Status: Hey there, this is my favorite story
Lisbeth
Relax
Ronnie gave me three days off with pay, and I spent them with Destery. He seemed to have opened up a lot to me. I was allowed to touch him, and he talked more. “Lisbeth, what does this do?” “Don’t touch that!” “Lisbeth, can we watch TV?” “Sure.”
“Lisbeth, why did you move here?” The last question made me pause for a bit. Destery must’ve realized how uncomfortable I was, because he put his hands up and said, “It doesn’t matter really. I was just wondering.” I smiled at him. “Thanks, Destery.” It was my second day off, and we were sitting on the couch at home.
My head still hurt a lot, but Destery was holding an ice pack to it. I was supposed to be resting a lot, and he was making sure I did. “Can we go outside now?” I begged. “I’m bored.” He grinned and shook his head. “Oh, no. You have a cracked skull and I can barely walk,” he told me, gesturing at his bandaged feet.
I felt like our roles had switched entirely. Now Destery took care of me. “But I’m bored!” He shrugged and turned his attention back to the TV. “That’s your problem. I’m perfectly entertained.” I would have yelled at him if my head didn’t hurt so much. He looked over at me and smiled. “Calm down, Lisbeth. I don’t want you bursting your stitches.” I huffed and watched TV.
Ten minutes after that a new commercial came on, and we both tensed up. It was Destery’s father, and he was campaigning for mayor again. The ad was rudimentary and boring, which was strange. Say what you like about Mr. Cross, but his other commercials had been excellent.
“Huh. I wonder what happened.” Destery glanced over at me. His face was drawn. “What do you mean?” “His commercials always looked so good, but this is terrible.” He relaxed slightly and shrugged. “That’s cause I always make them. Now that I’m gone...” His grin was smug. “Dad’s commercials suck.”
He seemed calm, but his hands were white knuckled around the couch arm, and his mouth had hardened into a straight line. “Destery....he’s going to find you eventually.” He couldn’t quite look me in the eyes, but I could still feel his glare. “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Okay,” I said, giving up.
I didn’t want to think about losing Destery anyway. I liked having someone my age around to talk to, share dinner with. We got along. It made me feel safe to know that someone else was around. I watched TV until my eyes began to close and I leaned my head back against the couch. I fell asleep.
I had a nightmare though. Another one where I was under dark water, unable to breathe. When I woke up I was momentarily disconcerted before my eyes adjusted. Then I realized I was on the couch with Destery’s head in my lap.
He was fast asleep. I felt a pang of fondness for him, and I brushed the hair away from his face. Just the soft touch of my fingers must’ve woken him. He opened sleepy brown eyes and blinked up at me. “Lis’? Mm....wha’ time s’it?” I shrugged. “I had a nightmare.”
His eyes fluttered shut, then flashed open. “Am I on your lap?” he murmured. “Yeah. It’s okay though.” Destery forced himself up, groaning as his bones popped. “I’m gonna have a drink,” I told him as I got off the couch. Destery followed me into the kitchen and watched hungrily as I poured myself a shot. “You want some?” He nodded.
“Lisbeth, why did you move here?” The last question made me pause for a bit. Destery must’ve realized how uncomfortable I was, because he put his hands up and said, “It doesn’t matter really. I was just wondering.” I smiled at him. “Thanks, Destery.” It was my second day off, and we were sitting on the couch at home.
My head still hurt a lot, but Destery was holding an ice pack to it. I was supposed to be resting a lot, and he was making sure I did. “Can we go outside now?” I begged. “I’m bored.” He grinned and shook his head. “Oh, no. You have a cracked skull and I can barely walk,” he told me, gesturing at his bandaged feet.
I felt like our roles had switched entirely. Now Destery took care of me. “But I’m bored!” He shrugged and turned his attention back to the TV. “That’s your problem. I’m perfectly entertained.” I would have yelled at him if my head didn’t hurt so much. He looked over at me and smiled. “Calm down, Lisbeth. I don’t want you bursting your stitches.” I huffed and watched TV.
Ten minutes after that a new commercial came on, and we both tensed up. It was Destery’s father, and he was campaigning for mayor again. The ad was rudimentary and boring, which was strange. Say what you like about Mr. Cross, but his other commercials had been excellent.
“Huh. I wonder what happened.” Destery glanced over at me. His face was drawn. “What do you mean?” “His commercials always looked so good, but this is terrible.” He relaxed slightly and shrugged. “That’s cause I always make them. Now that I’m gone...” His grin was smug. “Dad’s commercials suck.”
He seemed calm, but his hands were white knuckled around the couch arm, and his mouth had hardened into a straight line. “Destery....he’s going to find you eventually.” He couldn’t quite look me in the eyes, but I could still feel his glare. “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Okay,” I said, giving up.
I didn’t want to think about losing Destery anyway. I liked having someone my age around to talk to, share dinner with. We got along. It made me feel safe to know that someone else was around. I watched TV until my eyes began to close and I leaned my head back against the couch. I fell asleep.
I had a nightmare though. Another one where I was under dark water, unable to breathe. When I woke up I was momentarily disconcerted before my eyes adjusted. Then I realized I was on the couch with Destery’s head in my lap.
He was fast asleep. I felt a pang of fondness for him, and I brushed the hair away from his face. Just the soft touch of my fingers must’ve woken him. He opened sleepy brown eyes and blinked up at me. “Lis’? Mm....wha’ time s’it?” I shrugged. “I had a nightmare.”
His eyes fluttered shut, then flashed open. “Am I on your lap?” he murmured. “Yeah. It’s okay though.” Destery forced himself up, groaning as his bones popped. “I’m gonna have a drink,” I told him as I got off the couch. Destery followed me into the kitchen and watched hungrily as I poured myself a shot. “You want some?” He nodded.