Page 42 of Force At Third

I flop back against the couch when I realize I’m seeking advice from absolutely no one.

Fuck this, I think and begin tapping back.

Me

OMW

Dots appear again and then …

Gwendolyn

I AM NOT THERE!

Me

Aggressive.

Gwendolyn

I shouldn’t have unblocked you. I’m working on a case. I’m not sure what you want—a thank you? Fine. Thank you. Now stop texting and go traumatize someone else with your bionic dick.

Me

You blocked me?! Bionic? Traumatize?

Gwendolyn

Yes. Yes. Yes. Now stop texting. I need to focus, and you need to go to sleep so you can rest up and take that thing on the road.

Me

One question: Why did you unblock me?

Gwendolyn

One answer: Because I can.

Me

Stay safe. Sleep well.

My following message goes undelivered, and I have to google what that shit means.

“Four outs tonight. Time to call it.”

I toss my phone on the couch, lean back, and scrub my hands over my face.

Our Song

8

Friday

He remembers “Our Song.” Me? I remember being curled up in a ball on a bed, trying to make sure my sobs were silent so my roommate, Buffy, didn’t hear me as I listened to “Hate Me” by Blue October on repeat.

Freshman year …

One night, Buffy left her phone on the desk when she went to meet her boyfriend for a quick goodnight “snog.” I saw my name on one of the screens that popped up while I was doing reading for my first class the next day. I looked at my phone, thinking I’d missed something in the group chat, but I hadn’t. No big deal. I continued with my reading until the damn thing didn’t stop chiming off, and my name and Leland’s popped up one too many times.

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