More Than You Know

by 2m8tos

Summary:

Half of her first friend group is dead. Left with crushing guilt, painful memories and a stagnant, yet unsteady life, Aubrey is on the verge of collapse. But after running into her old best friend for the first time in over two years by pure chance, will she find that redemption and a way to live life again aren't as impossible as she thinks?

Notes:

Rated M for language, violent themes and heavy suicidal topics.

Writing started 10-6-24. This is a sort of revamp of a year-old fic I started but never proper took off the ground. Out of 12,017 other Omori fics, thanks bunches for giving this one a shot!

Let's try this for real this time

Chapter 1: Stagnant

Something smelled in here. It wasn’t the hot dog roller this time, Aubrey could tell. It didn’t smell like gasoline either. She didn’t know, and she didn’t really want to. Much more pressing was her drowsiness. 

She kept telling herself she would get better sleep, but nighttime was reserved for her rumination time. At least by day at the gas station, she had a small assortment of things to direct her attention to instead. Sometimes new snack variants appeared on the racks, however unappealing. She could read the newspaper, or just the front of it, and at the very least listen to the humming fluorescent tubes above. But today in particular, the lack of activity made her eyes have to work to stay open. 

Her eyes kept darting to her flip phone’s time on the counter. Her fingers fidgeted with the register buttons, thumbing the small rubber covers. Between the crushing boredom and the occasional creep that would buy a scratch-off just to look at her, she silently wished for something to happen. 

Piquing her interest, the entrance door swung open. Finally, she thought. But a groan on the inside came next once she saw who it was. It was a kid, probably early teens in an expensive-looking black jacket and ball cap. His big-boy stride already annoyed her, strutting around the place like he owned it. He even tracked in mud and slush from outside on his designer shoes, something she’d have to mop up. Good grief. 

Aubrey shook her head and looked up at the ceiling away from him. Maybe he just came in for a sucker or fruit juice or something, but of course she heard the back freezer door open and close. Here we go. 

Glass bottles clattered onto her counter. Aubrey looked at them, then back at the kid. “Come on, dude.” 

“I have an ID!” 

“No you don’t. Shove off.” 

He scoffed and pouted. “I bet you wanted to when you weren’t old enough.” 

“Yeah, well, I’m not old enough either. The rules are rules.” 

With a sneer, he shot back, “Maybe you should put your phone away if you care about rules so much.” 

Aubrey’s chest flared with anger. She leaned in and looked him dead in the eyes. “Look, kid. I know your kind. You think you can do anything you want and get away with it. Maybe life hasn’t knocked you on your little pansy ass yet, but this is the law. I’m not risking mine to sell beer to some brat, you got that?” 

The kid returned an intense glare, at least as intense as he could pull off, then turned around to leave in a huff. Aubrey smirked to herself, watching with vindication. Aubrey, one, underage drinking zero. 

But, something inside her made her want to make some small concession, say one last thing. If not, she might lose the night to the guilt. She couldn’t explain why, other than, it wasn’t like she hadn’t been in the same spot before. 

Sighing, she called after him. “Hey.” 

The kid stopped and flashed her a dirty look. 

Aubrey shrugged. “It’s not even all it’s cracked up to be. It tastes like shit.” 

He stared for a moment and scowled. “Hypocrite.” All of a sudden he dashed to the rack, grabbed an entire box of chocolate bars and darted out the door before Aubrey could even react. 

“Wha--?! HEY!” She hopped the counter and gave chase. Heart racing, chest burning and hands slamming against the door, she put everything she had into sprinting after him. Maybe life hadn’t knocked him on his ass yet, but she sure was going to. 

The kid ran up the sidewalk and jumped over puddles with blinding speed. Aubrey was determined to catch him, eyes locked onto him and her entire being focused on speed. Cars whizzed by, droplets of cold water flicked on her and the freezing air blistered her skin, but she wasn’t gonna be on the hook for this little bastard. 

She remained a steady distance behind him to keep her spirit up. But within a minute of running, she struggled keeping up. Her ribs began to ache, her legs were turning to putty, and the frigid air scraped her throat like spikes with each heaving breath. The kid showed no signs of stopping and turned into an alleyway out of her sight as she panted her lungs out. By then, she knew it was over. 

She cursed to herself and brought her shirt over her mouth. Breathing hurt. Her legs and stomach hurt. Two years ago she would have gotten him easily. But now, she resigned herself to walking back, utterly defeated. 

 

 

The manager’s office wasn’t even any warmer. 

The longer she sat there, in front of his desk, the more she wanted to turn invisible. She cowered under him, the air suffocating. As if the white brick walls to the already small room suddenly closed in on her, she hugged herself to take up as little space as possible.  

After an agonizing dozen seconds, the manager finally sighed. “I don’t know what to do with you, Aubrey. I do not know.” 

Shame struck her in her heart. “I can… I can pay for it.” 

He shook his head. “That’s not gonna cut it. Because every day you come in half asleep. Every day you leave expired goods on the racks and one in ten transactions you even miscount the change or something. Real small things that built up over time, up, up, up.” He raised his hand to illustrate. “And now I’m up to here with you. I guess I really will just have to find somebody else.” 

Aubrey could do nothing but look down, eyes unfocused. She heard him speak again, something about her nametag and signing on a paper. Details too excruciating, she was checked out by this point. 

 

 

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Aubrey found herself smoking against the bridge railing like most times she was here. It wasn’t a bad hangout spot—not many cars came through this part of town, and the large lake some hundred feet below made for some decent scenery. 

Looking down at it gave her a sense of calm. Far away she could see where it ended, and the ground and trees began. She didn’t get anywhere near this feeling back home, what with a deadbeat mom and a small town that had long since worn off its nostalgia factor. But right here, even among the dinginess, it felt like she had all the time in the world. 

All the time in the world . . . 

She blinked with tears. She couldn’t believe she got fired. How useless she had to be to not even be able to handle the easiest job in the world. The puff of smoke took some of the pain away, helping her to hold in a sob, maybe a quiet breakdown. Nothing could help the sniffles she needed, though. 

But she shook her head. That was why she was getting some fresh air in the first place. It’s too far away from society to defeat the purpose. She took another puff, for good measure. 

As the smoke filled her lungs, there grew an emptiness in her heart that she couldn’t fill. Memories of the past, people long gone. These swirled around her head again, dizzying in their melancholy. All the fun times she had before something would steal her happiness time and time again, somebody that left the world and took a chunk of her with them. That was why she was alone now, her brain reminded her. At least now, all she could hurt was herself. 

Her hand tightened around her pack of cigarettes in her pocket, crumpling it. Finishing the stick and flicking the butt away, she got on her scooter and started back on her path towards civilization. 

