Nobody's monologue and human nature. [Nicholas Hawk 4]

「The number you are trying to contact is out of service. Please leave a message after the tone... beep」

Hey, Sophia. I forgot to tell you something. When you are available, please give me a call.

She left the message on the answering machine in such a nonchalant way.

I know. I'm an idiot, don't you think so?

Letting myself be intimidated by a woman and being blackmailed... that's just for idiots. I could do something against him, but even trying is stupid. No... it's not like I like being mistreated, only that this happens almost daily causes me severe mental wear and tear.

Why did I have to accept that condition...? I really am a real idiot. I know. My idiocy has no limits, I can not even close to the geniuses that I have as older brothers.

I'm going to my kitchen to pour myself a glass of whiskey. I flop onto the bar stool to sip my drink medium.

I need... to find a way to fight back. I can't go on with this forever.

But how?

It has to be direct, forceful, and hurt only in one direction. Something that makes her lower the intensity of her abuse against me. I know I make mistakes, but isn't she the same? We agreed that we would be treated equally with respect to compensation for accidents that would put our relationship in question, she, like me, has made several mistakes so far. But why is she so persistent about torturing me? Well that's simple, I haven't laid a finger on her. In the quarter that we have been doing this, I do not hug her if she does not hug me first, nor do I take her hand of her own free will. Other than that, I've never done anything to torture her like she does me. Her mistakes have been more serious than mine and I always have to fix things in her place by pretending to be her boyfriend... but I don't get any of this. It would be nice if while we're pretending we could do more than hug or hold hands, but really that's a stupid idea when I'm not even interested in it. However, since I am not interested in her, I don't know why I accepted her terms in the beginning. Certainly, I did not think about the repercussions of my decision to accept it.

In short, if I have to fight back, it has to be something of the same or greater magnitude. And that is the flower of the question, what is traumatizing enough on the same level as all the torture I have been receiving thus far?

If we talk about it... then I have to give her a spoonful of her own medicine.

But while we put that aside, there are some more important matters to attend to right now. The reason I called her earlier... well, it's better if we save that for another time.

「Riiing, riiing, riiing」─. The house phone rings.

Hm, she took less time than she expected.

I get up, putting the glass of whiskey on the table and go to take the call. The number she dials is Sophia's, so I pick up the brick-sized phone and hold it close to my ear.

─What did you want to tell me? ─. Uff. Straight to the point as always.

Although it hasn't been many hours since we parted company, that has nothing to do with having forgotten what I really had to say to her. As I already had the words in mind, I did not hesitate to answer him:

─Tomorrow, at the university, we have to act as if we were a couple, am I wrong?

─ ... hah... the question is stupid, Nick.

─No. I didn't mean just that. What I mean is... I know it's out of our agreed terms, but lately I've been getting a lot of calls from Abigail and it's bugging me.

That's true. I remember looking at my call log this afternoon and there was a number that was repeated twelve times in just ten minutes.

Another of the conditions we set is that we would not get more involved than necessary in each other's personal lives. But it's not like I can do everything on my own, either.

I know I'm using Abigail as an escape wild card for when I get a chance to get Sophia off my back. But still, she is too annoying. The first thing I said to her when we got back in touch was to expect absolutely nothing from me.

Of course, even though it is false and most of the time I am being abused, I still have a relationship with Sophia.

─I think... I told you not to talk to her anymore, am I wrong in what I say?

It's normal for her to sound angrier than normal. I think she's radiating flames to the other end of the phone because of her moody.

Yes. She told me to stop having contact with Abigail, but it wasn't me who looked for her, she came to me.

─I'm sorry for not telling you before, I admit my mistake. But this is not something that deserves you to punish me, since I have not raised any suspicions. So far, Abigail doesn't even know that we are a fake couple.

─Well, you may be saved for now... I hear you; How do you need my help?

It may seem like a joke, but she is really trustworthy when I manage to persuade her.

─I want you to help me get her out of the game. I don't need a pawn that she can't even promote. She told me to meet tomorrow at Starbucks, would it hurt you to join me?

─I don't know... I haven't talked to Abigail since high school, so I don't know if she can be of much help. But if it is something that I am useful to my "boyfriend" at, then I will be happy to help you.

─ ... I owe you one...

─Of course you owe me one! You have to take me to eat at your family's restaurant just as you promised as compensation!

Uh, right, I promised that while we were on an annoying double date with some of her friends. She had forgotten until now.

It seems I have no other choice. Well, it's not a problem, so while we continue with our facade, I can introduce it to my mother who thinks that my years of life are equal to the years without a girlfriend.

─She was going to carry you the same way... when the pigs flew.

─You are cruel! I still don't know how I could fall in love with a man as cruel as you!

And I don't know what a brat looks in me. Well that's it. I'm counting on you tomorrow.

─Oh yeah. Res-... -. I cut the call just before she said anything else.

She doesn't interest me.

After that, I went back to having another two glasses of whiskey, after ordering and eating some Chinese food, I went to bed to sleep.