April Fools' Day chapter. Not actually part of the story.
This is too much. Alex lied to Scott, Scott "needs" me, and I need a break.
"Whatever." I stir my sparkling water, releasing the bubbles, but don't drink any more. It's weird, not sweet enough.
"Whatever?"
"Yeah. Whatever. I need a nap. Figure out if you believe me or not, okay?" I stand to leave, but he won't have it.
"Stay here. Drink your fancy water."
"I'm too tired for this."
"It's working. Stay here."
"What's working?"
"You can go see what I've done with the rooms. Yours still has a bed. You can crash for a bit."
"Not here I can't, are you crazy?" I take an unstable step toward the door.
"You can't go."
"I'm quite literally a grown woman, and I can do quite literally whatever I want. Listen, I'm just afraid I'm going to make a bunch of stupid emotional irrational decisions and ruin this before it starts. We made good progress today. 'I need you,' though? I can't deal with this right now. I'll be back, okay? I'll text you."
"You can't drive." He's right. I feel like I could collapse. How did I get so exhausted? It's been a long, long, long day. "Want more water?"
"I think I might take a room, for a short..." I trip up the stairs and turn to my old room. It's not empty, but it's not like how I left it either. Scott's moved in. There's a photo of me on the shelf. Well, not exactly a photo. A still of me from the indie film, from the scene where I'm tearing my shirt to shreds in a drunken rampage. That's not weird at all.
Why is it so blurry?
It's dark when I wake up. I was going to text Alex. My head is splitting open and my stomach feels vile. How long was I out? I don't feel my phone in my pocket anymore. I roll uncomfortably out of bed, having fallen asleep in a button down and skinny jeans, and feel around for the light switch. I trip three times before I realize I'm not in my old room anymore. Is there even a light switch? I find it eventually. I'm in the basement, with a white carpet and a bunch of boxes. There's a full bed, complete with a feather duvet and stuffed animals, and a table to the side with a reading lamp and a small potted cactus. Scott must have moved me here so he could have his own bed. Is this the guest room or something? It's a mess, and it's cold down here.
I need to get back to Alex. He's probably having the worst, or second worst, day of his life. I ignore my dizziness as I climb the stairs. The door at the top is locked. Scott must have forgotten to...
There didn't used to be a lock on the door to the basement.
Locks are supposed to shut things out.
I knock on the door a few times. "You're awake!" Scott exclaims from the other side.
"And stuck. Open the door."
"That's your room now."
"You really don't need to set aside a room for me. I don't know why I crashed like that, but I don't plan on doing it again. Open the door."
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes, and tired and thirsty. Open the door."
"There's food in the boxes, and water."
"Scott, open the door."
"You should eat," he says. "Make yourself at home." I hear him stand.
"Don't go!"
"You left. I'll be back, though."
"Scott, I need to get home now."
"You are home."
"Not anymore."
"No, this is your home now. I hope it's comfortable. I left you a Rilakkuma."
"What are you doing? You need to let me out."
"I'm keeping you."
"You can't 'keep' me, Scott, I'm a person."
"I have to. I need you." And he leaves.
I sit down on the steps and let my head fall against the door with a thud. I'm not going to try to knock it down, because he'll open it soon, right?
Or maybe it's because I need him too.
Or maybe it's because I need him.
Well.
That was fun.
APRIL FOOLS!111!!
Love you. :*