But, first, she spotted a figure in the distance, looking vaguely familiar. She wore blue, and from what Aubrey could see had her hair tied back with glasses. 

The figure noticed her. “Hey!” she called in a female voice, waving her hand. 

Aubrey faintly recognized her. she couldn’t think of who it might be, until slowly but surely she got close enough. “Huh? Kim?” 

“My God, is it really you?” Kim slowed to a stop in front of her, panting. “It’s been forever!” 

Aubrey couldn’t speak, too dumbfounded. Kim was her best friend, her partner in crime during the better parts of her teens. They had been through almost everything together, but it had been years since they had seen each other. And now here she was, happening upon her by pure chance. She had a blue tank top and jogging shorts, and grew the other half of her hair back out and tied it into a ponytail. She looked good actually, compared to her own relatively disheveled self. 

“U-Uh, Kim, I… wow.” 

“I know, right. What’re the odds?” Kim huffed a chuckle. “How’ve you been holding up, lately?” 

Aubrey forced a smile. “Well enough. Uh, what about you?” 

“Good. Just taking a jog around the place.” 

“Ah.” Aubrey gave a questioning look. “Isn’t it a little chilly for that?” 

“I got a jacket in the car. This kind of weather’s actually the best for running, believe it or not.” 

Aubrey hummed and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.” 

A lull was created in the conversation. It wasn’t as if Aubrey didn’t necessarily want to see her again, but she was far from ready. Her greasy hair, probable circles under her eyes; she hadn’t been taking great care of herself, and it probably showed. 

“So, what, did you move up here?” Kim asked. 

“N-No. Visiting.” 

“Cool! Do you like it here?” 

“Pretty good, yeah.” She looks off the railing again. “Scenic.” 

Kim nods, looking for a bit also. “Well… I can’t just leave you here now. How about we go somewhere proper and catch up, yeah? Then I’ll drive you home if you want.” 

“Yeah? Uh, what about the scooter?” 

“You can toss it in the trunk, c’mon!” Aubrey wasn’t given time to refuse, Kim already walking excitedly in the direction motioning for her to follow. Quickly, Aubrey picks up her scooter and walks it with her, going wherever she does. 

As they started on the path together, Aubrey couldn’t quite pin how the walk off the bridge felt. Her guard seemed to lower as she approached the city teeming with life and bustle, but at the same time, something felt off-script. Relief mixed with trepidation, almost as if embarrassed to be seen. But, she was at least certain that she felt a lot safer than she did a minute ago. 

“So, really, what’ve you been up to?” says Kim. “It’s been a couple years now.” 

“Uh, well,” Aubrey searched for the words. “Still… living with my mom.” 

“Do you work? Got a job?” 

“A gas station. On down the other way, actually. N-No one else would have me.” 

Kim clicked her tongue. “Well, work’s work. At least you’ll be welcome here!” 

Aubrey hummed and continued walking. Once they crossed back onto land, surrounding her were small buildings, cars and mom-and-pop-shops, of course characteristic of a city area. She could hear traffic, and the occasional person walked by them in the other direction paying no mind. Aubrey had never actually been here before, only sticking to the bridge and prior forested area, so this was a new experience what with how quiet Faraway is. In spite of her nerves, it was a nice change of pace. 

She looked back to Kim’s stride as they walked. Man, she looked pretty different. She was nothing if not a reminder of how much time it had been, not to mention the company she used to have. One could have only wondered what if they had kept in touch all this time. 

“Oh Aub, I meant to tell ya.” Kim interrupted her thoughts and pointed across the street. “That little coffee shop over there’s doing a buy-one-get-one on a bunch of stuff this week.” 

“You want coffee this late in the day?” 

“Decaf, ya dork. And something to eat!” She led her by the arm across the street and towards the door, or moreso pulled her, and she held the door open as they both went inside. 

A bell jingled as the door opened and closed. It was warm almost immediately, a welcoming feeling. The aroma of fresh donuts and bagels along with toffee and vanilla wafted through the place, and soft chatter between the few patrons sat down added to the atmosphere. The floor was cream-colored tile—not a spot on it—and the walls were decorated with various coffee cup graphics and old framed photos of the building from yesteryear. 

Aubrey and Kim stood in line, a couple people in front of them. A special was written in pretty handwriting on a small chalkboard stand on the counter, and above behind the workers was a large colorful menu with plenty of variety and terms which she wasn’t sure the meaning of. 

“What are you getting?” Aubrey wanted some ideas. 

“Something simple. Café au lait, maybe,” Kim replied quietly. 

Aubrey had no idea what that was. 

“You getting anything, Aub?" 

“Um.” Aubrey tried quickly thinking of a response. “A bagel?” 

Kim returned a confident look. “One plain bagel.” 

“Make it two.” 

She chuckled, then nodded. 

Once they were up, Kim went ahead of her and ordered for both of them. The cashier seemed familiar with her, making short small talk. After all the shenanigans they would’ve have been up to as kids, it was refreshing to see Kim have a good relationship with the staff—asking nicely, speaking in a friendly tone of voice and all. Aubrey took note, smiling a little. 

Shortly, they were sat down at a booth with some bagels and a couple cups: a café au lait for Kim and a decaffeinated caramel macchiato for Aubrey. Kim was taking a long, loud sip of hers through her straw as Aubrey watched on, the only emotion she can tell from her being concentration on her drink. Switching her focus to her own food she took a big bite of her bagel, and, it was pretty good, actually. It was hard to mess up a bagel. Maybe needed way less cream cheese, but it was leagues better than what she'd have been eating at home right now. 

The silence was getting awkward, though, so she mustered a question. “So, uh... how’re the guys? You all still friends?” 

Kim swallowed her bite of her own bagel. “Hmm, well, I kinda lost contact with Angel and Charlene a long time ago. Just moved on, you know. And as for me, I’m living here in the city in a shared apartment! It’s me, my brother Vance, and another guy.” 

“Hm, that’s cool. A place to yourself.” 

“I wish. There’s like, no alone time or privacy. Vance and Trey have such wonky work schedules.” she said with a chuckle and a sip. “Hell, sometimes I jog just to get away from them.” 

Aubrey huffed a laugh. “Wow, didn’t mean to touch a nerve.” 

“Hey.” Kim put her hands up. “All I need is some peace once in a while and I’m good. And I mean, heh...” She paused. “It always helps meeting an old friend unexpected.” 

Aubrey couldn’t help but grin a little bit, looking down. “Well... sorry I haven’t been keeping in contact. Lots of personal stuff going on.” 

“I can imagine.” Kim stirred her drink’s ice a little with her straw, fidgeting. “Things have... changed for me too since then.” 

