Loved You In Another Life // A Skephalo Story

Chapter 20

I can see a visible annoyance on Quackity's face, but he doesn't say anything.

"I feel so stupid and I know you don't like him, but I have to talk to someone or I don't know what I'll do with myself." My head is pounding with every word.

"What did he say to you?"

"Huh?"

"You said he said something, and that was obviously enough to make you rethink everything, so what did he say?"

He cheeks flood pink. "It doesn't matter."

This, of course, only makes Quackity more curious. "Bad, I can't give you my honest help if I don't know important details."

"He said...he said he loves me." My voice comes out only a whisper.

"It doesn't mean anything." Quackity says quickly, as if on impulse. "He doesn't actually care."

Immediately annoyed by his response, I pretend not to hear him. "I'd like to spend some time with him, after work maybe. We always used to go to Earth after a long day, watch the stars, talk to each other. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"I don't know. Bad, you never used to break laws before, what is he doing to you?"

"Nothing, Quackity. He just...makes me feel alive, like I mean something to someone."

"You mean something to me!"

"It's not the same." I manage to mumble out.

"Yeah?" He challenges. "And why's that?"

When I don't respond, he prompts again. "Bad?"

"No reason, I don't know, forget I said anything." I can't say the real reason, can't tell him that Skeppy has me completely enamored by everything he does, drowning in love for him.

"I can't control who you befriend, and I know better than to try." Quackity looks at me, seeming to have given up on making me stray from the angel. "But going to Earth? Are you sure that's a good idea."

"I told you, we do it all the time. I just want to tell you what I'm doing, because you're my friend and I want you to know what's happening."

"You love him, don't you?" Quackity speaks up.

"What?"

"I can tell, from the way you talk about him and the fact that you seem to have the life sucked out of you now that you haven't been talking. I understand, okay? The heart chooses who it wants, no matter how bad it could turn out. Just, be careful, okay?"

My cheeks flush. "I do love him. Thank you, though, for letting me do this."

He only hesitates a second before replying in a strained voice, "Of course."

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I can tell Skeppy is embarrassed about his message to me, what with the way he turns away and avoids my eye the moment I arrive.

I don't try to speak to him, not yet. It takes a while for me to muster up the courage, to figure out what exactly I want to say.

Once the day is over, though, once he's about to leave, I finally speak up.

"I still have them all, even though most of them have been dead for ages."

He turns to face me, confusion painted across his expression.

"The flowers." I clarify, "I just can't bring myself to get rid of something you gave me."

"Why are you telling me this?"