Page 4 of Beyond Repair: Part One

Don't speak.

Don't scream.

Don't cough.

Don't sneeze.

Don't scuff your feet.

Don't stomp.

Don't fight back.

Don't roll your eyes.

Don't think.

Don't feel.

Don't exist beyond duty.

"Just do as you’re told. Don't give me any reason to teach you what happens when you break the rules."

"Okay."

My bland response is met with a choked sigh from my mom and my dad's head drooping low. Whether I open my mouth or stay invisible, I'm always upsetting them. I love my parents so much that if moving out is what they need to be happy again, I'll do it.

"Thank you," I add, scooching my chair back silently, and leaving the kitchen without a sound.

And Iamthankful.

Chapter 3

Ridge

No amount of zombies can take my mind off the one thing that is sure to make me crumble.

I pride myself on being a pretty decent, outgoing, fun guy, but sometimes I'm none of those things. When I can't get her out of my head, I become a shell of myself. Broody is what Kai likes to call it.

Pop, pop, pop!

Guts spatter the ship deck on the TV screen, but I feel no better than I did when I drew the damn portrait that's taunting me.

"You could move it, Ridge."

Scowling, I try to ignore Kai's soft words. Damn him for being so intuitive and fuck me for being transparent.

"Dude..."

"What, Kai?" I snap, not daring to look at him.

He sighs and I see him stand from the dining room table. I try to pay him no mind, but I can't control the way my body stiffens when he grabs the sketchbook. "Beautiful," he murmurs, sitting beside me.

I grunt, partly because there's nothing to say and to clear the lump from my throat.Of course she's beautiful.

It's silent for a few minutes, and for that I'm grateful. Of course it doesn't last long. "You gotta stop torturing yourself, man. This is happening more and more lately."

My first mistake is glancing at him, the second is getting sucked into the obvious longing twisting his features, and the third is getting eaten by a zombie.There went my distraction.

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