“How so, exactly?” 

Kim took a breath. “Well, I moved, for starters! Tried to better myself and just get away from all that, you know? But, I always wondered how you, and your other group of friends were holding up.” She paused, her hands together. “I’m... I should’ve checked in more. I’m really sorry, Aubrey.” 

Aubrey shrugged, putting her head down. “It’s okay. Not like I made any effort either.” 

Kim looked on with a soft, somber expression, then spoke back up. “Hey, you know, if you wanna catch up some more, you can come by my apartment for a bit. Meet the guys, you know. I think you’ll click.” 

Aubrey looked in interest, but laughed. “Really sold them to me back there.” 

“I mean, I give them a lot of crap. Most of it they deserve, but, honestly, not all of it. They’re okay people, and, I mean, Vance is my brother. You get it.” 

Aubrey nodded and thought about it. “Maybe... sometime? I can’t today, though, so, maybe tomorrow?” 

“That works!” 

Aubrey smiled. “Sure, then.” She took another bite of her bagel, and sipped some decaf macchiato. 

  

  

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The ride in Kim’s car was comfortable. Combined with the café, it was the most comfortable she had been in forever. She could lie back into the seat and feel the hot air from the vent, look out the window to watch the trees pass by and the power lines bob up and down. In between bouts of small talk, she let herself sink into the atmosphere, the radio playing a cheesy rock-pop song. The sky was still covered in clouds, but it felt serene. Way better than the bridge. 

Kim was singing along the song under her breath as she drove before she looked over. “Do I talk too much? I think I talk too much.” 

Aubrey gave a teasing grin. “Just a little.” 

“Hah, well.” She gave Aubrey a nudge. “This was fun, ya know? Just... man.” She sighed, “It’s amazing seeing you again, dude. It’s been way too long.” 

Aubrey averted her look a little, looking back at Kim to see a warm smile on her face while she focused on the road. “H-Heh, yeah, I guess it was.” But as she looked harder, she noticed red in Kim’s face and eyes, giving her pause. “Hey, you’re not… crying, are you?” 

Kim let out a sigh. “Well, it’s just... I don’t know.” She shook her head. “After you stopped coming out, talking to anybody, you know, I was really worried for a little bit.” 

Aubrey’s heart sank a little, and she looked down. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be, man.” 

They were crossing through Faraway now, passing the Plaza. Kim slowed down and looked all around, seeming to split her attention and take in the old sights. Turn signals clicked and houses went by until the car came to a stop in front of Aubrey’s house, chipping paint, overgrown grass and all. 

“I remember all this,” Kim commented, looking around before turning to Aubrey. “So, you gonna be okay?” 

She nodded. “Yeah, I think so.” 

“You think so?” Kim repeated. 

Aubrey shrugged, then unclicked her seatbelt. “Yeah. Thanks for the ride. I mean it.” 

“No prob...” 

Aubrey opened the door and got out. Kim popped the trunk open so Aubrey could get her scooter, and then she was walking slowly towards her dilapidated house. 

“Hey, Aub,” Kim called out through the window behind her, getting her attention before she reached the porch. “Tomorrow. I’m gonna be right here at noon to pick you up. I’ll have the place all ready for ya and we can hang out, meet the guys. Sound good?” 

“S-Sounds good.” 

“Alright. See you tomorrow! At noon!” She rolled her window up, changed gears and drove away. Aubrey watched the car roll on until it turned where she couldn’t see it, and her eyes stared on as the engine’s noise faded away. 

Tomorrow... Tomorrow. That word stuck in her head. Kim will be picking her up. She’ll be seeing her and Vance, and meeting another new person. Her mind raced with possibilities; what do they look like, what do they do? If she were being honest with herself, the idea sounded both exciting and intimidating, a mix swirling around in her chest. 

But right now, all she could do was sleep on it. 

Once the scooter was in its place against the side of the house and she moved to the porch, Aubrey’s hand lingered on the doorknob, almost fearing what was on the other side. She opened the door to her home, the familiar smell in her nostrils as she entered. Therein her feet carefully stepped over empty beer cans, wadded paper towels and other garbage on her way past the couch, where her mother sat absentminded, practically hypnotized in front of the television as usual. 

By this point, she had long forgotten what made her feel so anxious here. Maybe she didn’t like to be seen or watched, or maybe she feared her mother at some point. Maybe it was just usual tension, unrelated. She couldn’t quite place it, not that it mattered. 

The hallway seemed to get more and more cluttered each time she made her way through, and the ladder to her attic bedroom more creaky and dangerous under her feet. But once she was up, surrounded by her familiar, safe place, she threw herself onto her bed and let out the biggest sigh. 

Seconds passed by. Was it a sigh of relief? Fatigue? She didn’t know. But she was home now. The room was exactly as she left it, with her old unmade bed, mirror, TV, dresser, drip bucket, and dark spots in the wood for that added touch. Finally, beside her bed on her nightstand, she spotted the old picture frame. 

Normally her eyes would have glanced over it, but it caught her attention this time. Aubrey reached over to grab it, picking it up and taking a look at it again. Her and Kim’s smiles practically shone through the photo and any nervous thought she had, almost putting her right back in that moment with her friends. She remembered taking that photo, in the middle of their hangout under the warm sun. It was the only bright part of her whole room, and really, her whole life. Her warming heart couldn’t be denied at the prospect of another shot at what they had, what she had been missing all this time. 

She could see this through. What did she have to lose? 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: Visitation in the Gray

Notes:

"Have we waited long enough, guys? I think we have." -Todd Howard

Thanks bunches to HoraceHilden and JoesAlot for help with this chapter!

Aubrey lied in her bed and scanned through her old texts on her mobile, buried not too far deep under telemarketers. Allowing herself to take herself back to that time if just for a moment wasn’t easy, but she couldn’t stop once she started. There were a bunch of group texts with Kim, Vance, The Maverick and the others, long, sprawling conversations spanning a couple of years with more curses than she remembered. It made her crack a smile to look back on all of this, the friends she used to have, and even all the stupid schoolyard drama they used to gossip about with absolute seriousness. 

Something drew her back to these after meeting Kim again. For the longest time, she had actively avoided looking at them. There were two years’ worth of these messages to comfort her in nostalgia, however culminating in the definitive cut-off near the worst morning of her life. Simply remembering it would enough to turn any other night into a sleepless one had she never learned to force it down, but before all that, things were great. Comfortable to remember fondly. 

But she also had to think to herself. Those messages were the last contact they had. To have left them in limbo, in the dark about whether she was okay or not for so long, it gave her pause. God, the things to say. The apologies to make. 

