The Definition Of Not Leaving (Kellic)

Chapter 10

this chapter is shorter than I planned, but I just wanted to update.

***

It's kind of cold outside today. Lynn and I are sitting at our usual spot, eating food and talking about her date yesterday. Again. It went really well apparently, and I'm happy that she's happy.

While Lynn talks, I have my laptop open in front of me. I haven't written anything in so long, and I feel bad about that. I've been focusing more on living life and trying to get out more that I've forgotten what I really love doing. Writing.

And well, also reading, but that's another story.

"I hope Alexa asks me out again," Lynn says, "Or maybe I'll ask her. Is that a good idea?" She asks me. I look up from my laptop.

"Maybe? I don't know. Try not to seem too desperate. I don't think Alexa is the type of person to tolerate easy girls." I suggest.

"Okay. Cool. Good advice. I'll just wait for a good time to bring up a second date or something." Lynn nods, muttering more to herself. She really does like Alexa, and I hope Alexa likes her back just as much. Lynn is amazing.

I go back to tapping away at my keyboard, writing nonsense. I have no ideas for this chapter, but I have to write something, even if it's complete bullshit. I'm training myself for a career in writing. If I don't have any ideas, I still need to write something, even though I'm honestly just writing nonsense.

Nonsense (adj)
spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense.

I sigh, staring at the screen after writing a few more sentences. Nothing else is coming to me and I've already backspaced a few things. Maybe today is just not my day.

"So what exactly did you do at Gerard's work yesterday?" Lynn asks out of nowhere. I accidentally hit the spacebar, but nothing happens, thankfully.

"Well," I say, thinking of what to tell her. I don't really want to say I went out with Vic, but she's bound to find out. It's not a secret. "I hung out there for a while and then I hung out with Vic for a bit." Okay, so only half of that is a lie. I was barely there at Gerard's work for long.

"Oooh, how was Vic?" Lynn asks with a wiggle of her eyebrows. I roll my eyes, but I answer anyways, "Good good."

"That's it?"

"Um.. Yeah?"

Lynn sighs in exasperation and shakes her head, "You are so bad at gossiping about boys unless they're your ex, and even then you suck. I'm a lesbian and I'm better at gossiping about boys."

"Is that a problem?" I ask. I never thought it was. It's not a huge deal to not be good at gossiping about people is it? There's far better things to talk about.

"No, but you still suck at it." Lynn states.

"Oh." I say. I have nothing else to say on the matter so I go back to writing. There's not much coming out of it, but I'm still going to force myself to keep writing even if my creativity is at a low today.

Just as I'm powering through some dialogue, my phone starts vibrating. People barely ever call me unless it's some weird number calling me and trying to sell something. I pick up my phone from its spot in the grass. The caller ID reads Vic. Why is he calling me?

Lynn looks at me and mouths Who is it? as I answer the phone. I mouth back Vic and she nods her head.

"Hey?" This comes out as a question because he's never called me before, only texted.

"Hi," He responds before saying, "Are you free or is this a bad time?"

I furrow my eyebrows. He sounds worried almost. Did something happen? Is it his mom? "Yeah, I'm free. Ish." Lunch hour is almost over.

"Okay well I'll say this quickly then." Vic takes a deep breath and says, "Somehow, someone started a small rumour about me having a girlfriend because I think someone saw you in that dress but not very well, so they don't know you're a guy and it's for some reason a big thing because they have no idea who you are. But it's still a small rumour I think." Vic says this all in one breath.

"Wait what?" I'm not sure if I heard him correctly.

"I don't know who, but someone put out a minor rumour that I have some mysterious girlfriend." Vic summarizes. He sounds frustrated and worried.

"It doesn't sound like it's minor." I say, because by the way he's acting, it sounds a lot bigger than minor.

Vic sighs, "I know, but it is at the moment. It's just that people love relationship gossip, so they're going to want to know more. So it'll blow up sooner or later."

"Okay," I say, "Then just get it out there that I'm not a girl and we're not dating." I feel like there's an unspoken yet after I finish my sentence, but we both don't say anything about it. This should be a simple fix right?

"It's not that easy. I wish it was, but it's really not. If I say something, they'll want more proof and I don't know if you want your face to be out there." He explains. I suppose what he's saying is true. I really don't want to have my face out there and if this becomes a big thing, then it certainly will be known. But what the hell is he suggesting?

"So what are you saying? That we just let this sit and see what happens?" I ask.

"Kind of, yeah. I want to see if it dies out if we just leave it. Or..."

"Or?"

"Or if it gets big, then we have you pretend to be a girl and then we stage this whole break up thing, she disappears and we're all good." Vic says this as if it's no big deal, as if it can be easily done. Maybe for him, but for me..?

"No. We can't do that. Not that last part." I say, shaking my head even if he can't see me. Who does he think I am? I'm not an actor, I can't do shit like that. I can't even go onto a bus without feeling some sort of discomfort around lots of people, let alone having to pretend to be Vic's girlfriend in a world where lots of people will be involved.

"Kellin, that may be the easiest." Vic says. I think he seems to be all for that idea.

"Or the stupidest."

"Not really. People will take it in, they'll get their answer, and then we'll 'break up', and before they can do anything about it, this made up girl disappears completely." Vic tells me, trying to convince me.

"I don't know Vic." I say uneasily, not liking this idea at all.

"Look," Vic says, "If we leave it be, they'll try getting answers. Trust me. And if they do, eventually you'll be brought into the picture, and I know you don't want that. I don't either. You're part of my private life, not my work."

"Right right." I sigh, really not knowing what to do. I guess what he's saying is true, but how is that other plan going to work? I notice Lynn getting up now and I check the time. "I have to go." I say to Vic, truthfully.

"Okay, you go do school. We'll talk about this later, yeah?" Vic asks. I take a moment to answer, but I say, "Yeah."

"Okay cool. Bye Kell."

"Bye." I respond and he hangs up. I let out a long sigh and put my things away in my bag. I get up, pocketing my phone and walk after Lynn, who probably doesn't want to be late for her next class.

This is a mess. I mean, something was bound to happen, but is he sure this plan is the right one? I have no idea. Honestly, what are we going to do?