Fake (A Pretty Pill) Read Free Page A

behaviors have been out of whack, especially regarding the phone calls.
    I fou nd it increasingly suspicious that Shae began taking her calls from her parents in private, away from my earshot.  Even when I walked into the room if she was on the phone, she’d walk out of there and find somewhere else to talk.  I could also see how upset the calls were making her, because more often than not she’d been crying when she got off the phone.
    And then there was t his trip back to Australia, which was a complete surprise to me.  When she explained she needed to return a week ago, I told her we should talk to Ben about it; that maybe he could help sort things out, but she was adamant that it was unavoidable, and that she didn’t want to involve Ben.  Her parents had booked and paid for her ticket.  I had wanted to pay them back, since I considered it my responsibility but she wouldn’t let me.  This again peaked my suspicion that Shae was moving on, and that her parents were behind the changes in her.
    And t hen there was last night, when she turned to me in bed and began to kiss me and it felt like good bye. 
    Like I said we made love, at least that’s what I did.  For me it felt like I was trying to reconnect with her increasingly distant soul, because I craved the connection.  I needed to feel her and to show her how much I love her; but I swear for her it was just simply goodbye. She cried intently after the experience and I felt like an asshole.  I was confused.
    But again, I’m being paranoid.  I get paranoid – I know I do, because I get told to stop being paranoid all the time.
    “Shae, I know I can be a bit of an asshole at times, but th at’s nothing new.  I’ve been a bit moody since we started going out.  But something’s going on and I don’t understand what I can do about it.” I say.
    “I know.   But nothing’s going on.” She replies, looking down with her silvery blond hair hiding her expression.  I put my hand out to adjust her hair out of her eyes, but she pulls her hand up and prevents me.
    “Why are you being so cold?” I ask her.  I’m just so confused, because we’ve been together for 3 years and this rapid deterioration has happened in under a month.
    “I’m not cold.” she argues.  “I…” she changes tact, I can tell.  She has thought about something to say and it isn’t what she originally intended, although it is a legitimate concern. “I just can’t stop thinking about how you’ve only had your meds in the evenings this week.  You’ve missed nearly half your dose.” she reasons; clutching at my medication inconsistencies like they’re the answers to everything in this moment.
    I’m a little taken aback about her increasingly obvious deception and twisting of the issues.  R ight now I’m thinking about us, about fixing what is going wrong with us; and she’s claiming to be thinking about my medications.
    I run with it.  I have nothing else to go by.
    “Is that what’s bothering you?”
    She nods , looking at me pleadingly with her big blue eyes and a slight pout to her lips.  I can’t help but realize she holds my heart in her hands; and I want her to be happy.
    “If I take them every day while you’re gone, the way I’m meant to, will it make you happy?” I whisper, moving my body in and dragging her s toward mine so that we are meeting in the middle.
    She nods, so I lean down and kiss her softly on the lips.   She briefly kisses me and pulls away first; it’s breaking my heart.
    “Okay; I promise I’ll take them so that when you return I’ll be the same guy you fell in love with.”
    She gives me a pained expression and I notice the tears in her eyes.  I feel her slipping away, like an undertow is pulling her away to where I can no longer see her.  I know she’s leaving me now, I can feel it but I’m hoping I’m wrong.
    “I promise Shae.  I’ll do anything for you.” I plead; my heart rate climbing.
    “You wouldn’t do it for