โOr maybe. . .โ
She paused and started waving her hand in front of her throat with her head tilted back and she stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes back.
โThatโs why.โ
โSheesh. . .โ
She was too curious to listen to music right now, she pulled her headphones off her head.
"Fine we'll stick together but only because I want to make sure you're the absolute first one to walk up those creepy ass stairs later."
Addie reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her yellow Sony Walkman, slipping the foam-padded headphones over her hair.
Addie let out a groan, dropping her head back against the peeling wallpaper as she watched him tuck the mystery item away.
"You are literally the worst kind of emotional extortionist, you know that?"
โPeople don't just leave places like this unless. . .well. . .unless they had to. . .maybe someone took the choice away from them.โ
She cleared her throat quickly, shaking off the sudden, creeping gloom, and flashed her light right back into his face to break the tension.
Addie narrowed her eyes at him.
"Oh, look at you, trying to weaponize basic leverage!โ
Addie shot back.
"First of all, I am always a delight!โ
There was a long pause. . .
She raised a brow, and her grip around her flashlight tightened. She inhaled sharply and made her way over to him.
โWhat? What is it?โ
She asked nonchalantly, even though a particular emotion that CERTAINLY wasnโt nonchalance was brewing in her stomach.
"Oh, no she didn't.โ
Before her brain could even catch up to her impulse, she vaulted right over the counter, skirted the edge of the Rex Manning cutout and stormed toward the glass front door just as the bell jingled.
She whipped the door open, ready to hurl the twenty dollar bill and a string of choice, career ending profanities right at the back of the woman's head, but that woman disappeared. . .
"Fucking weirdo.โ






