today?"

"You."

"I did?"

"You tell me every 5 minutes."

"I'm not telling you enough." I kiss her nose, "you're so pretty."

She leans on my shoulder, you're really pretty too." She turns her attention back to the scenery, "I love this place."

We sit in silence as she traces these cursed lines on my hand and watches every moving thing around us.

ꨄ❦ꨄ❦ꨄ➪

Night has settled in for her hours.

My angel has fallen asleep. Uncovered moonlight makes her look at peace. Daylight makes her look happy and excited. A beautiful contrast and I'm lucky enough to see both sides.

This park has done her good. I pick up her fragile body and decide on walking back.

I love whispering to her at night when she's asleep, everything is easier. "Thank you for being with me another day, ήλιε μου. Thank you for letting me feel normal. Thank you for letting me be the main character with you. Thank you for letting my heart hear your sweet voice all day, even when you talk nonsense. Thank you for letting me feel loved today."

Once we get to her room I set her on the bed, take her shoes and sweater off and pull the blanket over her.

"I'll be back before you're awake, right?" Why am I talking to her as if she's conscious?

I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave her on any night. This curse is a cruel joke.

I find a piece of paper and a pen, write a note, tape it on the wall and kiss her forehead. The last time for a few hours.

Before I get to hell the voices come back. Before I left her room they came back. Every peaceful moment always gets ruined.

Once I get there I check on her fish. She loves these damn things so much and I'll make sure they live as long as their tiny hearts let them.

I leave the house that has no purpose besides holding objects.

Agnes is summoned. Her hatred filled red eyes stare at me while the rest of her blends in with hell's misfortune. It took too much energy to summon her.

"WȺŧȼħ ħɇɍ wħɨłɇ Ɨ'm ǥønɇ."

"Fᵾȼꝁ ɏøᵾ." She snarls.

"Fᵾȼꝁ ɏøᵾ ŧøø. Nøw đø ɏøᵾɍ ɉøƀ Ⱥnđ mȺꝁɇ sᵾɍɇ nøŧħɨnǥ ƀøŧħɇɍs ħɇɍ. Ɏøᵾ ꝁnøw wħȺŧ ŧø đø łɨŧŧłɇ ƀɨŧȼħ."

She fades away so slowly it's eerie. Her malicious smile stays stuck in my thoughts for a few seconds. Demons are strange.

Now my favorite part of this immortal life, sending souls to the after life.