Page 557 of Call Me Baby: Side

his head tips,

his hand still soothing his chest.

“You really do care ‘bout me, huh.”

A statement neither of us have yet to fathom.

And in his eyes? A whole goddamn mixtape of emotions on shuffle.

I can’t catch all of it,

but I can feel every track.

“Then tell me somethin’, Sonny,” he says.

“You still usin’ him?”

“Who?”

It comes out as a reflex.

Like when they say ‘Bless you,’

you say ‘thank you.’

When they say‘You still usin’ him,’

you say‘who?’

And my heartbeat’s doing a slow clap.

Andrew cocks a brow,

the hollow smile stretching late.

“Who? Who else, Son?”

He throws a hand down the street,

like he’s gesturing to Ben.

“After seein’ me tonight, if it hits you later… is it him still takin’ care of it?”

No, Andrew. I haven’t used Ben in two weeks.

Because I can’t. Because of you.

But this confession doesn’t let me sleep.

It claws at the mattress,

pulls the sheets down,

rattles the windows.

It fucks with my head,

my heart,