He did not just call me fat. Okay, it's true but that doesn't make it any better. Between that and the blackmail, I wanted to literally punch his face in and part of me was glad that I lived in a town where I could easily do so but the fact was that I couldn't, not in the net he has me tangled in.
Instead, I glared at the bandage around the stump where my finger used to be, on the same hand of my broken wrist. I started playing with the bandage which was painful on both my finger and my wrist but it gave me a release. A distraction from my situation.
I've never sought out death before. No matter how much pain I was in and how temporary death really is, it was against basic instinct. Still, there was part of me that wished for a disaster to cut this "date" short. I knew that was stupid though. Even if I died right that second, it would be the same thing tomorrow. And he day after that. And the day after that for who knows how long.
"Come on, Giggles, why aren't you talking to me?" Cuddles asked, sounding so innocent that it might have fooled me if I didn't already know the truth.
"I think you already know all there is to know about me." I whispered in a grunt. Thinking back to how he's apparently been stalking me and that's how we found ourselves in the situation. I was just glad that Toothy was the only other one in the diner at the time.
Of course, I should have known I spoke way to soon as the door opened with an eerily cheerful chime and I didn't have a chance to glance back at who it was as Cuddles suddenly pulled me into an involuntary kiss.
Blackmail or not, I struggled to push away from him but he held me in a vice-like grip that I couldn't even gain an inch.
It wasn't until I heard an angry growl in a dangerously familiar voice that I managed to reach up a hand and punch Cuddles hard enough in the face to kill him instantly as his brain fell out on the counter and he dropped like a rag doll pulling me with him.
I just barely managed to avoid hitting my own head on the tile floor and pushed my way out of the grip of his corpse and ran faster then I had ever run before, glad that he was even more unfit than I am so I actually had a chance of catching him. I just had to catch him.
I ignored the wave of exhaustion that was consuming me as I pressed on hoping I was going the right direction, I just went towards his house unable to think of any other ideas.
The thought of calling out to him crossed my mind but I bit my tongue not wanting anyone else to hear me calling out his name and ask to many questions. I just kept running even though I could feel myself slowing down.
I barely missed being run over by Pop's car and saw a blood splatter of who knows who but kept going, focused only on my goal and this time I knew exactly what I needed to say.
Luck would have it, I heard heavy breathing that wasn't my own and hurried over to the source. I found Disco Bear bent over, gasping for breath on the side of the road and stopped behind him doing the same. He clearly heard me because he suddenly said through gasps. "Just go away."
I looked around spotting no one else around even though I was too far in if there was anyone else around, and said through my own gasps. "Disco Bear, please, I can explain what you saw."
"I thought you loved me," he gasped in a voice so sad it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest, and trust me, I know the feeling. "Then I find you cheating on me with your ex."
"I know what that looked like but that's not what happened." I said, starting to cry just as I was starting to catch my breath. "Cuddles was there at the hospital. He knows everything and he blackmailed me, said he'd tell everyone. And he kissed me, I didn't kiss him back."
Disco Bear stood up straight but said nothing and his back was still to me, I wasn't sure how to take that. "Disco Bear, please, you have to believe me."
There were a few seconds of silence that felt like eternities before he said. "I do believe you… I just…" He finally turned around and his eyes were red from crying but also set in a hard glare that contradicted what he just said but fit well with what he said next. "I don't know if that makes it okay."
My jaw hung open but nothing came out. There was really nothing that I could say or do to justify my actions. "I suppose it doesn't but you understand right."
"I don't understand." He shook his head, turning back away from me. "I love you, Giggles but this relationship has been messed up since day one and it seems to be only getting worse as time goes on."
More tears came and I couldn't do anything to stop them. "So this is it? You're breaking up with me?"
He seemed to hesitate but luckily said. "No, I'm not breaking up with you. I just need sometime to think this over alone." He started walking away and I did not follow. He was right about everything he said.
Soon saw a Lifty and Shifty's van passing by and forced myself to stop crying but soon realized that the van was coming after Disco Bear. "Watch out!"
Disco Bear clearly heard and saw the van but not in time to move out of the way as it plowed over him and kept on going as if he was just a speed bump.
Seeing that he was still breathing, I went to a phone booth and called the hospital, hoping that Lumpy, or at least someone, was a doctor today.
At this point, I threw away the worries of what questions might be asked and followed the ambulance to the hospital, especially after finding out that Sniffles was the doctor that day instead of Lumpy.
I wasn't allowed in the hospital room yet so I waited in the waiting room for any news of his state. I was getting more worried for him then I ever had been about anyone else since the beginning of this curse.
I wasn't sure why I was worried so much. Wasn't I the one who said that a hospital in this town is pointless because it only delays the inevitable? Or maybe that was just an excuse I formulated to be able to leave work.
It was frustrating, I knew what to do but all I could do right now is wait. Maybe it would have been better to treat him right there in the street.
Logic told me to leave the hospital. To fake apathy like I always did but something glued me to that seat. I had to know. Urg! I was acting like a normal animal in a normal town. I couldn't let him die.
I realized that I was being ridiculous and just got up and left, heading home. He'll be back tomorrow. I couldn't risk the questions.
Soon after I left the hospital, I heard the buzz of a chainsaw and turned around, ready to defend the tree but I was too late as the tree fell right on top of me.
As you already know, I woke up at midnight right next to the fallen tree. I immediately got to my feet and headed back into the hospital finding it unlocked as always.
I tried to remember the room Disco Bear was taken to but ran into him in the hallway. "Disco Bear." I thought of hugging him but didn't, remembering yesterday. "Did you have any time to think about what happened."
"Actually, yes I did," he said, causing me to relax some even though I knew it was too soon. "There actually was quite a bit of time in the hospital before I died. Finding out that no one was here to see me had made my final decision."
"No." I gasped, taking in a deep breath, starting to cry again. I knew what was coming at the moment but I tried to deny it.
"Yes, Giggles." He was starting to cry as well. "I do love you, Giggles, but I'm tired of being your dirty little secret." He started to walk for the door and I tried to follow him but was stopped. "I won't tell anyone this happened but we're done."