Siren's Mark

Chapter 39

𝔸𝕧𝕒

I didn't even make a conscious decision to show up at Jen's, but through a teary haze I found myself pulling into her driveway and walking up to the door. The door is frosted glass and I can just make out two silhouettes through the warm light emanating from the house.

My fist taps at the door before I have a chance to pull it back out of embarrassment.

What am I even going to say?

As I try to think about it, tears start streaming out of my eyes and down my cheeks and I quickly descend into a blubbering mess. The door swings open and I'm met by the very confused but concerned face of Deb, Jen's ex and roommate.

Now I'm crying on Jen's doorstep in front of her ex-girlfriend like a crazy person.

This is great. I'm great. Things are going great right now.

"Ava," she says with a soft sympathetic voice. "Oh my gosh, come in honey!"

She pulls me in with a reassuring arm around my shoulders and guides me inside. My eyes continue to gush tears as I breathe in gasps and stutters, attempting—unsuccessfully—to sound the least bit coherent.

Deb sits down in an armchair as Jen rushes to me and sits me down on their big, plush brown couch, giving me a big bear hug.

"Who are we killing?" Jen asks, her lips in a tight, straight line.

"Z-... Za-..." I stutter.

"Zane, that son of a bitch!" she exclaims, instantly launching up from her seat. Jen's fury in my defense is palpable. "What did he do? Did he cheat on you? That motherfucker cheated on my girl? That's it, he's getting a swift kick to the chicken tenders!"

"No," I manage to eke out. "He... bro... ke up... wi-ith... m-me..."

She bites her lip and scrunches her face. "I'm sorry hon, I have no idea what you just said. It sounded like something about Hebrew Butterfree?"

"I think she said homo coffee," Deb chimes in.

"What the heck is homo coffee, Deb?" Jen snaps.

"Well, I'm sorry Jennifer," Deb says with sarcasm. "Clearly Hebrew Butterfree makes way more sense!"

As I watch the two, I hear a burst of laughter. It takes me a moment to realize it's coming from me. The reality of the whole situation is overwhelming and I find myself laughing at the notion that I got dumped by a mythical creature over the phone and now I'm here covered in gross crying-goo having an epic meltdown in front of Jen's ex-girlfriend who I barely know while they try to translate my nonsense wailing.

What is my life right now?

"Well, we broke Ava," Jen says to Deb in a flat voice.

I continue to laugh and cry simultaneously.

With a few deep breaths, I manage to compose myself and say, "He broke up with me."

Jen places a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Well yeah, hon, I kinda assumed that, but why? What happened?"

"He just said he doesn't want to be with me," I say with a sniffle. "He did it over the phone. He wouldn't even explain in person."

"Over the phone?" she asks with wide eyes. "What a fucking douche donut!"

"Did something happen before this?" Deb asks.

My eyes fall to my lap as I remember my crazy behavior at the party. And before that, our encounter with my jerk of a half brother. I told him a bunch of the details of my stupid, messed-up life.