Alter Ego

Part 8

     Blue opened her eyes and quickly sat up. She was sitting on a couch in the middle of a strange room. The couch, floor and walls were made out of cardboard. How did she end up in The Community?
"You're awake."
She turned see Ridge walk into the room. "Where am I?"
"My place."
"Why?"
"I found you asleep on the fountain in the plaza." he leaned against the door frame, "I brought you here."
Blue stood up, "I'm leaving."
"Why? Is everything okay?"
"Yes." She reached for the front door.
"Are you sure?"
Flinging around, she yelled, "Yes! Just leave me alone!"
"You're not acting like yourself." He stared at her, taking a step forward.
"You don't know me!"
"If you would talk to me then maybe I would!"
"Alright," she gritted her teeth. "Let's talk! How about the fact that you can't take the hint that I don't like you!?"
His face fell. "I don't believe that."
"It's true! I'm just using you, Ridge! I don't care about you so stop acting so nice to me! Stop crushing on me!"
"I can't. I love you." He whispered.
She tightened her fists, "I'm nice to you once and you're in love!? That's pathetic, following me around like a lost puppy."
He stood quietly, arms hanging by his sides.
"I want you to leave me alone."
"Okay." He walked back into the room he came from.
     Blue headed out the door and walked down the street. She took in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Exiting The Community, she began to quiver. Her eyes teared up as she hurried down the alleyway and leaned against a dumpster to keep balanced. Her head throbbed as she leaned over the edge, feeling like she was going to throw up. She thought about falling in and living out the rest of her days with the trash. She'd fit in quite well.
     Composing herself, she rounded the corner and continued on past the plaza. She entered a bar named, "Drown Yourself", and quickly took a seat in an open booth. She laid her forehead against the table and crossed her arms in front to cover her face.
She listened in on the conversation behind herself, trying to distract her mind from what just happened. It didn't help. The scene continued to play in her mind like a movie.
Play.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
"Is this seat taken?"
She looked over her arm to see TJ standing in front of the booth. "You can sit."
     Sitting across from her, he noticed her red eyes and nose. "What happened?"
She shrugged, sitting up in her seat.
"I know you keep to yourself but sometimes it's good to get stuff off your chest."
She sighed, "I have a friend and I said some horrible things."
"Did you mean the things you said?" He asked, flipping his white hair out of his eye.
"I don't know."
They sat quietly as glasses clinked around them. Someone yelled at the TV.
"Am I coldhearted?"
He was taken aback by the question, "No."
"My mom used to tell me that."
"Blue, after all you did for me in high school, there's no way you could be heartless. You're very kind."
     She looked into his eyes, never noticed they were yellow. His eyes were a big contrast from his blue skin. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I met up with the owner of the VIP Club. They invited me to DJ." He pulled out the folded flyer from his green pants.
Blue noticed the wing symbol on the flyer, "Who did you meet? A man?"
"No. A young woman. She had black hair."
"Was her hair in braids?"
"No. It was down."
Could he have met that girl?
TJ pushed the flyer in front oh her. He messed with the hollow gauge in his left ear. It was a habit of his. "Hey, how would you like to go to the club with me? You can see me do what I do best and, well, it'll give us a chance to hang out again."
"Can I invite some friends?"
"The more the merrier." he scooted out of the booth, "Text me your address and I'll pick you up."
Blue watched him leave out the pub door.

__________________________

     She walked up to her apartment and spotted the girls standing outside. They were holding grocery bags as GG tried to find her keys.
"Blue, how's it going?" Harper turned to her.
"Fine, fine. You guys want to go to a club? TJ invited me and said he'd pick us up and everything."
Harper dropped the bags, "Really!? TJ did? I wanna go!"
"You're obsessed with him." GG laughed, finally opened the door.
"I am not. He's just really cool."
Blue pulled out her phone, "I'll let him know we're going."
"You have his number?" Harper asked, picking up the bags off the floor.
She nodded.
"I don't know if I'll go. I'll let you know when I decide." GG signaled for Harper to follow her inside. "We'll talk to you tomorrow, Blue. Gotta get this milk in the fridge."
Blue nodded and walked next door.
     GG set the bags down on the counter  and starting to pull out the contents.
"Why don't you want to go?"
"It's not that I don't want to go, it's just that our leads have gone cold. I need to keep working on figuring this all out."
Harper opened the refrigerator and set the jug of milk on the first shelf. "You've been up for three days straight. That's not healthy. I know you don't need sleep but you can't keep this up."
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Come to the club with us and have fun. It'll help you clear your head."
GG paused, "I don't know. Maybe you're right."
"It won't be fun without you." she smiled. "Well, I  think I'm going to bed."
"Alright, Goodnight."
     Harper walked out of the kitchen and down the hall into her room. She opened her door and quickly shut it behind herself. Harper looked around her candlelit room until her eyes landed on the bed. Standing in front, she knelt down to look underneath. She grabbed the flashlight next to the left leg of her bed and shown the light underneath. Harbor smiled at the small shrine. Pictures of TJ smiled back. A piece of his hair laid secure in a small bag next to the doll she knitted.
     This was it. Getting to hang out with TJ was her big break. She would show him why they were meant to be together, why she was perfect for him. It might have failed last time but this time would be different. He'd see that he needed her. There would be no where for him to run.