It wasn’t enough to simply try to avoid thinking about it. With a forced sigh, Aubrey flipped her phone shut and let her eyes stare towards the weathered wood ceiling. With only the sting of the cold air to help keep her mind on anything else, she craned her head to look at her clock. Two in the morning. 

Never promised I’d get a good night’s sleep, she thought. With that, she finally put the radio on and pulled the blanket over her. 

 

 

Aubrey looked herself in the mirror one final time. A tired, quick cold shower, her cleanest shirt, and a tiny bit of makeup was what she prepared herself with. It wasn’t much, but it was actually the most effort she had put in going out in quite a while. It wasn’t until this little makeover session that she realized how disheveled she was, making her wonder again if Kim noticed her practically slimy hair from before. 

Unusual to her, she even felt a feeling of enthusiasm. Excitement, even. She couldn’t help but look herself with a slight smile. She felt as if she were stranded at sea on a paddleboat for years and just spotted a city coast. She was finally seeing Kim again. 

Her mind turned to her. Kim… the gal that always had her back. What were the odds that they’d reunite there of all places? In that town? Maybe it wasn’t worth thinking about too hard. It was a good thing anyway; maybe this could finally help get her out of this... fog she had been so deep in. Really, her only obstacle left was the walk through the living room. 

She warily climbed down her ladder to the hallway. Hearing the TV was a good indicator that her mom wouldn’t notice her, not that it mattered much. Aubrey found that she was asleep on the couch; wine bottles were littered around her, and the TV played a looping, mind-numbing fitness infomercial with celebrity endorsements and soulless music. 

Maybe this was her own way of trying, evidence of a slight effort being made. Such a curious woman. 

With that, Aubrey shrugged and stepped on the boards that didn’t creak. When she got to the door, though, she didn’t bother closing it quietly. 

 

The chill of the cold air stung Aubrey’s nose as she inhaled, and made her still-wet hair feel like icicles on her head. She had to ask herself what the point of her jacket was if it didn’t even have a hood. It wasn’t much warmer inside, though, and it wasn’t just for the lack of central heat and air either. 

But in spite of everything, it was still her home. She never asked for more, and she never complained. Never for a lack of wanting more, but rather that she is what she surrounds herself with. Filth. Waste. And she would be remiss to have it any other way, wouldn’t she? 

She grumbled to herself and reached into her pocket for another cigarette, but she left the pack under her pillow. So much for that. 

You’re out here to meet Kim though,she reminded herself. You don’t need that. She knows you... You look good. 

She looked at herself with a scoff, but actually, she did look mildly presentable. Did she smell good? Her hair smelled plain enough. Whatever might be wrong with her now is probably too late to fix. 

Kim should have been there any minute. Now that Aubrey found herself out here past the point of no return, anxiety radiated in her chest. She didn’t have the best wardrobe to pick from, and her disused makeup had to be almost a year old at best. And most importantly, what of being a decent houseguest? These questions swelled in her head; maybe, just maybe, she was a lost cause to start with. 

Physically shaking these thoughts out of her head with a groan, she began to go through some of the memories she had with her and the other guys. Some of them were good, many made her cringe, but a select few were ones she wouldn’t trade for the world. Like when Aubrey and Kim shared secrets, or the one time they tried hopping a fence but The Maverick caught his foot on the chain link, landing flat on his stomach like a cartoon character. 

Aubrey couldn’t help but giggle to herself remembering that. She wonders where that guy is now . . . 

In the middle of her thoughts, she heard salt crunching beneath tires down the road. It was her. Breathing almost a sigh of relief, she felt her tensed muscles relax as it approached. For a split second she considered running and hiding, ducking back inside before she saw her. But only for a split second. 

Once the car was in front of her and it came to a stop, Kim rolled down the window. “Nice threads! Get in!” 

“Th-Thanks!” She did as she was prompted, walking around the car to enter on the passenger’s side. The warm air immediately hit her, and when she buckled her seatbelt all she could do was shiver. 

“You cold?” 

“Yeah.” 

Kim turned the heat higher. “Don’t got a heavy jacket?” 

“No… I don’t.” Aubrey looked at Kim, and she was dressed pretty comfortably in a blue winter coat, and, perplexingly, skinny jeans. 

“Well hopefully I didn’t leave you waiting too long out there!” Kim said as they turned around in a driveway. "I misjudged the time it’d take to get here.” 

“Yeah, you’re three minutes late,” Aubrey joked, catching herself smiling for a moment. “What made you guys move so far out anyway?” 

Kim huffed a small laugh. “We don’t need to talk about that right now, do we?” 

Aubrey felt her chest burn at her words as her smile disappeared, but she ignored it. “Probably not.” 

Kim apparently noticed her reaction, quickly switching topics after a pause. “Um, you been up to anything exciting lately? I totally forgot to ask you yesterday.” 

Aubrey had to think harder than she thought she would. “Nothing much, I guess.” 

“Hmm. Well, you got a lot of time out of the day, don’t you?” 

Aubrey huffed a sarcastic chuckle and looked out the window. "You could say that.” 

Kim clicked her tongue curiously, pausing to think. “You had to have been doing something, right?” 

“It’s a gas station. I sell condoms sometimes.” 

Kim nodded. “That’s something! I guess...” 

Aubrey’s attention turned towards the sky instead, a sense of calm washing over her. Despite the questions, to be here today riding with her wasn’t a feeling she had thought she’d ever have again. The sun flickered at her through the last remaining tree leaves whizzing by, peeking through a small opening in the clouds. 

A few minutes went by before they made it through the forest and onto the bridge, the large body of water spanning outward for what looked like miles. The terrain on the tires reverberated through the entire car, which Aubrey listened closely to until they went off it with a bump. A little further up the road they came to an intersection where she got a look at the entrance to the town, buildings appearing shortly. 

“A lot faster than on scooter, huh?” Kim commented. 

Aubrey hummed. Once the light turned green and they ventured deeper in, she was taken aback by how pleasant the atmosphere was. She was already here yesterday, but somehow it felt different in a way she couldn’t place. Maybe it was the warmth of the car, the comfiness of the seat. Probably the fresh mint scent from the vent clip. Or maybe, it was actually setting in that she really was back with her best friend. 

Kim excitedly pointed out the coffee shop they went to as they passed it. 

After a few minutes of more looking around and many more red lights—way more than Aubrey thought there would be—they entered a less dense part of town and rode a backroad before finally turning and coming to a stop at a small apartment complex. 

Kim parked and took her keys out, shutting the warm air off. “Heeeere we are,” she announced. “The ol’ dwelling. Looks a little better on the inside!” 

