All Chapters of Losing the Lonely: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Orion The parts I needed to fix my car came in. It’s a good thing I own a shop. The shop doesn’t specialize in body work, it’s just something I learned, filed in the just-in-case pile of things I know but don’t know when I’ll ever use it category in the back of my mind. It wasn’t a difficult job, but it kept me busy. “Hey boss, you need help,” Marcus said as he walked up to me. “What is there no work,” I said lightly. As if I didn’t know the flow of work each day. “Haha, there is but since we got a new hire, I’m just overseeing how it goes,” Marcus responded. “Ah, gotcha. How’s it going,” I asked. “Can actually change a tire,” Marcus started to say, but another voice interrupted, “everybody should know how to change a tire.” We looked towards the voice and we both said, “true story.” Marcus then asked, “you need something.” “Well, I’m finished with the oil change. You want to check my work,” the new hire said. Bethany Carlson was the new hire. When I interviewed he

Mr. Green When I sat down at a table, the woman that was sitting alone looked up. Surprise on her face. Not obvious, but it was there. “We meet again,” I said in a monotoned hushed voice. The only response was her lips pressing into a thin line. “Why do you keep following me,” I asked, looking into her eyes. She stayed silent. I also stayed silent. We sat at this table staring at each other saying nothing. “Sir,” a server said hesitantly. “Yes,” I answered her but kept my eyes on the woman across from me. “Is there something we can help you with, sir,” the server said again. “No,” I answered again. “But sir, this is not suitable for you,” the server sounded a little distressed. “This is fine,” I said impatiently. “But,” the waitress tried again. “Leave,” I commanded. The server jumped a little. “Yes, sir,” she said softly walking away. The woman across from me shifted her eyes to the server walking away. The lips that were pressed into a thin line became even

Lara “Crown, that smells so good,” I said as I dramatically inhaled the scents coming from the pot and pan on the stove. “You do know I already ate breakfast,” I said with a smile on my face. “I do. This is for later,” Crown responded as he pointed to the food he was cooking. “You know, I just might have to correct myself with my co-workers and say I am dating both of you,” I said with a laugh and sat at the table with Orion. Before I walked into the kitchen I felt tension in the air, but I didn’t understand it. After my comment, it didn’t escape me that both Crown and Orion stiffened. “What do you mean,” Orion scowled at me. “Well, just that one time both of you dropped me off and picked me up from work. They made a few observations to me,” I said nonchalantly. “What kind of observations,” Crown asked. “You guys, why so serious? My single co-workers are excited because you two are so goodlooking. My married co-workers are living vicariously through me because you two

JohannaI can hear people talking around me, but I’m stuck in my body. I can’t move. I can’t talk. I can’t do anything. That incessant beeping is driving me crazy. Where the hell am I? What happened to me? Think Hanna, think. Ok, I met with… Who did I meet up with? Hmm, I thought through the events that happened. There was a guy. I had to meet a guy because… Oh, think, think. Gregory, or Greg. Yes, I had to meet up with Greg. Why did I have to meet up with him? Uh. I was getting angry at my memory. I could hear people talking around me, but I couldn’t move or talk to them! Visions of people laughing and talking and dancing kept playing in my mind. There was a couple memories coming to mind. “We are totally banking it,” a girl’s voice said in my memory. “Yeup, easy money,” another voice said. I think it was another girl. “Stop talking about it, someone might overhear you,” another voice said. It was my voice, or I think it was my voice. Argh, I can’t remember. “

Lara Knock, knock, knock, knock the sound came from the door. Crown stood up with me still in his lap, then put me down. He didn’t even make that grunting sound and I’m at most 150lbs. I fixed myself while he walked to answer the door. When he reached the door, he turned back to look at me then opened it. “Oh hey,” I heard Shan say from the outside of the door. “Hey, come on in,” he said. When she walked in, I said, “hey girl.” When she looked at me, she said, “you look cute.” “So do you,” I told her. She was dressed in a light denim skinny jean with white collared button-down shirt that stops at her waist and a pink belt. She wore tan 3-inch Mary Jane heels on her feet and accessories to finish the look. “You know we both look cute given our age,” I said. “That’s because we both look in our early 30s,” Shan said. “That is something I’m grateful for, and the fact that I’m average height,” I said. Then added, forgetting that Crown was there, “you know one time I was