Infinite

How Do I Say I'm Not In Love

𝄃 𝄞♬♪ 𝄂
How do I say
I'm not in love with everything
You do
And how do I say
I can walk away after everything
We've been through
But apparently you can't hold on
And apparently it's time to go on
It's time to move on without you
It's time to move on without you
𝄃 𝄞♬♪ 𝄂

Willie looked up to the stars, or at least in their general direction. He was backstage at Caleb's club, presently being punished for missing so many days of work. Or slavery, as many would put it. Most of the work involved sweeping, mopping, and dusting every single surface he could see (as they were applicable). It kept his mind off of Alex, though, which was what he wanted. Slowly, after almost three months, the thought of him hurt less and less. Currently, he had a respite, but he could hear Caleb's shoes clacking on the ground. There was always something more he could do according to the devil dressed in purple and black.

"William, everything looks good. There are a few tables which require service." Willie nodded, keeping his face stony as he got his next orders. Caleb had worked him to the bone, though Willie had managed to regain all of his strength and energy that he used to have. It just took a little longer since he also had to do that.

He served food and drinks to the few tables which required it, even though he knew it would only trap the newbies which sat there to a lifetime of imprisonment. Caleb didn't call it that—he preferred the term "commitment", not that it changed anything—but Willie knew better. He also wasn't a complete idiot, like these lifers, waving their money around as if it would change anything. They did know this was a ghost club, right? Ghosts had no use for lifer money.

"I've got one more performance, then I expect you to make this place look spotless. You've got a week," Caleb hissed in Willie's ear, before heading up to the stage for another musical performance. Tonight was all about pulling in the crowd. Drawing them in for a lifetime commitment. Screwing over any chance they had at a normal life.

And, after all was said and done and contracts signed, he knew he had to get to work sooner than later. Thankfully, he didn't have to tag along to any number of the exotic places he didn't quite enjoy. They weren't home. They didn't have Alex.

A stab of pain shot through his pain as he thought about Alex. It was supposed to be gone. It wasn't supposed to hurt anymore. He wanted to scream at the universe. Let it feel what he'd felt since April twenty-fourth. It seemed like a fair trade.

"Willie," A voice hissed, but Willie could've sworn everyone had left. In fact, he would've placed a large bet on that fact. Caleb gave him orders that definitely implied it. Plus, aside from that, it had been silent. As silent as the night before Christmas. So who could it be? "Willie, over here." His head snapped towards the noise, and he saw two ghosts he did not expect to ever see again. They were in dangerous territory, coming back to Caleb's club.

"What are you guys doing here?" Willie asked Luke and Reggie. He didn't want to raise his voice much above a whisper, since Caleb scared him more than anything else.

"Alex. It's his birthday." That only made things worse. They had to know how hard it was for him to stay away as it was. "And he wants you there."

"No. This is better for the both of us." Willie walked towards backstage, since it was the easiest of the areas he had to clean. He couldn't put himself through the heartbreak all over again. It hurt far too much the first time. Surviving a second wasn't nearly as likely.

"Willie, please. His only wish—" Luke cut himself off once he saw how torn Willie looked. "His only wish was to see you."

"I know. I want to see him, too, but that doesn't change our reality. I can't put you guys in danger. You three are still at the very, very top of Caleb's list to trap here. And there's only so many things I can lie about." Willie's eyes dropped to the floor, continuing to sweep as much glitter and rhinestones and feathers as he could.