Afterlife: Reincarnation

31

She was quiet or a moment, just as she tended to do when I asked this question.

"I'm okay," she lied.

My grin faded, being replaced by a frown. "Are you sure?" I pressed. "Its okay if you're not, baby."

"I know," she answered quickly. "Honestly, Harry, I'm doing a little better. It still bothers me, and I think in a way it always will. But I'm learning to cope with it." She paused for a moment, as if weighing her words. "Neil has been a big help."

Immediately my brow furrowed. "Neil?"

"One of the residents here," she answered, and my jaw tightened.

He was that preppy fucker who was eyeing her while we were Skyping months back. He was helping her? Helping her how? She was my fucking girlfriend, not his. It was my job to help her through this, not his. My teeth ground together in anger and annoyance, my hand clenching into a fist.

Oblivious to my change in mood, Lane continued. "He's been through the same thing as me," she explained, her voice soft. "He was there that night, but he's also seen things like that before. He knows what its like to go through it the first time. He's helped me rationalize it a bit better."

I closed my eyes, rubbing my fingers harshly over my forehead.

"That's good, babe," I lied, my teeth gritted.

Of course, she noticed my tone. "Well that was a lie," she countered. "You basically spit that out from between your teeth."

I would have laughed at her sass, but it would have been mirthless.

When I didn't continue, she pressed me. Like she always fucking did. "What's wrong?"

Seriously? She was going to ask me what was wrong? Telling me some preppy doctor prick was 'helping her' through something difficult when I was thousands of miles away from her, doing things that I should be doing, helping her with feelings I should be helping her with, and she asked me what was wrong?

Surely, she could see he fancied her? I had only seen him for a moment, and it was clear as day to me. Granted, I suppose I was sensitive to that plight, since I myself had been thrown by her. She was so different from other girls. So innocent, but sassy and sexy. So smart, and yet, so guarded.

Of course some save the world asshole would be all over her.

"Harry?"

"I don't like him coming around you," I blurted, immediately cringing at my choice of words. Fuck.

"Excuse me?" she balked, taken aback.

I quickly tried to modify my statement, and curb my anger. I had learned early on she didn't take well to being ordered around, and if I pushed her, she would just fight back. Stubborn, beautiful girl. She would be the death of me. I wasn't used to having to think about what I said, to edit my thoughts or care of the impact of my words. But with her, I was trying to be more careful; be better.

It was fucking annoying.

"He fancies you," I clarified. "I could see it that day on Skype."

She sighed loudly, exasperated by me already. "Harry, you saw him for three seconds. And he doesn't fancy me. We're friends. He's just being nice."

I rolled my eyes so harshly I was surprised they didn't fall back into my head.

"Babe, guys are rarely nice for no reason," I added. "We usually have a motive. Especially when it comes to gorgeous girls."

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. I didn't need Skype to know she was doing it.

"That is a little harsh, isn't it?" she argued. "I mean, you were nice to me when you agreed to pose for me. Did you have an ulterior motive then?"

Thinking back to that day, I snorted. "Babe, if you remember, I was most definitely not nice to you. I was a prick. And I agreed because I felt bad for you."

"But you still did something nice for me, without thought of retribution," she challenged quickly. "So why can't Neil be helping me just to be nice, like you were."

"Lane,"

"Harry, stop," she huffed, angry. "I know you are having a hard time with me being so far away, and things are harder than with most relationships because of it. I mean, we haven't even had a proper first date, and yet we've already said we love each other. This isn't exactly typical, but it doesn't mean I don't love you." She paused, letting me absorb her words. "Don't you trust me?"

Now it was my turn to balk. "Of course I trust you."

"Well then,"

"No, not well then," I spat. "You aren't my issue. He is. Lane, he likes you. I'm sure of it. Guys know these things. So I'm sorry if I don't like some prat sniffing around my girlfriend."

"Sniffing around?"

Okay, shit, maybe that wasn't the best thing for me to say.

"Lane,"

"No, Harry, you listen to me," she said angrily. "This trip has been hard for me, for more reasons than just being away from you. I'm dealing with things here I never thought I would deal with, and its nice to have someone to talk to about it. I know you want to help me, but in this you cant. You aren't here, you don't know. Its not your fault, but I need someone who can give me what you cant. And right now, for this, it's Neil. That doesn't mean I like him, and it doesn't mean I want him. Because I don't. I only want you. But I wont let you order me around and try and tell me who I can or cannot talk to just because you have jealousy issues."

Again, my mood shifted to annoyance. "Jealously issues?"

"What else would you call this?"

"I would call it telling some prick to stay the fuck away from my girlfriend!"

She groaned, exasperated. "That's it, if you're going to be like this, I'm going to go."

"No, Lane, just listen,"

"No, Harry, I'm tired and frustrated and just wanted to hear your voice. But if your voice is going to do nothing but put down my friend and tell me he's a cad waiting in the wings then I'm just not interested. I will talk to you in a few days when you calm down and learn to trust me."

"Lane, don't you dare hang up...."

I didn't even get to finish my threat, before the line went dead.

"FUUUUUCCCCKKKKKK!"