CHAPTER THREE
ELLIOT
It's been a few days since the Finger Fuck Fiasco. AB is still ignoring my calls and texts. I never really thought anything could make our relationship weird. Honestly, the two of us go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, after being unable to keep my hand off my dick while she was prancing around her apartment in skin-tight clothes, what did she expect to happen when she was rubbing that perfect ass on my morning wood?
I can say, without a doubt, that I have loved Annabelle since I first laid eyes on her, but I never have, and I mean never, wanted to fuck her as badly as I did the other day. It took some Herculean strength not to give into her drunken pleas to fuck her. I could kill that asshole, Jared, for making her doubt her femininity. She is sex personified, and anyone that thinks differently is blind.
Enough of this shit!
Annabelle needs to get over her shit because I miss my best friend. I grab my keys and head to my car. It only takes about five minutes to make it to our favorite corner deli. I stroll to the counter and place my order for a sourdough bread bowl of broccoli and cheddar soup and a sub for me.
“Oh boy, what did you do now?” Nate said
“Why did I have to have done something? Can’t I just come in to enjoy the scenery?”
“Dude, you hate the Broccoli and Cheddar soup. You only ever order that when AB is sick, or she wants to cut your dick off. Since we just saw her earlier today for lunch, I know she’s not sick, so I know you fucked up,” Nate says with a chuckle
“Alright, fair enough, I didn't fuck up exactly. Let's just say we had a misunderstanding.”
“Whatever you say, dude. You're in luck. We just got a phone order for her not too long ago. With you being here, now I don’t have to deliver it to her. Also, if you want to get into her good graces, she was begging Misty to bring her a bottle of Blackberry Wine down from the vineyard this weekend. I am sure if you bring one of those she may actually let you in the door.”
“Thanks for the heads up!” I can use all the help I can get at this point.
I grab the food and head toward the vineyard. After purchasing a few bottles, I’m on my way to AB’s new apartment. I try and rehearse what I am going to say because God knows I’m awkward as fuck when it comes to these kinds of situations. I grab the food and wine and head towards the front door. As I am psyching myself up to knock on the door, it suddenly flies open, and AB walks right into my chest.
“Elliot, what are you doing here?” AB looks up at me holding a six pack of Yuengling and a bag of homemade brownies.
“Ooooh, you were coming to apologize to me, weren’t you?” I say with a smirk.
“I don't know what you're talking about...I was just, um. Screw you, Elliott. Get your ass in here.”
We both laugh as I follow her into the apartment.
“If it makes you feel better, I come bearing gifts as well.” I hold up the bag of soup and the wine.
“Elliot, I love you. Why can’t all men be like you?”
“They broke the mold when they made me, AB. I’m an original, one of a kind. If you want someone this awesome, you are just gonna have to wait for me to grace you with my love and adoration. Oh wait, you have that already.”
AB snorts and rolls her eyes at me before walking to the couch and getting comfortable.
I pour her a glass of wine, grab myself a Yuengling, and snag the bag of food as I head over to the couch. Annabelle reaches into the bag and grabs her soup. A cream-colored piece of cardstock drops from her hand and slides under the couch.
She doesn’t seem to notice, so I say, “You dropped something, and it went under the couch.”
She puts her food down and drops to her knees putting her cheek on the floor, and leaving her ass in the air for me to admire. She frantically searches for whatever fell out of the bag.
“AB, calm down. It was probably just Nate giving you his number again or some stupid shit. I think you should put that guy out of his misery and let him take you out.” I say as I’m shoveling food into my face.
After taking a second to think about Nate with AB, I say, “He isn’t your type, I know, but hey you may have a good time.”
I chuckle as she uses her phone as a flashlight.
She finally finds what she’s looking for. She snatches up the cardstock and shoves it into her pocket.
“What the hell is that? You grabbed at that letter like it was a freshly baked batch of my mom's brownies. What the hell is on that note?”
AB looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, “Elliot, seriously it was Nate’s number. I think your right. I should give him a shot, I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”
Does she really think I don’t know she’s lying through her teeth? There must be a good reason for why she doesn’t want to share this with me, but I can’t pretend that it doesn’t hurt my ego a little that she can’t share a stupid note with me.
“Alright AB, enough with this mushy crap, I am hungry. Time for some mind-numbing TV, but only one beer, I have to drive home.”
Annabelle snuggles into my side as I flick through the channels.
“I really missed you, Elliot. I don’t know what I would ever do without you.”
I look down at her and kiss her on the top of her head.
“Lucky for you, you will never have to find out.”
Annabelle eats her soup until she’s ready to explode and after she finishes her wine, she lies down on the couch and uses my thigh as a pillow.
Don’t get a hard-on.
Don’t get a hard-on.
Naked Grannies.
Dead kittens.
Baseball.
Come on, buddy! WORK WITH ME HERE!
“Elliot?” Annabelle says my name like she would say a prayer. It makes my heart rate increase.
“What’s up, AB?” I respond, hoping that I don’t sound as tense as I feel.
Annabelle rolls onto her back and looks up at me. It’s hard to concentrate on anything but her lips, but I try my best to listen to her words.
“Why am I attracted to assholes? I know it’s not going to end well, I know I’m going to get hurt. Why do I keep doing this to myself?”
Tears are once again threatening to fall from her eyes, she’s never this emotional, and it hurts my heart.
“I don’t know, but you always have. You’re a beautiful woman, you could pick any man you want, and yet you pick conceited assholes who just want you to be arm candy.”
