Page 9 of How to Survive Your Own Death

Geri insisted on returning to her apartment. Molly hadn’t liked it but Geri wouldn’t move on this point. Her sister and Anh had a beautiful home, but Geri wanted to sleep in her own bed.

Compromise was achieved via casserole. Molly stuffed Geri’s fridge with enough food to last the month. All she had to do was heat up a plate, which was clever thinking. Everything hurt and anything requiring more thought than punching in forty-five seconds on the microwave was too complicated.

Swaddled in a fluffy blanket on the couch, she was determined to ignore real life and watch movies until Netflix cut her off.

Being a super talented and able-to-multitask person, she also ignored her ex.

Or so she tried.

Geri sent a brief break-up text. “We’re over. Don’t call me.”

Simple. To the point. It was a shit move, but Jaxon deserved shit.

He called and texted nonstop.

“Babe, don’t do this.”

“It was a joke.”

“We’re good together. Don’t throw this away.”

On and on with the cliches.

Geri finally replied with, “Look, we both know this wasn’t anything serious, so let’s just finish it. We had fun but the fun is over. I never want to see you again.”

Then promptly blocked him. Again, she knew it was a shit move, but that was what he deserved.

She’d have to join a new gym, which was a pain. She liked her gym. It was close to her apartment and the showers weren’t gross. Not going to the gym wasn’t an option. Despite her chubby figure, she wasn’t a fitness nut to lose weight. Regular exercise kept her joints healthy and muscles strong. It also helped prevent spontaneous bleeding, because that was a thing that could happen with hemophilia. No injury necessary. Just her body deciding that now was a good time to spring an internal leak.

Taking a long walk around the city was an option now that the weather had shifted to autumn. Walking through the humid summer air of Philadelphia was like swimming through yogurt, hence the gym membership.

Maybe switching her schedule would be enough. Nicola at the front would give her a heads up if Jaxon was there.

She didn’t have anything to pick up at Jaxon’s place and he didn’t keep anything at hers. They didn’t have that kind of relationship. With luck, she wouldn’t have to see him again. All in all, it was a painless breakup.

Metaphorically. Physically, she remained in a great deal of pain. Her body was stiff and her bruises were tender to the touch. The headache finally vanished, even though the lights and colorful auras remained.

Every person had their own unique aura. She didn’t know if the colors held any meaning, like if green was healing and blue peaceful. She could get a book on it but reckoned it was baloney. The colors were a product of her misfiring brain, so if they had any meaning, it was something her subconscious dug up. She wouldn’t find the answer in a new age spiritual book.

Having said that, there was a pattern. People she liked had bright, vivid auras. Molly had a golden aura. Anh was sky blue and lilac. People she didn’t like were dark and muddy. Her downstairs neighbor was burgundy.

The auras would go away with time, she kept telling herself.

Her cat, Fiddlesticks, pawed at the bedroom window.

“Do you want the window open? I suppose we could use some fresh air.” She opened the curtains and spotted a hooded figure in the park across the street. A lamp offered a puddle of illumination, but the light seemed to avoid the figure.

No way. Absolutely not.

Geri flung open the window and screen to lean out. “Hey. Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The figure lifted his head, but shadows obscured his face.

Her apartment was several floors above street level, but she recognized him.

“Is this another prank? Turning up at my place in a trashy Halloween hooded cloak like the grim reaper? Fuck you, Jaxon. This better not end up on the internet.” Rage bubbled inside her, churning and demanding to be released. Her hands shook. “You want to know why I dumped your ass? Your pranks aren’t funny. I told you to knock it off. You ignored me. When someone tells you to stop, you stop. How is that hard to understand?”

No reply. Typical.