Blue Hearts - Burn Out

 The fried egg was sticking to the pan. What else could go wrong? Bex kept staring at it. The egg sizzled in bits. It was ruined. She started to cry.

"We could have gone out for breakfast, you know?" Oliver almost burned himself on the pan but he got rid of the attempt for breakfast.

"No, I want to be here when he gets here," Bex shrugged.

"Has he done this before?" This was Dayton they were talking about. Once he got into a video game, you'd lost him for good, but didn't Bex know that already.

"I'm really starting to hate him," Bex croaked biting her bottom lip. "What was I expecting? You know, I should have just said to hell with it. Why did I beg him? Huh? This shit isn't going to stop is it?"

"Just take it easy, he'll be home, but later. Like by noon or afterward. You'll see." Of course, he'd said the same thing before midnight and even at three in the morning before they both dozed off in front of the TV.

"You keep saying that-" He gave her a paper towel for her tears.

"We'll have coffee. And break out the granola your Mom sent. It'll be OK." Bex shrugged and went to the table that she and Oliver had to find at the flea market. Dayton wouldn't even help with finding stuff for the house.

"You can make rent this time around?" Oliver then wondered if this was really all about Dayton. Maybe this was a bit more stressful than he'd thought. "Has Dayton paid his half?"

Bex nodded. "We're fine."

"OK." He knew they really weren't. "Maybe once classes start up-"

"Right-" Bex took a sip of her coffee then. "God, you should really go. I'm going to be OK."

"But I can stay."

"No," Bex nodded. "You've done more than enough. " She kept her smile even. "You have things to do. And maybe I need to be here alone whenever Day gets here. I think I should be alone."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Bex gritted. "I really need to be alone right now. I have to get used to being alone."

"Right," Oliver tried to smile. He drank his coffee then. Really, he had nowhere to go. He wanted to be right here. Maybe if he was lucky Dayton would never come home.