It was a long brick building with two stories of doors. It wasn’t a big building, only about three doors on each level, but it looked homey and familiar. A small, rickety stairwell curled downward from the second floor balcony. The flaky metal railings that flanked it looked antiquated, but in a regal sort of way, dancing down the stairs with various spirals and twists. 

As Kim unbuckled her seatbelt, Aubrey hesitated. “It’s... been a while since I went to a friend’s house,” she muttered. 

“Nervous?” asked Kim. 

Aubrey took a breath to answer, but didn’t. 

“You’ll be fine. Just...” She lowered her voice. “Don’t feed Vance after midnight.” 

Aubrey couldn’t help but grin. “Okay.” She opened the door, returning to the cold sting, and followed Kim up the steps. The railing seemed to wobble a little under her grip, but she didn’t mind it. Once they were upstairs Kim found her door and unlocked it with her keys, and Aubrey steeled herself, not sure what to expect. 

The first thing she saw was a cream carpet and wooden walls. The room itself seemed to welcome her, as if offering her a cozy stay and warm heater air. A board gently creaked under her step as she walked in and looked around, the place adorned with small framed paintings and greeting her from near the ceiling, some miniature cloth flowers in small handmade pots on a wall-mounted shelf. It smelled like air freshener, a floral, maybe fruity scent she couldn’t put her finger on. 

A large man was sat on the couch in front of the television. He turned to Kim, “Huh, that was qui—” He paused, noticing Aubrey beside her. 

“Told ya I found somebody. Remember her?” 

Vance looked in astonishment and stood up. “You’re serious.” 

Kim elbowed her. “See, somebody missed ya.” 

“Jeez, Aubrey. It really is you. You okay?” 

“Good enough,” Aubrey replied, not sure what else to say. She felt like she should’ve been more familiar with Vance than she really was, but instead she was almost looking at a new person. Large build, a full-grown beard about half a foot long, flannel jacket and blue jeans—the dude looked like a lumberjack. 

“So! Aubrey! Welcome to the club. That’s Vance, as you know. And that guy back there is Trey, one of his college buddies.” 

She didn’t know who Kim was talking about until she looked through the door in the back, another man with a comparatively slouching figure at a desktop computer. He was fairly skinny with black hair, a gray shirt, and an unimposing figure coupled with a focused gaze, deep in thought until he heard himself called on. 

Trey looked back and waved. Aubrey gave a sheepish wave back. “S-So… what do you guys do here?” 

“Well, we live here. That’s basically it,” Vance replied. 

Aubrey winced at her stupid question. Before she could try again, Kim grabbed her shoulder. “We got a bunch to catch up on, don’t we? Why don’t you guys get the table set up and I’ll bring over dinner? You guys better have kept an eye on it.” 

Kim left for the kitchen, leaving Aubrey alone with the unfamiliar faces to set up the dining room. The table was just to the side of the living room area, and Vance and Trey filled it with some plates and forks. Cabinets slamming, buttons beeping and the sound of something boiling rang out from the kitchen. Aubrey caught herself standing around watching the others work, so she jumped in and spread around some paper towels from a roll that she found. 

“Fajitas! Outta the way!” Kim came out in a steaming hurry with a pan of colorful, sizzling peppers and meats. Vance and Trey barely dodged her barreling through and dropping it onto a wooden board in the center of the table. Aubrey couldn’t help but become amused at the sight. 

Aubrey hadn’t had a fajita before, but it smelled amazing. 

The table was set, the pan cooled off and everyone had a plate of wraps. Aubrey looked to the others for how they made theirs. Trey was the neatest, Vance's was messier and Kim packed hers nearly to bursting. She herself opted for a modest scoop, acting like she isn’t putting as much thought in as she was, but as soon as she took a bite she was shocked. Her mouth was lit abuzz by various spices and flavors she couldn’t even place, and there was a whole pan of this stuff in front of her. Wasn’t this just lunch?  

“So! What are things like back at Faraway?” 

Aubrey tore her attention away from the food, avoiding the bad stuff. “It’s… okay. Quiet. I don’t know any different to be honest. What’s it like living here? In the city.” 

Vance was first to reply. “Good. Lots of work, decent pay. About the only thing to worry about is the fighting in the streets sometimes.” 

“Don’t forget the vandalism,” Kim chimed in. 

Vance nodded. “And the vandalism.” 

“And the juvenile delinquents strutting around with knives and shit, thinking they own the place.” 

“And... And that.” 

Kim leaned in and grinned. “Which means we fit in just fine!” 

Aubrey chuckled. Vance shrugged, “Well, maybe in a past life. We’re old and wrinkly now...” 

“Yeah, sure,” Kim replied. “If I were to pick out anything else, I guess things are a lot more spaced out. Back in Faraway we had the Plaza which just had everything in one place. But the trade-off is we got a ton more stuff here. You gotta see the ball downtown, Aubrey.” 

Aubrey tilted her head. “What ball?” 

“Okay so, in front of one of the shops they have this giant marble ball with words on it that’s like this big around.” She was holding her arms all the way out to illustrate. “And it sits on this podium with water jets shooting up at it from underneath, it’s like a fountain. And you can spin the ball and it keeps rolling on the water.” 

“Huh. Sounds pretty cool.” 

“It’s awesome.” She grinned. “I always wondered what kind of destruction it would cause if it escaped and rolled down the road.” 

“Oh, jeez,” Trey laughed, “of course you would.” 

They all paused, continuing eating. Thinking back on what was said, there are bad apples around here too, huh? But Aubrey gasped. “Oh my god, speaking of those kids. I had one try to buy beer and then dart out with a thing of chocolate when I wouldn’t give it.” 

They all looked on in varying levels of amused shock. “Nuh-uh,” Kim said smiling. “Did you chase him?” 

“Hell yeah, I chased him! I didn’t catch him, but…” She shrugged. “This was just yesterday, at the gas station.” 

“Amazing,” Vance commented, sarcastic. “Truly amazing.” 

Trey chuckled. “Good thing for him that he got away, huh?” 

“Definitely.” Aubrey gave her food a regretful look. “I would’ve wailed on him.” 

“Gotta bring your nail bat next time,” Kim added. 

Aubrey chuckled nervously. Yeah, that thing… "But yeah, I work at a gas station outside of town. It's just me most of the day, but most people are pretty nice."

"That's good! Makin' that money."

She nodded, avoiding looking at her. "Yep... In spite of everything."

Another lull was created for a moment, but Aubrey swelled with pride in contributing to the conversation. A job well done. 

 “Hey, Trey,” Kim called. “You two don’t know each other. Why don’t you introduce yourself?” 

“Eh, well, I don’t do anything important.” 

“You make sure we stay afloat is what you do! Come on, now.” 

Aubrey looked curiously. 

