Sell Your Soul

Cali zipped up the LA Pride sweatshirt she had borrowed from Matt. It was too big, but she didn't mind. She was cold. She shoved her hands in the pockets and just sat there on the couch. Dillon sat down next to her, but she didn't look up. He put his arm around Cali's shoulders.

"You wanna talk?" he asked.

Cali shook her head.

"You sure?"

"I'm fine, Dill," Cali replied.

"You don't look fine, Cal," Dillon said.

Cali shrugged and said, "I'll be fine."

"Well, I know you're not, but it does no good to argue," Dillon sighed. "I'm right here though."

Cali kissed his cheek and said, "Thanks."

She stood up. He stretched out on the couch and turned on the tv as she walked toward the kitchen. She smiled back at him, and he winked at her. She shook her head.

The door to the kitchen was closed. Cali touched the doorknob, but she stopped when she heard voices.

"-not your fault, it's mine." Charlie. "I always screw these things up."

"No, I shouldn't have done this." Maria. "Matt wouldn't stop talking about her, and I did it so they could be together. I just did it the wrong way."

"Whosever's fault this is, it's too late to fix it now. I fucked up, and there's no going back."

There was a pause, some stuff shifting, before Maria said, "I know she still loves you."

"And I love her. More than anything in this world."

"...I know. And it's my fault you guys are broken up. I need to make this right."

Cali closed her eyes and let a tear fall down her cheek. She heard the fridge open and the clank of bottles, and she knew Charlie was drinking. She covered her eyes with the heels of her palms.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I should never have done this. She's my best friend, and we both lost her."

"Damn it," Cali breathed. This only made it worse.

Matt was walking by and stopped when he saw Cali. He smiled at her, but he stopped when he saw her tears.

"Cal, what's up?" he said.

Cali shook her head and pushed past him, purposely hitting his shoulder with hers. He watched her walk away, figuring he had to figure out what was wrong. So he followed her back to the dining room, where she sat huddled in a corner. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She buried her face in his neck, and he rested his head on hers.