𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆: 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒔 𝒙 𝑶𝑪

I Never Stopped Loving You, I Stopped Loving You, but None of this Matters

Beth and Emilie were like strangers living in the same house. Beth had to sporadically leave for a few days to compete in tournaments for money but when she'd come back they went back to just coexisting but not interacting. Harry Beltik was living in their house. That had been Beth's decision. Emilie never spoke to Beltik though, instead choosing to stay in her room most of the time, and limiting her time that she had to be in common areas. Living in the same house and never leaving the house made her know things she really didn't want to know, like Beth and Harry were a bit past friends, and not in a great fun way.. It sort of rubbed salt in Emilie's emotional wounds, knowing her sister was nursing her wounds with support or at least a distraction, when Emilie couldn't have the same. Whenever the phone would ring, no-one would answer. There was always a cluster of calls on Sunday. Emilie knew who those were from,

One day when looking at the mail, there was a postcard. A postcard saying, "Greetings from Las Vegas," Emilie turned it over,

"I don't know what's happening, I don't even know if I have the right address, but please call me, -you already know who this was from" she didn't answer for a few weeks but one day she picked up the phone,

"Hello? Emmy? Hello?"

She didn't speak, the sound of the background silence almost had more of a weight than if she had spoken.

"Are you there?"

"Is this Beth?"

"Whoever the hell this is, tell Emilie to answer my calls, m-my anything," the concern in his voice was apparent. The thought crossed his mind that this could be Emilie,

"If this is Emilie, I don't know what happened. If you need anything, I'm here. Emmy.. please." The last words were quiet.

"This is stupid, goodbye,"

Emilie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, she could tell he already put the phone down. Instead of words, a silent sob came out of her.

-

About a month after this, it was mid summer, and Emilie was going to try and go out and be a normal person in Kentucky. She didn't feel quite right, she felt hollow. The right drink could make the feeling bearable so she went out, trying to feel as full and okay as she could.

She went out to the grocer, and physically ran into the last person she'd expect. Samual. She basically ran him over with her cart.

"Hey Millie," he had a huge smile on his face, not what you'd expect from someone who'd cheated on you.

"Hey Sam," Emilie sighed and tried to continue but instead found him standing in front of her once again.

"So how have you been?"

"Well just swell," she was obviously sarcastic but he didn't seem to pick up on it.

"That's wonderful!" He paused like he was expecting her to say more, "Well things haven't been great for me,"

"Wow, and now that I know that I really should get going now-"

"Well I did get a promotion at work," he said, moving so he could walk beside her.

"Wow good for you, and how's Tabby?" She said passive aggressively.

"Oh me and Tabitha split up. She had a miscarriage and we had nothing in common, other than the baby-"

"And sex!"

"Well yeah," he muttered, "You married yet?"

"Nope." She said flatly

"Surprised about that," he looked down.

"Was that a compliment?" She said while inspecting which vegetables to get.

"No, I mean sure, I guess. There was just rumors about you and a long distance boyfriend from New Hampshire or something?"

"It was New York and it didn't work out," Uncomfortable silence set in.

"Well is this your only shopping for today?"

"No I'm going to go clothes shopping and stop by Lex,"

"Oh getting-"

"Anyways, I really have to go," Emilie said, attempting to end the conversation.

"Do you want to get dinner?" he interjected. It seemed like this was supposed to be charming and endearing, she used to see it like that but now it honestly made her feel a little bitter.

"You sure there's no other people you'd want to have dinner with? Like a corpse? Or a genie? Cause you'd be more likely to get them to go to dinner with you,"

"Why is that Millie?"

"Y-you cheated on me!" She wagged a pointed finger, "We were in a long term relationship,"

"Don't make a scene in the middle of the supermarket," he said grabbing her finger and making her put her hand down.

"Y-you," she stomped her foot, all she wanted was a normal day and then this asshole had to come around and ruin it.

"Fine, no dinner. I can drive you around, to Snyder's or Lex Liquors," he let his hand cover his face slightly, covering his smirk, it had this overconfident undertone that she hated.

"I don't have to go anywhere with you,"

"But you'll want to. Then we'll remember the good old days, and then you'll let me take you to dinner," She had forgotten how forward he was.

"Fine,"

-

She laughed a lot more than she had recently, and he was nice. He had everything a girl could want. I mean of course he wasn't exactly what she wanted, but maybe with him she could be okay.