“Yeah, he’s our connection to the landlords, essentially,” Kim explained to her. “Friends of friends. It’s how we can even afford a place near the city anyway!” 

Trey shook his head. “Too much credit.” 

“Don’t listen to him, Aub.” 

Aubrey just shrugged along. They both were making compelling arguments, but maybe Kim was right. 

“Sorry we couldn’t get the place cleaned up better,” Vance mentioned beside her. “Kim barely gave us any time.” 

Aubrey perked up. “No, the place looks great. Better than mine.” 

“No need to be humble,” Kim added. “I really didn’t give them any time.” 

“H-Hah, no, seriously. You should see the state of my mom’s house. Fuckin’… beer cans and bottles and garbage everywhere.” 

The room went quiet. Aubrey saw them give each other looks she couldn’t read, head flooding with embarrassment. Was that the wrong thing to say? 

“Not like you can help that,” Trey commented before silence ensued again. 

Aubrey shrugged. “I guess that house is as much mine as it is hers.” 

“My mom was a neat freak,” Kim laughed. “My room was embarrassing for her.” 

She found herself grinning again. Her own room was pretty clean in comparison to the rest of the house, now that she thought. She felt the cold grip in her chest loosen as she took another bite, bigger this time. 

Some more conversation was to be had. Some about goings-on in the city that Aubrey couldn’t have an opinion on, but Kim made sure to fill her in. They joked, they laughed, and Aubrey felt more at home than she did even at her actual home. And the food. Aubrey almost asked for some of the fajita to go later, it was that good. Anything she would make for herself had to have peppers in it now… within reason. 

 

Lunch was done just time for the mid-day news, everyone sitting around the TV. Some stories about school closures, winter advisories and the like. She tuned out most of it, moreso absorbing the atmosphere again. It was warm in here. She sat back in the springy sofa and spread her legs out, realizing she could probably fall asleep right here if she weren’t careful. She was calm. Despite her life, all her worries seemed to have washed away. 

All in all, a couple hours of hanging out passed by in only a few minutes, but then a few minutes passed in what felt like longer. Aubrey wasn’t sure if it was boredom—she’d never admit if it was—but she knew her visit was coming to an end. With the excuse of having work tomorrow, she picked herself up with everyone gathering by the door. 

“Seeya, Aubrey,” Vance said. “It was great seeing you again.” 

“You too, man,” Aubrey replied. “We’ll probably have to… have a part two or something.” 

“I wish I had a camera for this…” Kim commented. “We could always go to a restaurant or somewhere around here.” She grabbed her pocket. “Ready to go?” 

Aubrey nodded and followed her back out and down the steps, everybody waving bye. She shivered outside all over again when she left the warmth. Kim got the car started as quickly as she could for her, but for once, the cold didn’t really bother her all that much. 

She felt comfortable enough to sit naturally inside her car, elbow on the door. Kim was taking a little longer to put it into gear, not that she minded extra time spent with her. Aubrey spoke up, “Thanks. I think I needed this.” 

“Anytime!” 

Aubrey grinned, both falling silent. The embarrassment and anxiety lingered still in her chest, although more a niggling thought in her head than an actual pressing matter. Her mind sure tried, torturously replaying the exchange over and over, but all in all enough had gone right today to be at peace. 

Kim looked off ahead like she was taking it in, a contented smile on her face. A few moments passed while they stood together, before she spoke again. “Ya know… I didn’t tell you yet how cool this is.” 

Aubrey bumped her. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Haha, well. I’m just saying.” Kim was picking her words carefully. “I’m… relieved, I guess. For a while there I felt like I might not ever…” She faltered, took a moment to think, then shook her head. “Well, we’re past that now, aren’t we?”

Aubrey gave a solemn look. She missed Kim too. So long did she think she could never show her face to her again.

“Look at me saying the same sappy shit over and over again.” Kim faced her directly and paused. “I have a proposal.”

Aubrey pursed her lips. “That’s pretty fast.”

“Not like that! Like a… a living situation kind of deal.”

Her face didn’t change. “…Still fast.”

“I know you’re joking, but like, I’m kinda serious. Listen…” She looked down. “We’re a shared apartment, and… we’ve been needing another person is all.”

Aubrey’s expression softened. Kim meant it, vulnerability decorating her gaze.

“I didn’t wanna spring this on you so quick, but, if you need a place to stay… just chipping in on the rent would be a huge help. We aren’t doing terrible, but…” She trailed off. “…A-And, there’s no pressure on you either if it can’t work out! We’ll make it through fine, but there’s room for you if you would consider… bunking with us?”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3: First Day Jitters

It wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say that Faraway Town was ruined for Aubrey. What was once a warm place with warm people and friends had turned sourer than the expired food in the fridge. She couldn’t go anywhere. The store, in the park, even in church of all places, nowhere was a safe haven for showing her face. Even though many of the people around for her hooligan phase had moved away or probably forgot, it didn’t matter. Everyone could see her for who she was, the monster under her skin. They could all see her wake of destruction in her steps, the guilt in her eyes.

The blood on her hands.

It used to be warm outside. There used to always be a pretty bird in the yard or a squirrel in a tree to wave at, neighbors she felt safe around, people that welcomed her. Friends that wanted her. That was her real home. Not this cemetery for her childhood whimsy, cold and derelict.

But while these thoughts would usually be what she had to force down if just to finally fall asleep, another feeling stuck in her chest that night. It kept her awake, staring at the ceiling all the same, but it wasn’t a bad one this time. It didn’t register necessarily as a good feeling at first—it couldn’t have been. Usually it would’ve been a dull pain in her chest, like something was physically grabbing, squeezing her heart. But Kim’s proposition, the chance for a new, fresh start, these things brought her a feeling she had almost forgotten. Could somebody like her really get a chance like this? Her heart raced too fast to sleep, but for once in her life, it seemed to race in a good way.

She had her mind made up before morning. Her crammed-full backpack slung over her shoulder, she gave her old room one last look. Empty, stained wood floor. Bed with worn sheets and a cracked frame. Empty bunny pen. Outside, a town that didn’t want her. As the sun rose from behind the horizon, she let go of a breath. She was ready to go.

At least, she hoped she was. New city, new people, for better or worse. Hope didn’t often strike her, but, here was hoping.
Her bye to her mom was quiet and unreciprocated. In contrast, Kim sat outside in her car, beaming to see her.

 

 

Kim’s spare bed didn’t know what hit it. Aubrey’s body and face slammed onto it, the most comfortable surface she had belly flopped onto in years. It was soft, warm, smelled fresh, cozy, soft… By comparison, it felt like she had been sleeping on rocks her whole life.

