Dorian closed the door behind him and let out a heavy sigh, thinking about nothing more than climbing the stairs, drawing himself a nice hot bath and just lying in the tub and soaking for an indeterminant period of time. He had made it up to the bathroom and was about to start running the water before his phone started to buzz in his pocket. If he had the willpower to be frustrated and angry at whoever was calling him, he would have been, but he answered it nonetheless.
“Hi, sweety.” A woman with blonde streaked hair as smiling at him as he opened the video call. “How was your first week at school?”
“Hi, mom,” he replied, offering a small smile. “It was fine. Liking my teachers so far….”
“Good, good,” she said. “Made any new friends up there?”
“One for sure,” he admitted. “Her name is Reina. She gave me the tour around campus, and we started walking home together since I’m on the way to her place. She’s really nice and actually pretty cute too….” The smile his mother gave him held a little more behind it than just good feelings.
“Still the little gentleman,” she beamed. “Now if you’d only comb your hair down a bit more….” Dorian sighed and rolled his eyes. Since he’d adopted the look, his mom had been attempting to subtly get him to go back to the short and neat style he’d had for most of his life. “I mean…you used to keep it so nice and tidy, then you just….”
“Are you talking to Dorian?” Another person had come into view, a young woman who looked very much like Dorian’s mother.
“Hey Liz,” he greeted. “How’s my baby sister?”
“You’re only three years older than me,” Liz groaned.
“Still my baby sister,” Dorian smirked. “And as long as you’re younger than me, I’ll still be calling you that….” Their mother shook her head with a smile before leaving to go do something else. “But in all seriousness, it’s good to see you. How’re things back home?”
“Things are good,” she answered. “Carol’s been missing you. Says it almost feels like something’s wrong back here.” Dorian smiled at the mention of the sweet old lady who’d watched them since they were both little. “People’ve also been saying the shop feels kind of empty without you stalking the racks.”
“Did they actually say stalking?” Dorian inquired.
“Dorian,” she began. “You walk slightly hunched forward with your hands behind your back…couple that with your new look…you stalk.” Dorian opened his mouth to argue that he didn’t, thought about it for a brief second, and ended up saying nothing. He’d been told for quite a while that he looked great as a villain due to his posture and general expression, so he couldn’t help but think that his walk only served to prove them even more correct.
“Suppose I can’t argue, really,” he conceded, shrugging and wincing slightly as a twinge ran along his shoulders.
“Something wrong?”
“Just overstretched myself a bit today,” he groaned. “It’s not so bad now, but I still plan on taking a hot bath or get a heating pad or something.” There was a moment of silence between them for a second before Liz spoke.
“So,” she began, “I heard you telling mom about a girl at school….” Her voice faltered under her elder brother’s harsh glance.
“Don’t,” he growled. “Just…don’t…I’m going to Sacred Heart to give myself a better opportunity, not to find a girlfriend. Not now, anyway.” The silence that followed was heavy and awkward before he let out a sigh. “I’m sorry…you didn’t deserve that….”
“It’s alright,” she told him. “I mean…I’m not sure I’d be fine after what happened between you and Cassandra. It’s really great to see that you’re keeping your chin up, Dorian. We’re all happy that you’re trying to move on and be happy. I really hope that girl you met can help.”
“Thanks,” he said, smiling a little sheepishly. Liz returned the smile before her eyes widened as she seemed to remember something.
“Oh, Dorian, there’s something you need to know,” she said, hurriedly.
“About what?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s about Cassandra.”
“What about her?” There was a sinking feeling in his stomach as to what she had to say about his ex.
“She’s gone away for school,” That wasn’t anything he’d been expecting her to say, Dorian didn’t get the chance to ask another question before Liz continued. “I asked her parents where she was going…and you’re not going to like the answer any more than I did….”
“Don’t tell me she’s at Sacred Heart,” Dorian pleaded. “Please say this is some sick joke Emily or someone put you up to….” The dour expression on her face was exactly what he didn’t want. “But…why? She said she never wanted to have anything to do with me ever again, but she follows me to school?”
“I think part of it might be her new boy toy,” Liz offered. Dorian felt that it was a bit of a low blow as he’d been that guy just a few months ago, but it was an apt description for how Cass treated her boyfriends. “Some meathead named McDonna….”
“Fuck,” Dorian muttered.
“You know him?” Liz asked.
“We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot,” Dorian explained. “He’s not really a great guy, and I can see her convincing him of a few things…namely about me.” Liz could only give a concerned look before a distant voice called out for her. “Might want to go and see what dad wants.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I’ll talk to you later, Dorian. Just…don’t get too hurt, okay?” He knew that she wasn’t just talking about him overworking himself.
“No promises,” he joked. “But I’ll make sure to try.” He ended the call and sighed. “Of all the things to happen…it had to be this….” The warm feeling that his parents and sister were proud of him even if it was just a façade for how he felt about his breakup was slowly being pushed aside by a feeling of dread. The feelings of sorrow and anger that had rushed into him about half a year ago rose gently to the surface along with memories he’d tried to shake out of his head as he started to run hot water. “There’s no reason to let her have this effect on me. It doesn’t help anyone, and I’ve got better things to do….”
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