With that, she rolls back onto her side and stares at the TV. Since I’ve known her so long, I know how to comfort her, so I run my fingernails through the little hairs on the back of her neck. Eventually, she falls asleep, so I cover her with a blanket, get a pillow tucked under her head, and kiss her forehead before turning off the lights and heading home.
ANNABELLE
That’s it. Get your lazy butt up, unpack these boxes, and do your damn laundry. Two weeks to mope around about Jared is too long. ENOUGH!
My inner monologue continues as I drag my ass off the couch, I feel something prick my side and remember the note from last night. I take a deep breathe, and open the note “Even when no one else is there, I will always be here.” It makes me smile to see his handwriting, to know he put effort into getting this note to me. Even when I don’t know I need him, he is there, just like one of the first times my Psycho showed himself to me.
...I’m walking back from the library freshman year, it’s late. I stop at the student center to grab some food, but when I pull the door, it won’t budge. I look at my watch and notice I missed closing time by 5 minutes.
“Fuck,” I mutter to no one in particular. I flip my bag around to pull my wallet out. I open it up to find a couple of quarters, but that’s it.
Well looks like its water and saltines again for dinner tonight, I think to myself. Eventually, I will learn how to pay closer attention to the time so that I won’t starve. One thing is for certain, I don’t have to worry about gaining the freshman 15.
As I get closer to my dorm room, I notice a bag hanging from my door with a note on cream cardstock. I run my ID to unlock my door and then grab the bag and note. I drop my bag and coat on my bed, and then take the note and bag to my desk.
When I peer into the bag I see all my favorite things to eat at the student center, breakfast burritos and bagels from the Mission, Club Salads, Turkey Clubs, broccoli and cheese soups, and cereal from the local deli, just piles of food. I get to the bottom of the bag and find my one guilty pleasure, the giant cinnamon rolls with extra icing from the campus bookstore coffee shop. I rip the lid off and take a huge bite. I can’t help but moan loudly because it’s just so damn delicious.
The note! I almost forgot I need to know who to thank for keeping me fed for at least the rest of the semester when I can get more goodies from Elliot’s mom. I reach over my spoils for the note. I unfold it and read, “You need to take better care of yourself please, but for now, let me do it for you.” Is someone following me? I don’t know if I am freaked out, or flattered. However, right now I am tired and hungry, the rest I will figure out in the morning...
He has been taking care of me in his own way ever since. I smile to myself as I scribble down my reply and leave it on the balcony table before heading back into the kitchen to make coffee. The only boxes I’ve unpacked are my coffee supplies, work clothes and enough bathroom supplies to shower.
When the caffeine has finally hit my system, I turn on Pandora and get to work. Music helps to get me moving, singing lets my mind wander, and dancing gets me some cardio.
I set to work on getting my kitchen entirely unpacked and put away. Progress! I’m jamming out to “Animals” by Maroon 5, dancing my heart out and singing like my soul depends on it when I get a familiar tingle that runs along my skin. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, goosebumps cover my body, and I know he’s watching. It’s the first time since I moved in that I’ve felt him.
Having him watching me has always brought me inner peace, with him close I know I will be okay. Since I was a child, I was often left alone by my foster parents, bullied by the kids at school: I started to feel him then. When life would get hard, when I felt like I couldn’t take anymore, I would feel him, keeping watch.
I pause and turn slowly to look out the balcony doors, see if I can get a peek at my Psycho. In all these years, I've never caught a glimpse of him. I don't know why I even look anymore, but I'm just so curious about him. Is he tall? Or short? Light skin? Or dark skin? Does he have light or dark eyes? Is his hair long or shaved short? I've always figured it was a man, what if it's a girl?
Before I realize it, I'm standing in front of a bank of windows, in what will someday be a dining room. I can see the apartment building across the street that looks like it's made of mirrors, the busy street below filled with taxies and city buses. It’s strange to live alone. I have always lived with roommates or my boyfriends. Living alone was quiet.
After a few more hours of unpacking, my apartment looks like someone actually lives here instead of just a storage unit. A few boxes remain with random items which have no home yet. Some items are shoved into closets, so I don't have to look at them. I hop into the shower, nothing is better than sleeping on fresh sheets when you're freshly showered.
I walk out onto my balcony to watch the sunset and drink my chamomile tea. I know he is out here watching me. He always is. How I yearn for him to show himself to me. I just want to feel loved...he does love me, doesn't he? I imagine getting a hug from the person that can probably read my body language like a book. Does he know that I need comfort in physical form? As these questions swirl through my head, I can't help but voice them out loud.
"Why do you hide from me?" I whisper to the darkening sky. I honestly don't expect him to answer, but it feels good to give these feelings a voice finally.
"Do I know you? Have I seen you during my everyday life? I would hope that my heart would know when it was near my better half.” I am trying to get the courage to ask the one question I need the answer to more than anything when I hear it.
"Of course, you know me, Annabelle. Your heart and mine are meant to be together. We are made for each other." His gruff voice floats in the breeze with the honking of car horns.
"Have we met? Did we live in the same foster home? Go to school together? How tall are you? How old are you?" I fire questions off as quickly as they come to mind in fear that he will disappear as quickly as he appeared.
"All in good time, my love. You must be patient, as I have been. You will learn who I am, as I have learned about you, by paying attention. Just remember, I am always with you."
I hear the squeaking of rusty metal, and leap from my chair, and lean over the railing trying to catch a glimpse, but something he said stops me.
I must pay attention.
Alright Annabelle, time to put your thinking cap on.
"I will find you, Psycho, if it is the last thing I do!"