#antsi

“Everyday, I need you more and everyday, you push me furtheraway.”

She should have been happy, but couldn’t keep from speakingher mind. Sure, she was happy! She loved that he came to visit her now, butstill, but still… her chest was empty. She didn’t want to see anyone else buthim, so especially, now than ever, she needed him, and sometimes, he just wasn’there.

She was sitting on her bunk bed, watching him take a casualwalk around her room. He kept picking up items, maybe putting them down, maybetossing them to the floor. What he wanted was what he wanted, she guessed. Hereyes trailed down to the things added to her own mess on the floor. Did he notlike those things? A picture frame Hana had bought her, a drawing from Ellie,some of the food Elsa had tried to bring her, all tossed to the floor. Garbage.

“Is that so?” He asked. His tone was simple, but it put thefear of god within her.

What was she saying.What did she just say?

“You’re not… satisfied with what I’ve given to you?”

“N… No.” Traci shivered. “That’s not what I said. I…” Sheraised her head as he turned to look at her, and her throat went dry.

“It’s a shame. I thought you were willing to wait. I thoughtyou wanted me more than you wanted everything else.”

“I do!” Tracicrossed her arms, trying to hold herself still. “I… I’m just tired of peopletreating me like the bad guy, and I don’t have anyone to turn to when you’renot here-“

“I mean, Traci, you are the bad guy.”

Traci was looking at him when he said that, but somehowstill managed a double-take. “Huh?”

“Hey now, you don’t get it? Everything that’s happeningright now? Coming after me when I’m in a relationship, traditionally, you’re the villain.”

Her face scrunched up. “I don’t like… I don’t think I am?”

“Okay, and no one likes you.” Jack held his hand out togesture to her. “And you don’t have any friends. And you’re going behindeveryone’s back. You’re just doing what you have to for your goals, which isfine.” He smiled, then gestured to himself. “And at the end of it all, justwhen you’ve think you’ve won, the hero appears to change your ways.”

“You’re the hero?” She asked. This was the weirdest analogy.“And the love interest??”

“Yea!” He tousled his green hair before letting it settleagain. “So you’re miserable right now. And you’re lonely, and you get a littlemean, a little unfair, and you’re willing to do anything to get your way, that’sfine.” He walked over, crouchingbefore the girl sitting on the bottom bunk. “That’s what you’re supposed to dofor now… and later you’ll become reformed though the power of love.” He reachedup to touch her face, and felt her initially recoil, but watch him thoughglassy eyes. He brushed against her cheek, then gripped her chin. “Villains don’tdo anything half way, and they certainly don’t regret being a villain. Notuntil the end anyway. So you’re gonna be that villain, Traci? You gonna getwhat you want?”

She parted her lips to speak, but merely nodded. The smileshe was gifted with seemed to defrost her heart, at least for the time being.

“Good, because that’s why I have to leave.” He had stood upsuddenly, and dodged out of her reach as she grasped for his sleeve to keep himclose. “I gotta give you some kind of motivation or you wont want me anymore.You know, play hard to get?” He shrugged as he looked over his shoulder. “But,I mean, you don’t have to, just to let you know.” He crossed the small room injust a few strides, reaching the door before she even had a thought to get up. “Ifyou won’t fight for me, I guess I’ll just stay with Ellie.”

“Jack-“

The door slammed shut. Of course she’d have one visit withhim and she would fuck it up by opening her mouth. She sat back down, and hard,hiding her face away with her hands, and tried to relax. She was so… mad. Upset with this situation, and thepeople around her… but if she gave up, like she wanted to do, Ellie would winafter all.