Andy

I locked up the hotel room on my way out, the hallways empty, but humming with voices from the other rooms.

Pulling my purse strap up on my shoulder, I pushed on, sighing in discontent while I struggled to appear normal and unphased by the time I reached the lobby.

I was beyong relieved Andy was back, but I couldn't find level ground with him anymore, it was so strange... I was grateful for him, but after our fight, I wondered how he felt, and wondered where he was.

My parents found me before he did, though. Dad bumped into me in the hallway just outside the large lobby area, and chatted animatedly about the day's plans while we headed back to find Mom.

“Something wrong?”

I shook my head, “No, just tired...” I sighed, moving on. I was getting tired of having to lie, and I wondered how bad it would be if I told my Dad about Andy, without saying he was a ghost or anything. Just a friend.

“We’ll be picking up Grandma Evelyn from her house before going to lunch.” Dad continued, “We’ll probably do some shopping and sightseeing afterwards, kinda let the area settle in. How does that sound?”

“Good.” I nodded, sighing quietly when he couldn’t see. I looked up and scanned the lobby as we entered, and spotted, across the room, standing by the large front window, staring out with an intent yet brooding edge, was Andy.

He had to know I was standing here if I could see him. I noticed he turned his head slightly, just enough to acknowledge my presence. I quickened my pace, heading towards him while my Dad departed to meet with my Mom.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered when I stood right behind him, looking around to be sure no one had heard. “I am so... So sorry.”

“You should not be.” He replied quietly, his hands crossed behind his back, refusing to look at me. “I know I can’t ever be the perfect best friend. The one you can hang around with in public without hiding our conversations. And if you can’t have everything that comes with having a best friend, I understand completely that you’re lonely.”

I wasn’t sure how to reply.

“I really don’t want you to feel like this.” He sighed, voice thick with regret and discontent. “I guess that’s why I’m doing all these ridiculous trips all over the city, because I know it makes you forget for a little while that I’m not real. I’m like a disease to you... I drug you into my problems, thinking at first you’d be over it in a day when I left. But you weren’t, and now you’re hurt, and that’s on me. This whole thing is on me.” He turned halfway from the window to look at me at last, his lips pulled down into a frown.

“If I had stayed away, I can’t even imagine what you might be doing with your time right now.”

“What do you mean?...”

“I mean, I made you sad enough to become aggressive. And that may or may not have cost your Dad his job, making you end up here.” He clarified in a quiet rough voice, eyes saddened.

“No, no... Do not blame yourself for that.” I hissed, checking that no one was looking, but I did see my parents approaching. “Please don’t blame yourself for that.” I whispered urgently. “I think we were bound to uproot at some point anyways.”

Before he could respond, my parents had joined me with confused expressions. “What are you doing over here?”

“Just looking at the view.” I replied, tugging Andy’s arm to follow them to the front doors. “Come with me today.” I murmured under my breath.

“Even after the awful asshole I’ve been today?” He chuckled slightly.

“I could never think badly of you, regardless of the things I say under pressure. We’re kinda stuck together now, anyways.”

He hesitated before pursing his lips and nodding, walking with a sulking fashion out into the blinding sunlight and scorching heat to the car parked across the lot.

My heart tightened, looking at him walk a few steps ahead of me, head down, looking like a beaten puppy, guilt still heavy in his eyes. Much like the day of the funeral, I rushed forward, closing those few feet, grabbing his hand from where it dangled at his side, squeezing it tightly in reassurance.

He lifted his head in surprise, and smiled, eyes lighting up. I smiled back at him sympathetically, and kept walking, feeling his stone cold grip in my own. I squeezed back and sighed nervously for the day ahead.

Notes

Ahh so... Apparently I had this chapter written up for some time, but I was under the impression I had no new material yet, until I opened the file yesterday to look at it and this was there haha, sooo I wrote up another two updates, so hopefully, we can get back into some kind of pattern with posting. If not every day, then maybe every other day, or twice a week. I'll work it out as we go along. Thank you all so much for sticking by me with this story!

Shoutouts!

- anathema
- Allie_BVB
- Andley_Coma
- Fallen_Savior
- Harlequinnie (Your comment made me laugh so much when I read it. I really appreciate the time you took to read it!)

Thank you all so much for your comments and support!