𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒, t.blade

033: The voices

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you felt a sudden urge to go to a bakery. having no idea where that urge came from, you made your way downstairs to the hall, putting on your shoes. you had bought them white but then customized them a bit later with your favorite color and were really proud of them.

skipping into them you grabbed your jacket with your left hand and your phone in your right before opening the door, squinting your eyes at the sudden light. was it always this bright outside? you didn't go outside often enough to be sure, and asking someone would be weird you felt like. so you just started walking to the closest bakery, which you, in fact, had to look up where it was.

last minute you had decided to text Avery and ask her if she wanted to tag along. she had said yes and informed you that she would be there in about fifteen minutes, meaning you'd sit alone for a bit, but you don't mind all too much.

that is a lie. you do mind. people scare you, and sitting alone in a room filled with other people was like a live-action horror movie if you were to listen to your heartbeat. it is crazy and completely irrational. but at the same time a lot of people share your social anxiety so how bad is it really? the truth is very but you decide to ignore that.

walking in, you greet the cashier and say that you'll wait to order until your friend gets there, he nods that he understands and motions to an empty table. you thank him and walk over to sit down, sliding your phone out of your back pocket.

Avery

i'm here now

i'm like two minutes away

okie, i'm the lonely person😔

great, thanks for telling me😀👍🏻

you snicker, earning a few concerned stares from the couple at the table beside you. you clasp your hand over your mouth, embarrassed. 'oh hades, I really wish she was here already' you quietly complain. being alone in public is something you're really struggling with. it just feels so weird and uncomfortable.

you're fidgeting your fingers as you're waiting for Avery to walk in the door. you're trying not to make eye contact with anyone in the meantime. a young waiter keeps clanging your direction though and you're wondering if you look that sad and lonely, or if you're just weird. you're going with both. then finally you catch a glimpse of brown hair as a person walks through the door. you wave your hand in the air, and after a bit of looking around quite nervously, Avery finally sees your greeting. she smiles gratefully and walks over to you.

the grateful smile, however, quickly turns into a nervous one. "hey." she mumbles, not looking you in the eyes. you had forgotten about the fact that you both were social misfits and a conversation would end in great embarrassment or awkwardness.

"hi." you attempt to look her in the eyes as you speak, but you keep glancing behind her as your eyes start watering every time you hold your stare for too long. 'dang it' you curse. 'it's fine, just burn the bakery down' one of the voices reassures you. 'no, don't do that' Technos voice argues. 'do it' 'don't' 'think about how pretty it'll be.'

what the fuck was going on? you weren't crazy, you couldn't be. you shake your head and take your focus back to the real world, only to catch Avery's concerned eyes staring at your face, examining every inch of it.

"are you okay? we could always just do this another day," she says once she notices that you're back from wherever you just went. you stare at her, blankly, before understanding the meaning of the words that are coming out of her mouth.

"oh, no, sorry. I just... the voices" your voice is a mere whisper at the end, half of you want her to know, the other half desperate to keep the dirty secret you're holding. the secret that you hear voices in your head and one of them just happens to be Technos. because that wouldn't sound crazy at all.

"oh," she heard you then. she looks at you, but not with the same look others would give you, the look of fear or concern, but hers is of understanding and sympathy. what? "it'll get better over time, I promise. if not, you'll get used to them" she then says.

"I'll.. what?" you're still stunned by her confession. she hears voices too? her? out of all people? you never would've guessed.

"I said what I said," she says softly, intertwining her fingers with your much colder ones. you stare at her, baffled. what was this? we're you dreaming right now? no, your mind could never be this creative. right?

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