Need A Hug?

“Women are terrifying, Lana. One minute they’re happy then you just breathe and
suddenly they’re mad. I don’t get it.”
“That’s because you’re not supposed to get it, Chuck. You’re just supposed to bear it.”
“I’m trying. It’s just that she changes her mood really quickly and sometimes I… I can’t
keep up.”
“Well, try harder.”
“It’s exhausting.”
“If you tire that easily, then just give up.”
“Maybe I will.”
“Whoa there. I’m just kidding. Don’t tell me you took that seriously.”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Chuck, I was kidding.”
“What if you’re right?”
“I’m not.”
“Wow, that’s a first. You admitting that you’re not right.”
“Oh shut up.”
“…”
“…”
“Isn’t this the point when you’d offer to give me a hug or something?”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
“It’s a way to comfort people, you see.”
“Suck it up. Just eat your pizza before it gets cold.”
“Some friend you are.”
“Friend?”
“…Aren’t you my friend, Lana?”
“What? You should speak a bit louder.”
“You are my friend, right?”
“Tone down, Chuck. The neighbors don’t like noise.”
“You planned this.”
“Planned what?”
“Are you trying to play the fool?”
“Why should I play your part?”
“You never run out of words to say, do you?”
“It’s called wit.”
“It’s great.”
“You were just made into a fool by it. I’m not sure great is the word you mean to use.”
“It is great and I am a fool.”
“Its effect on you was more drastic than I thought.”
“You’re brilliant, Lana.”
“I’ve been told. What are you up to?”
“Nothing. I just want to lay that out in the open.”
“I already know.”
“You’re simply wonderful.”
“Are you using reverse psychology on me?”
“What? No!”
“Then stop it with the compliments. You’re creeping me out.”
“…Sorry. But it is true. You’re pretty awesome.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“You’re strong. Sharp. Independent. Outspoken.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“I wish Annie was like you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know... It’s just that, you seem capable of anything. You’re flawless.”
“I have a lot of flaws.”
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“I’m verbally abusive.”
“I’m immune to that.”
“I can be conceited.”
“You’re honest. There’s a difference.”
“Maybe I’m too honest. I’m unrelentingly frank.”
“It wakes people up.”
“Does it?”
“…”
“…Sorry.”
“You should really ask me if I need a hug.”
“Dream on.”
“What should I do, then?”
“With what?”
“Annie.”
“Why did you fight in the first place?”
“No clue. She just… got mad.”
“All of a sudden?”
“Yeah.”
“What have you been arguing on recently?”
“The best ice cream flavor.”
“Elaborate.”
“She thinks the best flavor is licorice.”
“That tastes like shit.”
“That’s what I told her.”
“And you fought over it?”
“I guess, yeah.”
“That’s unlike Annie.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not telling me everything.”
“Yes I am.”
“You blinked twice in a row.”
“Fine. I’m not.”
“You can’t lie to me, Chuck.”
“You know me too well.”
“I do. So, what happened?”
”I argued that pistachio was the best flavor.”
“And?”
“She asked if it was yours too.”
“…”
“I said yes. Then she said it was not working anymore.”
“She broke up with you?”
“No. She was waiting for me to do it. She told me to man up and stop running away from
my problems.”
“What did you tell her?”
“The phrase ‘man up’ is misogynistic.”
“Damn right it is. Then what happened?”
“She started crying.”
“Did you offer her a hug?”
“I didn’t.”
“What did you do?”
“She asked for space so I left the house and headed to yours.”
“You left her crying?”
“Yeah.”
“Chuck, you’re a dick.”
“I know. I don’t deserve her.”
“You sure as hell don’t.”
“Maybe I should break up with her after all.”
“You’re running away again.”
“What are you talking about? I’m facing my problems.”
“No, all you’re doing is coming up with reasons to break up with her. You’re running
away like the coward you are.”
“I don’t get you. You said I don’t deserve her, didn’t you? That’s why I’m setting her
free.”
“Then make yourself deserve her!”
“I can’t.”
“You won’t even try.”
“Because I can’t!”
“You’re selfish, Chuck.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“All you think about is yourself.”
“Yeah, like you’re any different.”
“…”
“…Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“That couldn’t be right. You’ve been thinking it the whole time.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s cool. You’re right, anyway.”
“Shit. I’m fucked up. I don’t know what to do.”
“Take responsibility, Chuck. Quit running. Don’t give a shitty excuse like you don’t
deserve her. You love her, start from that.”
“…”
“You do love her, right?”
“I… she makes me happy.”
“What the fuck? That’s it?”
“…”
“She makes you happy? Good for you. Because you’re her happiness. She loves you,
Chuck. She’s fucking in love with you.”
“..Fuck.”
“You’ve been together for two years for muffin’s sake! Don’t tell me those years passed
without you actually loving her?”
“I tried.”
“Oh great, now you tried.”
“Shit. Shit! Did you think it was easy? Did you honestly think I’d fall out of love that
quickly? I hate to break it to you but some of us actually has a heart. We feel. We’re not
all cold and heartless. Love, or feelings for that matter, may be a concept foreign to you
but it’s not to me. It fucking hurts, Lana. It fucked me up badly.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to fuck up other people!”
“Then what made you do that exact same thing?”
“…I made it clear from the very start. I never led you on, Chuck.”
“Bullshit! Did you think that made everything less painful? After you said you didn’t love
me, did you think that solved everything? Did you think I’d just give up after hearing
those words?”
“You should have. Why didn’t you?”
“Because I loved you! I wanted to give up. Fuck, that was the most heartbreaking sound
I’ve ever heard and I wanted to stop so badly that it hurt. But don’t you see? I couldn’t.
No matter how many times you push me away, I just kept coming back. I loved you,
Lana. I loved you. And the worst part is I still do.”
“…”
“Lana? Fuck. Fuck, are you crying? Shit, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Fuck, fuck. Please
don’t cry. Lana, hey—”
“D-Don’t. Please don’t touch me.”
“Lana, I’m so sorry, I—“
“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t love you.”
“I know.”
“Ask me if I ever did.”
“W-What?”
“Ask me!”
“Did you… ever?
“I did.”
“But—“
“I was shit scared. The very idea of love scared me. I thought you would leave me be
after what I said but you didn’t. You were so stupidly persistent that I actually
considered your feelings to be genuine. I actually thought about letting myself fall for
you.
But then… you finally gave up.”
“Lana…”
“I didn’t mind… or at least that’s what I’d like to think. I’d like to say I thought of it as
nice, having you off my back. But then I would be lying and nobody likes a liar… I
would know. I thought you were stupid for actually bearing with me. Who would have
thought you could be stupider enough to give me up?”
“Fuck… I’m sorry… I just felt so hopeless. I didn’t know…”
“Don’t be. Although, it was a big slap on my face that you chose my complete opposite.
That was what made me think. If I had been as sweet and delicate as her, would you
have stayed?”
“You didn’t need to be.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right. Because I’m Lana and I’m not Annie. She’s everything I’ll
never be. And honestly, that’s fine with me. You’re with the girl who makes you feel
alive. Don’t fuck it up.”
“But I’m in love with the girl who kills me. I love you, Lana. I always have.”
“And I loved you, Chuck. Maybe I still do. But the right thing at the wrong time is still
the wrong thing.
“Then how do I make it right?”
“You don’t. It’ll happen if it’s meant to happen.”
“I don’t like depending on destiny.”
“Neither do I.”
“I could really use that hug right now.”
“I guess I’ll take up the offer.”
“Does it come with a kiss?”
“Don’t push your luck.”