Chapter 2.21: August 6, 2017
"I don't think I can do this."
"Eru, you'll be fine. Valedictorian, yeah?"
"Can I really do that? I'm pretty much a year behind."
"You're okay, Eru. You're okay."
"All right. I just get overwhelmed sometimes. I think it's because of the loneliness."
"Loneliness?"
"Don't give me that. You're gone, and Beth's busy getting married and caring for her kid. Mark sometimes talks with me, but I'm sure he's got his whole life to worry about before he even thinks of little old me. I'm so lonely, Kenny."
"I can't go back, Eru, but I promise I'll always save you if you need me. I'm your knight in dorky armor, am I not, my princess?"
"And I'm your damsel independent."
"You bet you are. Therefore, I will be at your service for as long as I am needed."
"I'll always need you, Kenny."
"I doubt that, my princess. Someone else will eventually sweep you off your feet."
"I don't think I'd choose anyone but you."
"Those are dangerous thoughts, Eru. I can't return, but I'd like there to be someone to look after you in my stead."
"I can take care of myself perfectly fine!"
"If you say so. How's Beth's wedding planning going?"
"She's decided to have her wedding during the summer next year, but she's still going crazy with plans. It's a good thing Mik finally landed a job at a hardware store because Beth would probably murder a man if they didn't at least have some money for the wedding budget."
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
"It wasn't the job he hoped to use his college degree for, though."
"What job did he want?"
"An internship at an architectural design firm. They had about twenty other grad students applying for the job, and I guess Mik just didn't make the cut."
"A hardware store's a pretty big downgrade, too. Is he still looking for a better use of his degree?"
"Not for a while. I think he wants to wait until his and Beth's situation is a little more stable, what with the buying-a-house thing."
"That's a logical decision. Why don't you ever make decisions like that?"
"I take personal offense at that question. I make very logical decisions, thank you very much."
"If you say so."
"In fact, I'd doubt your decision-making skills."
"Oh, how you wound me, my princess."
"And how you exasperate me, my dork."
"What about you? Is there anything going on with you?"
"You say that as if I could actually move on without you."
"Eru—"
"Yeah, all right. I get it. I think I see the sun coming up over here, so I'm going to try to get some sleep."
"By all means."
"Love you."
"I love you."
Click.
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