The Imperishable Flame⎪✓

❨13❩

♀︎

"I've never witnessed anything sadder than this," Lucy whimpers and forcefully grabs the chocolate from me. "You can't just throw it out, Dakota. You and I love this shit, what has gotten into you?"

Rubbing my eyes, I tuck the comforter over my face again and hide from reality, "Nothing has gotten into me. I'm perfectly fine."

She booms with laughter all of a sudden, throwing herself onto my bed and crawling under the comforter with me, the heat makes me sweat and I remove it altogether. "You have been cooped up in here for 10 days, Dakota. Will you please come out?"

"I've been sick."

"No," She states with a frown. "Calling into work sick and not showing up to college classes doesn't make you sick. Sickness is something you feel and are, not something you do."

She's right. Since my session with Elijah ten days ago, I decided to hide out in my room and no stray of sunlight has kissed my skin ever since. The pity party officially began and ended with me as the only one attending, of course, my roommate has to ruin that for me. She wants me to go out, but no part of me wants to move out of this little hole I have created for myself. 

"The sun is out, why aren't you on a date with Travis today?" I ask in the hopes to change the subject, she and Travis have grown closer and some would say they are officially dating. She denies it though, but I know better than that. 

She shakes her head, "Nope, we aren't doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Trying to change the subject."

"Oh but you love talking about him, please do."

Her eyes widen, "Never thought I'd hear you ask that of me, but no. You, my friend, need to get a grip and get out of these smelly clothes."

"Lucy, I really don't feel like it."

"Of course you don't, which is why I made the decision for you already. Come with me outside, the guys are waiting and we will go eat at Edgar's diner."

My frown makes her eyes widen in a begging stare, "Please, Dakota."

Rubbing my eyes I groan loudly, she smiles at me and I know I lost. No part of me wants to pull her down with me in this pity party, so this is the least I could do for her. 

*************

"Your hair is so curly right now," Wyatt says when he and I sit next to each other in the booth, waiting for our food. Lucy and Travis are seated in front of us, but they are so deep in a conversation and of course they leave me to the dogs. 

I meet his eyes and look away again, "Yeah, I showered."

"Oh, cool," He nods his head awkwardly. My social skills are at a bare minimum and it truly doesn't help that I have no wish for this conversation with him, he irks me in some type of way. Taking a long sip from my glass of water, I look around the diner and smile at the sight of a little boy singing along to some old song. It warms my heart. "He is cute, isn't he?" Wyatt asks.

Nodding my head I keep my gaze on the bundle of joy, "He sure is."

"I can spot a couple of freckles on him as well, maybe you and him are related."

Trying to stop myself from rolling my eyes, "Freckles aren't always genetic, Wyatt. More than that, my family surely isn't the only line of genes with this skin and a tendency to freckles."

"Dakota," Travis suddenly cuts in and my eyes cut to his. "Will you tell us what happened at the fight? Bullet literally dragged you with him."

I hoped that none of them would ask about that, I gave Lucy a very timid explanation when she asked. Now I have to relive the moment where Elijah and I opened a door to our feelings, the annoyance washes over me in an instant. "He mistook me for someone else, no big deal really."

This time Wyatt peeps in, "You were angry when you returned, there must have been something else."

"Nope," I shake my head. "Sorry if you hoped I had some connection with him, I was angry because he roughly pulled me with him like that. Also, the back of the building was straight out of a horror movie."

"But Bullet had his hands on you, doesn't that excite you?" Lucy squeals and I hush her, the last thing Elijah needs is more recognition from how he earns his money. If that is his reason for being there anyway, maybe he simply enjoys beating people up. 

"Uhm, no. He handled me in a rough manner and I was kind of busy fearing for my life, nothing in me indulged in the feeling of his hands on me," Fucking lies, every part of me bathed in the sensations of how his strong grip guided me into a dark room. My fucked up imagination had thought of every possible outcome before he closed the door.

"You need to get some, girly," Lucy says and winks at me. 

Edgar comes in our direction and places the plate in front of me, my excessive amount of ketchup has already been joked about and I eat a fry immediately. "That topic isn't a matter to discuss, especially not over food."

Edgar leaves us with a salute and I smile at his antics, he really is one of the most welcoming people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. 

"Don't worry, Dakota," Travis says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Wyatt has been kind of dry on that road as well, maybe the two of you could entertain each other and-"

"Appreciate the concern, Travis, but I'm perfectly fine over here. No need for anyone to snoop in my business," I say and start eating my burger. Ignoring the suggestive stares from Lucy and the long glances from Wyatt, why the hell are they so hooked on him and I sleeping together anyway? It won't happen.