Never Say Forever (LAMS READERS CHOICE)

Chapter Two

Option One: Go To Work

"John, it's good to see you, bud. How have you been?" 

I glare at the man next to me. Thomas Jefferson, my boss at this stupid office. Alex and I got a job here. Thomas hated Alex, and vice versa. 

"I've been pretty shitty, asshole." I say before going to my desk and setting my stuff down. He sighs and follows me into my cubicle. 

"Listen, I know we've had our differences, but I am sorry for what happened. If you need anything, let me know." He says, hanging out in the open space for a little bit.

I stare at him with a cold face and he nods and exits, seeming to get the hint. After he leaves, I look to my computer and open it up. There was a picture of me and Alex in high school as the wallpaper - Senior prom to be exact. Neither of us had dates, so we just hung out together. 

I spent most of the night watching him flirt with every girl there, but it was fun nonetheless. 

I sigh and click on the web browser so I can begin my work, but am interrupted by my phone ringing. I answer it without checking caller ID and sigh. "Hello?" I ask. 

"Hey, John, are you busy?" I hear Elizabeth ask from the other side of the phone. 

"Yeah, I'm back at work." I mumble. I look around me at the walls in my cubicle. There were only a few pictures surrounding me, but they all brought back pleasant memories, ones that made me sad now. 

"Oh, damn. I was going to ask if you could babysit for me. Seems we had the same idea, though." She sighs.

"You're going back to work, too?" I ask. 

"Well, yes and no. I'm going back to work tomorrow but today, umm.. Don't hate me, but I'm... I'm actually going on a date."  She explains. 

My eyes widen. "A d-date?" I ask, completely in shock. 

"Yeah... I just.. I met someone the other day, and Angelica told me I should go for it because I needed to move on. Is it wrong to go on a date so soon after Alex's death?" She asks, rambling a bit. 

"I- Uh- No, that's um.. Wonderful.." I reply. "I think it's great that you're moving on.. so fast..." 

"Oh God, you're right.. What am I thinking? It's not fair to Alex if I-"

"Eliza, we talked about this. Alex would want you to move on." I sigh softly. "Go on that date."

"Oh... Okay.. I'll drop my kids off at Peggy's, hopefully she'll be alright with taking them. Talk to you later, John." She hangs up and I hold my head in my hands. Why was it so easy for everyone else to get over this so quickly? What's taking me so long?

Timeskip brought to you by being found tonight.

"Good work today, guys, you all can go home early today." Thomas declares from just outside his office. I raise an eyebrow at his announcement. That wasn't like Jefferson. 

I see people start getting their stuff together and chattering and I sigh and do the same thing, minus the socializing part. Thomas walks into my cubicle unprompted and I jump slightly. 

"Jesus, you scared me, Thomas." I say, placing a hand over my chest. "Can I help you?" 

"Um, I know it's your first day back, but I was wondering if you wanted to take home Alex's stuff..? I know you two were really close, and unfortunately it can't just sit here at his desk forever.." He says awkwardly. 

I sigh and nod. "Yeah.. Yeah that's fine. I'll grab it and drop it off at his wife's house or something." I mumble, slinging my bag over my shoulder. 

He nods and I walk past him, and towards Alex's cubicle. Once I enter, I take in a sharp breath. It wasn't the usual mess it was, as there were no papers thrown about or his own book bags everywhere. I chuckle gently as I think of how unorganized the man really was. 

I walk in and on his desk see pictures of him and his family. Him, Elizabeth, and his two little kids. There were a couple pictures of us as well, but I knew they didn't mean the same to him as they did to me. I look and see an empty cardboard box in the corner, and start putting all his stuff into it, keeping our pictures with my stuff. 

I grab the box and start to head out of the building. I had walked here, which was a bright idea this morning, but a terrible one right now. I walk on the sidewalks of Manhattan, in the same direction I usually went. 

People glanced at me as I passed, some of them giving me sympathetic looks. I didn't know why everyone knew, but everyone did. At least they seemed to. Every time someone would see my face, they would give me this look that screamed "I'm sorry, let me help you."

The sound of running footsteps snap me out of my thoughts and I turn towards the sound, only to see people walking regularly, nothing out of the ordinary. I shrug it off and continue my walk. It was a big city after all. 

When I get closer to home, I hear the noise once again and I turn, this time seeing no one at all. I frown and look at my surroundings. "Hello? Who's there?" I call out. 

After getting no response, I sigh and walk into my house, closing and locking the door behind me. I set my stuff down on the counter, setting the box of Alex's stuff next to it and then plop on my couch. Seconds later, my phone buzzes again. 

I look at the caller ID this time, seeing Lafayette's name flash across my screen. I groan and pick up. "Yeah?"

"Hey, did you go to work today? Or did you stay home?" He asks. 

I sigh softly and reply, "I went to work, you were right. It's time to move on." 

I hear a glass shatter and I freeze. "Did that come from your end of the phone?" I ask. 

"Did what come from my end?" He replies. 

I stand up slowly and look up the stairs, climbing them slowly. "I just.. I swear I'm hallucinating or something. I thought I heard someone running after me on my way home, and just now I heard a glass shatter in my room.." I step closer to the room and hover over the door handle. 

"It's all a part of the grief, John. You're just imagining things." He explains. 

I turn the door handle slowly and swing the door open, seeing no one behind it. Instead, one of my framed artworks were on the ground, glass everywhere. The picture was fine, however. I sigh a breath of relief and go to pick it up. "It's fine, one of my paintings just fell." I assure him. 

I set the painting on my bed and then turn to go grab my broom, but see a very familiar person standing in front of me. I open my mouth to scream, but he covers my mouth quickly. He holds a finger to his lips and I nod, him slowly moving his hand away. 

"John? What's going on, you went dead quiet there." Laf says, a bit of concern in his voice. 

I furrow my eyebrows at the man in front of me. Dark hair, short stature, piercing eyes.. He smiles gently at me and my eyes widen. 

"John?" 

Alex.

Option One - "I'll call you back, Lafayette."
Option Two - Scream.

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