Chapter 15 Elizabeth
ELIZABETH
@pancakesareelite:
How would you go about convincing someone to divorce the man they love because you know they’re evil?
@theanswerisno:
You always find the weirdest
simulation games to play
@pancakesareelite:
I wish it were a game
@theanswerisno:
If it was, how would you deal with it?
@pancakesareelite:
I think I’d log out and pretend it doesn’t exist.
@theanswerisno:
Sometimes that’s okay
My clothing had dried by the end of the workday, but I wasn’t ready to change out of Mr. Carden’s shirt and coat. It was warm, worn in, and made me feel… safe. At least, what I assumed safety felt like.
The sunset cast a golden pathway toward the bus shelter, and I was lost in my thoughts about Mr. Carden while walking, waiting, and climbing on the bus. He’d been open, and helpful, and… wonderful.
Fine. I’ve developed a tiny crush on my boss. The tiniest of crushes. Nothing harmful. Nothing illegal. Just the smallest little flutter in my stomach every time he looked my way, or kind of smiled, or grabbed a ruler or… breathed. Totally normal behavior.
With great difficulty, I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind, where they belonged.
I climbed out at my stop. A familiar voice called out, as if jumping from another corner of my brain. A corner I’d cordoned off. “Elizabeth.”
I ignored it.
“Elizabeth,” he said again. “Come on. We can chat, can’t we? You’re looking lovely as ever.”
I kept moving. I dug my hands into the pocket of this coat, ignoring my fast-beating heart, and found my keys.
Footsteps followed. “Mr. Gordon-Bettencourt would like to talk to you.”
“Leave me alone.” I beelined for the stairwell, grabbed the railing, and jogged up.
Alistair kept following.
With my key ready, I shoved it in the lock the second I reached my door.
“I said, Mr. Gordon-Bettencourt would like to talk to you.”
“Well, I don’t want to talk to him,” I snapped, spinning around and finally taking him in.
Alistair was now a thirtysomething-year-old man I’d once fumbled around with as an inexperienced and inebriated teenager. No part of me had expected he would end up working for the GB empire, but I should have known. Everyone in their circle was there by nepotism. “You don’t get to say no to him.”
I clenched my fists, and my nails poked into my palms. “No,” I spat. “You don’t get to say no to him. But I do. Run home to your boss and tell him that I said he can go to hell.”
Without waiting for a response, I slipped inside and slammed the door shut. I locked it and paced the short distance to the sink and back. My heart hammered in my chest, and the grilled cheese I’d enjoyed at lunch threatened to come up.
I grabbed my phone and navigated to my mother’s name. There was nothing new. No warning. No explanation.
What did Douglas want?
What could he possibly want from me? He’s got everything. He’s got my mother.
I entered and exited her chat. I hit the call icon, and after a few rings, it went to voicemail. I tried again. What would I even say to her? It’s not like she could get him to leave me alone.
I shrugged off Mr. Carden’s coat and slipped out of his shirt. I kicked off the boots and, wearing nothing but my underwear, I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over my head.
My breath steamed up my phone’s screen, but I felt safe in here. I scrolled down to my grandmother’s name and called.
No answer.
A message popped up from Link.
@thenaswerisno:
Where are you?
I thought we were playing tonight.
@pancakesareelite:
I can’t.
Within a second, three dots appeared. He was already typing.
@theanswerisno:
No problem. Everything okay?
Without thinking, my fingers were moving.
@pancakesareelite:
I’m not in a good place tonight. I’m going through something with my mom and stepdad.
@theanswerisno:
What do you need? Are you safe?
@pancakesareelite:
For now. I don’t want to talk about it just yet. Not tonight.
@theanswerisno:
Let me know what you need. I can listen. I can talk. I could send you nudes.
@pancakesareelite:
Nudes?!
Seconds later, about six images of different shades of nude filled our chat. I burst out laughing despite the tears bunching at the corners of my eyes.
@theanswerisno:
There’s more where that came from ;)
Feeling more like myself, I sent another message.
@pancakesareelite:
I know I said I didn’t want to talk about it but… my stepdad is awful. Really, really awful and he wants to see me and it’s a little scary.
@theanswerisno:
If you ever need me to come and get you, just say the word. Okay?
@pancakesareelite:
And reveal your super-secret identity? Is this where I find out you’re like a prince or something?
Or… an engineer working at Simucon?
@theanswerisno:
The prince of Genovia, but to protect my royal privacy, his highness shall wear a full body suit and mask and won’t say a word.
@theanswerisno:
Although, on second thought, please don’t trust anyone in a full body suit and mask. Especially one who isn’t saying anything.
@pancakesareelite:
Link. I need you to know that I’m laughing. And it feels really good. Thank you.
@theanswerisno:
Main quest achieved.
Side quest: In progress.
@pancakesareelite:
What’s your side quest?
@theanswerisno:
I’m buttering you up so you can play Starlight with me.
@pancakesareelite:
-_-
@pancakesareelite:
Fine.
Despite my protestations, I was glad he asked. Starlight was exactly the game I needed. And I should have trusted Link would know that.
Link. Link-in. Lincoln.
Gah.
Yes, they were both engineers. It was possible, sure. If I was smarter, I would calculate the odds. The only person who I knew who could calculate those odds was Mr. Carden, and well, I wasn’t going to ask him.
My anxiety-filled mind was playing tricks on me. This was my Link, and I couldn’t risk losing him.
@theanswerisno:
How bad are you feeling?
@pancakesareelite:
I’m fine for now. Thanks for your concern.
@theanswerisno:
I’m only concerned because playing anything against me will definitely make you feel worse about yourself.
Ha. Mean. And I told him so.
@theanswerisno:
Let’s play. But if I stop replying, it means I’ve fallen asleep and have not abandoned you.
Beggars can’t be choosers. Right now, all I wanted was to forget about Alistair and Douglas and even the heartache attached to my mom.
So, I let myself be immersed in the one hour and forty-two minutes I spent hunting with Link before he stopped replying.
There was no part of me that doubted he’d fallen asleep because if there was one person in the entire universe I was sure would never abandon me, it was Link.