She heard a snicker behind her. “I think the rest of the room is pretty cool too, but, y’know.”

Aubrey agreed that the band posters looked really cool, but nothing could beat this bed. She rolled onto her back, “S-So you’re serious? I can just stay here, sleep here?”

“Yeah! Where else, on the couch?”

She would have gladly taken the couch to be honest. It took a certain kind of nicety from somebody to give her a place to sleep at all, but for her to split bedrooms? That was another deal entirely, Aubrey realized.

Kim continued, “I don’t know how you might feel about sharing a room every night, h-heh, but I could always see about making over the office or someth—"

“Kim, th-thank you,” Aubrey interrupted. “Really.”

Kim looked surprised, then scratched her head, smiling. “Aw, it’s nothing...”

Aubrey eventually had enough bed and exited with Kim back into the hallway, peps in their steps. Kim pointed to the doors, “Vance’s is across, Trey’s is at the end, the middle’s the bathroom. They’re still asleep in there, so shh.” Aubrey barely had time to take in the wooden, rustic look of the hallway before she was dragged back to the living room. “There’s the TV, couch, all that. Standard living room. We had a big rug in the middle but Vance kept tripping on it.”

Aubrey grinned at the image.

“Now the kitchen!”

She was led there in a short distance, showing plates and cups in the cabinet, silverware in the drawer next to the sink. Kim swung open the fridge with vigor, rattling some bottles on the door. “Here is the milk and eggs department!” She looked inside, then froze. “With… no eggs.”

Aubrey glanced at the lonely toast on the counter with a concerned look.

Kim shut the fridge dejectedly. “Well… moving on. Um, on the topic of rent—I know, the fun part. Trey was thinking two hundred fifty a month? I wanted us to all discuss it at some point before we…”

Aubrey zoned out. They all still thought she worked at the gas station. How was she supposed to make rent?

“But! That’s for when we’re all awake. I don’t cross city lines at seven in the morning every day, ya know.”

Aubrey’s nerves could slowly calm at the pin in that conversation. She took another moment to look around and take in the room’s comfortable atmosphere. Tile floor slidy on socks, clean counter and table, wallpaper with an endearingly dowdy flower pattern. It impressed her to see how hospitable even the kitchen managed to be.

There was a moment of silence between them, only some traffic outside filling the air. Kim’s hands rested on her hips as she pondered something, probably how to salvage breakfast. Aubrey took note of her expression, suddenly stricken with how familiar that face was, the same face she would make if she were wondering which flavor chips she wanted from the store. Kim noticed Aubrey staring and chuckled. “What?”

Aubrey played dumb and looked away. “Nothin’, nothin’.”

“I know that look. What’s on your mind, Aub?”

Aubrey sighed, her mind a little fogged. “I’ve just been thinking… we live here now, huh?”

Kim nodded. “You do.”

Aubrey took another glance around, almost looking for something to say. “What do we do now?”

“I dunno! We got games, movies, a lot of music...” Her face suddenly lit up. “Oh my God, wait right here.” She left the room in a speedwalk, almost a jog, drawers opening in her bedroom. Aubrey wasn’t left waiting around too long before she came back, some small potted flowers in hand. “Take a look at these!”

Aubrey looked at them—a pink rose, a sunflower and a tulip stood proud from their glossed pot. She didn’t want to tell her they had a sort of clothy, fake look to them though. “Ooh, pretty. Where’d you get ‘em?”

“Get this. I made them.”

Aubrey did a double-take. “Nuh-uh.”

“Yuh-huh! I make them out of fabrics I stockpile from the hobby store. You couldn’t even tell, could you?”

Aubrey paused. “No, you got me there.”

Kim giggled as she set them down on the table. “I supply these to sell at Betsy’s. They do pretty well, all things considered. I like to do ‘em seasonally, like make certain flowers for certain times so that they’re in. It’s neat stuff. The pay isn’t bad either!”

Aubrey stared at the plants. Intricately woven and glued colored petals bloomed from plastic stems, sticking from clay dirt and a shiny ceramic pot. A lot of time and thought went into them, and it showed, each part different and thoughtful with a handmade, imperfect quality.

Then, something Kim said registered. “Wait, pay. You sell these?”

Kim wore an ear-to-ear grin. “I sure do.”

“People buy these.”

“They sure do. Mainly older folks for their windowsill.”

That blew Aubrey’s mind. Making something that people liked and bought was a concept far away from her, and much farther was being close to somebody who actually did it. She almost wanted an autograph. “That’s… incredible, honestly.”

“Thanks!” She looked to the stove again. “Um… I don’t really have anything else to make for breakfast. How about an impromptu store trip? I could take you to Betsy’s along the way!”

Aubrey agreed, already dressed. “Why not.”

 

 

 

The automatic doors greeted them with a whir, as did the bright lights, overhead radio and slightly-too-early Valentine’s Day decorations. Absent was a harsh fluorescent buzz from above and instead there played an upbeat song, with occasional codes and announcements.

It was about the same size as the Plaza back home, but it was infinitely more welcoming. There was actual activity here, from real people instead of blobs in her mind. What was more, she looked at the items on the shelves in a new light, as stuff she could actually try. Her muscles were relaxed, she breathed easy and each breath brought in a calming scent of a variety of fresh produce. At least, near the produce section.

Kim split off to get whatever she needed. Aubrey looked at the shelves, colorful bags and boxes offering themselves. She took her time looking at them and indulged in eyeing which ones to try, despite only the twenty dollar bill in her pocket. Chocolate chip granola bars stuck out to her—she hadn’t had a snack available in a while. A shiny bag of chips? Sure. Soda pop, why not?

Everything was fine, however, until she stood in line. She was able to browse in comfortable anonymity in a new place, but eventually, slowly, she noticed she somehow inadvertently drew more attention to herself than she wanted. Way more.

Was it the hair? People all around would’ve noticed. Faded, bright pink locks that practically radiated the light all around like neon. She put on a passive face, one that made her eyebrows less furrowed. She tried just shoving it down, ignoring the growing sense of impending ruin, but the longer she stood out like this, the worse she lost that fight. This was dangerous. Faraway wasn’t that far away; what if somebody recognized her? What if it spread that she was here? Questions raced through her mind, each one more harrowing, more haunting than the last, until her whole life sunk in her chest.

She held herself up on her legs. Caught between wanting to hide away and to be inconspicuous in plain sight, she looked with the corners of her eyes around a no-win scenario, too many pairs of eyes to count. There was no way out. Action was worse than inaction, and more simmeringly, vice versa.

“What’s wrong, man?” Kim rolled up with a small buggy. “You’re on high alert.”

