|| "Oh hi! You're back already?" as she smiled widely, I smiled back.
"W-well of course. I wanted to see you again. That I think I forgot to buy that soap you recommended..." I laughed a little as her smile grew just a little more.
"Great! C'mon! I haven't even scratched the surface of all the things we got here!" I chuckled again as she grabbed onto my hand and began to lead me. "Oh wait! I almost forgot!" she then stopped, turned to me again and put her other hand over mine.
"I meant to ask you, how are you feeling?" my eyes widened a little as she put the back of her hand against my forehead. "You said yesterday that you were feeling kind of nauseous before you left..."
"I-I did?"
"Yeah." she laughed and smiled brightly. "You did. Do you feel any better?" I nodded. I took her hand off my forehead and held her hand in mine.
"I feel just fine. Now--"
"Oh and I meant to ask you about how things went with that girl? Did everything work out? We can talk about it if you'd like..." my lips slowly parted as she spoke. No one had really cared that much in a really long time. Or at least, no one really cared that much about me.
Yet I didn't really want to talk about it despite this. After the events of yesterday I needed a escape from reality. And while my escape was usually writing, I decided to try something different today. I tried to use Dory as my escape. I thought that maybe if I just pushed the thought of reality aside I'd be okay.
And so far it had been working.
"Y-yeah it's...its fine. Don't worry Dory..." I faked a small smile as she nodded. "Now, you said you had other things in this store to show me?" her smile then slowly faded as she took her hands away.
"Yes but... Jeremy wants me to focus on new customers, we're about to have a lot of people coming in and I need to stay sharp...Christmas Eve is in a few days after all..." She laughed a little and backed away some more. I bit down on my bottom lip. I looked around for a few moments, then grabbed a bath bomb off a shelf.
"Here, before you go...Tell me about this one." I smiled a little as she laughed. She took the bath bomb into her hands.
"Oh this one? This one's called..." I relaxed and sighed happily as she began to ramble on and on. Her voice gave me goosebumps as I looked down at her. She was like this bright little light, standing out in the middle of such a dark world. It was like...if all the remaining innocence of the world absorbed itself into one single human being, it would be her.
She was the only thing on the planet that seemed to be unbroken. She was the exact opposite of me. And I instantly adored that. How could you not?
"I will never let anything hurt you." I mumbled. I didn't realize I had said it out loud until it was too late.
"What?"
"Oh nothing. Sorry." we both laughed a little as I smiled. "Please, go on."
"I think I've actually already told you everything there is to know about this one..." I blinked several times before blushing.
"O-oh. Right, sorry. I dozed off for a second. Would you mind telling me again?" as I tilted my head and smiled kindly, she laughed.
"I can but...I want you to speak first..." my eyes widened.
"I beg your pardon?" she laughed again.
"What...really happened yesterday? You don't really seem to be fine..." I bit down on my bottom lip and smiled.
"It doesn't matter. That was yesterday, it's in the past. I'm more focused on the present okay?"
"But--"
"Don't worry about it Dory. I'll be alright. I promise." I faked another smile. She nodded in return.
"Can you just...promise me something?" I nodded. "If you ever find yourself in a situation where you know that the relationship is causing you harm... Promise me that you won't hold back? That you won't stay?" I frowned, but then immediately nodded.
"I promise."
... around a hour later
|| I thought about what Dory said to me over and over again as I walked home. I just couldn't get her voice out of my head. It was almost as if she had been in the same situation as me before...Yet I assumed she hadn't as I unlocked the front door to my apartment and walked in. I squeezed my eyes shut for a few moments, hoping Ariel wasn't there.
When I opened my eyes Ariel was standing in front of me. At least this time she was fully clothed with tears in her eyes.
"I see you bought a few things from that store?" I sighed as she spoke up. She tried to put a hand on my cheek yet when she attempted to, I took a step back. I put the bag down and took a deep breath. I could feel the venom forming on my tongue. All the words I had been procrastinating saying began to build up and bubble over. I looked into her eyes and searched for regret, yet I found none.
I squeezed my eyes shut again and thought for a few moments, I almost didn't want to say it. I didn't want things to change and I didn't want to move on. But I knew it had to happen. I made Dory a promise and I didn't intend on breaking it.
"You need to leave." I then turned and opened the door for her.
"What? why?"
"Because...I don't want you here anymore..."
"But I'm your girlfriend! Why would you not want me?" I frowned as she tilted her head and batted her eyes.
"...No you're not..."