Chapter 9: Home

                                    

                                          
Everything was just irritating Sallie after that.
                          
Even when the customers were asking her questions about products, and simply greeting them, she found her temper tethering thinly.
                          
Fuck off. Every one of you, fuck off.
                          
How pathetic, how such a stupid, cheating bitch like Jodie could have already have an effect onto her, and she hasn't done anything directly to her. No, instead, she was being sneaky and disgusting, hiding her acts in the shadows and evidently knew she was doing wrong.
                          
And then she tried to convince Sallie to lie on her behalf...
                          
Her mother wouldn't have approved of that. Sallie was brought up well, decent. She was a caring woman with a beating scarred heart...it was such a shame this world broke her into a shamble.
                          
Tomorrow was a day off for the store. Corey had booked a day off for that day, possible for his fun Friday night, and granting himself a recovery day, and because Sallie was still only training, he couldn't leave her in the store alone. For her safety. Emma had agreed, before she left, that the store can be closed on that day.
                          
It should have been a relief for Sallie, but it wasn't...
                          
That next day, Sallie sat on her bed. Fully dressed, with a small breakfast settling in her stomach. Sam was out in the City, and her father was at work, so she had the house to herself.
                          
She didn't feel the need to go out. Instead, she just sat on her neat bed, forehead pressed against the cold window, staring longingly at the city that was under the assault of heavy rain. She could feel the smell of the rainfall from outside, skies grey and dull, drenching everything into a polished, clean gloss. Somewhere, Corey lived in one of those buildings, probably living with that lying girlfriend of his, cuddling against her at such a miserable morning...
                          
Even the peace of sleep wasn't enough to keep her head out of that vicious cycle. She still couldn't understand Corey's laidback reaction to it.
                          
If Jodie was able to cheat on her last boyfriend with Corey, she would surely do it again. Sallie was confident in that statement, for she was an eyewitness to this testimony of truth. She had seen it before, loving boyfriends devoted to pretty-faced lies, and when those pretty-faced lies ruin that guy, that's when the sweet-natured man is destroyed, and no one wants him. Not even himself.
                          
She argued with herself that Corey was happy, and that she should be happy for him. But not even the little persuasive voice could convince her. She wasn't happy for him. She knew he would find out the truth soon enough, and it was going to destroy him.
                          
What can I do? How the fuck do I approach this...without sounding like THAT girl?
                          
It was terribly difficult.
                          
Sighing deeply, she glanced at her Sega Mega Drive, and a small urge to play on it came to her.
                          
Maybe a bit of Sonic will help...
                          
Sallie shuffled on the bed, her head becoming numb from the constant questioning and theories and assumptions and thoughts...
                          
Her phone began to ring, and she rolled her eyes, presuming it was her father-
                          
It was an unknown number.
                          
She hesitated for a time, staring at her black and red Nokia, and finally answered it.
                          
"Hello?"
                          
"Hey Sal! It's Corey!" That warm voice returned, and she sat up suddenly, her interest perked now.
                          
"Corey?" Sallie blinked, unable to stop herself from smiling. "H-How did you get my number?"
                          
"Your interview details...I...know I shouldn't have done it, but I'm bored and have no one else to talk to and...well..." She felt him smile sheepishly, and Sallie eased.