A lifeline. Aubrey dropped her things into the buggy and stood beside, but couldn’t put much into words. “It’s nothing.”

Kim gave her a confused, but understanding look. “Okay…”

She practically clung to her side, like a candlelight in the dark. Her world was condensed to this one register line, this one store, and all around her were peering, judging eyes. But those that weren’t looking in her direction or standing around in wait were talking to each other. Maybe she could too, if just to look natural. That is, if she could think of a single thing to talk about.

With nowhere else to put them, she put her hands in her pockets. Unexpectedly, she hit a familiar box. A way out.

“I… gotta go,” Aubrey said hurriedly. “Here’s my money.”

“Wha, why? What’s the rush all of a sudden?”

“I need a smoke break. I’ll be in the car.”

Kim looked on puzzled, maybe a little shocked, but took it. “O-Okay, sure.”

Aubrey cut her losses and got out of there like her life depended on it. Luckily they only parallel parked across the street, as she crossed without looking and hid away in Kim’s car. She closed her eyes, waited for the door lights to dim, and finally, she could slowly feel safe again.

Here, she heard how heavy her breaths were. In the silence, her heart audibly thumped in her head, like it was pumping gallons at a time. What happened? Everything was going so well. New home, new location, new everything. How could she not only not manage to leave this crap behind, but now make it Kim’s problem?

At least back in here, she could focus on calming down, shielded from the outside world in a metal box. Then she’d go back home and help Kim with the groceries good as new. Game plan set. She was going to make up for this.

The car couldn’t shield her from the cold though, she found. She should’ve asked for the keys too. A smoke would be the answer to that, her hands still trembling as she pulled the pack from her pants pocket, bent legs making it more difficult than it needed to be. She stopped herself, though, at the thought that it was Kim’s car she’d be smoking up. She didn’t feel like stepping back outside into the elements either, be it natural or human. In this moment of consideration, she realized her feet were even on Kim’s car seat. She just smeared dirt all over it. Damn it…

In trying to brush it away with her hand and see if Kim was in sight, something caught her eye in the alleyway just beside the store. It wasn’t the right angle to see much down it, but, she thought she saw something move in her peripheral vision. Some kind of commotion.

And then, a boy in a striped shirt fell onto the ground in her view. He failed to catch himself with his hands, skinning them on the pavement as his body landed hard. He struggled weakly to get back up. Another kid moved and stood over him, wearing an expensive jacket and logo cap. Sneered at him. Bent down, grabbed him by the shirt. Said something to him.

Aubrey couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Was she really seeing it? Somebody had to be hearing this. Somebody needed to step in and help. Would it be her? Every nerve in her body said it should be, hand crushing the door handle in a white-knuckled grip.

The boy was dragged back behind the building where Aubrey couldn’t see. She gasped and leaned forward, but still couldn’t see anything. She hoped for something, anything to come back into view, but to her dismay, only the jacket kid came out and ran until he disappeared in another alley.

Almost as suddenly as it started, it was over.

The door opening ripped her attention away. A bag was slung into the backseat, and Kim hopped in. “Alrighty, on to home then? Aubrey?”

Aubrey turned towards her, her face burning.

Kim was taken aback. “Dude, you’re beet red, what…?”

Aubrey realized and looked away quickly, trying in vain to hide. Too late for that.

“Jeez, Aub, really, what’s going on? This isn’t like you.”

Aubrey shook her head. “I’m just still worked up from back there, I-I guess.”

She heard Kim sigh gently, though her gaze was felt on the back of Aubrey’s head. “You can tell me anything, man,” she offered.

Aubrey’s breath was heavy, struggling under the weight of hoping Kim didn’t press.

Finally, she did let up. “Well… let’s just go home then,” Kim offered, turning the key. “I got everything. I spotted ya the difference too.”

Aubrey groaned under her breath. Of course it wasn’t enough money.

“Ha, don’t worry about it.”

When the car met perpendicular to the alley, the boy was gone.

Minutes ticked by, slow as ever. Aubrey kept her eyes on the sidewalk below, bumps and pebbles morphing into jumping lines as they zipped by. It didn’t help. Her mind still lingered on what she saw, grip still firm on the door and face hot despite the weather. There was no end to it. She knew well enough that this would weigh on her for a long, long time. It wasn’t even like she stood the moral high ground herself, but why couldn’t she help? Why could she only watch? He didn’t even look older than twelve. Why did she let that happen?

The nose burn, her old friend, was her sign that she couldn’t build pressure like this. She would burst. Something needed to be said, even if just to get her mind on something else. Even if just to give Kim some kind of answer. Suddenly… losing her job didn’t seem so scary.

Aubrey finally relented. “Kim, I, have to tell you something.”
She turned her head slightly, eyes soft. “What’s up?”

“I lied about the gas station. I got fired the day before.”

“Wait, for real?” Kim’s brow furrowed, making Aubrey’s face burn. “Why?”

“A lot of stuff, it’s…” She spoke ahead of her, unable to face her. “A-And I know, I just, I wanted to make a good impression, and I was embarrassed, and—”

“Hey, Aubrey, it’s alright. Look.” She gave her a comforting face, attention still on the road. “The gas station, well… there’s plenty more options around here. Retail, cleaning… flowering… no shortage of stuff. Somebody’s gotta take ya.” She grinned and bumped her with her elbow. “There’s still a market for tape rewinders. Best job ever.”

Aubrey forced a giggle, though still looking ahead.

“We can work all that out tomorrow. Why don’t you just relax today, celebrate your first day? We got leftover fajita in the fridge, just microwave it!”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Her heart still pounded, her head still froze, but, her grip on the handle loosened. She did have as much to look forward to as before she left. A weight really was lifted off her shoulders, however small.

She forced her focus on the apartment. The heater, the carpet, the stack of movies and games. Just a couple turns before that fajita. Just a few more minutes until that warm, comfy bed.

While the boy sleeps tonight in stitches.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

11-12-24, so I've been outlining the rest of the fic for almost a month now. It's comin together! But I don't wanna write more until it's finished. Once it is, I'll probably be able to get chapters out at least biweekly (hopefully!)

12-31-24 Happy New Years fellas. This is still happening, just got real busy this month as one would probably expect. Most of the outline has to be reworked, but ch2 will be unaffected and will be done soon I hope...!

2-21-25 The outline is finally done and writing has officially restarted yesterday. This chapter will be changed up, hopefully for the better! I poured my heart and soul into this and now the only obstacle is the motivation to get it written every day. Thanks a bunch for your interest lol

3-1-25 We're doin it now fellas... Chapter 1 has been revamped. If you wanna see the original hit me up on Discord, but I might slot it in with the dead version of this for archival purposes

7-16-25 biweekly... ha!