Accusation

       I pulled up to work, parked, and sat in my car thinking about my earlier conversation with Daniel.  I ran over everything I had told him, and about how crazy I had probably sounded to him.  I thought about whether I should have told him what I had, after all it was something I wanted to keep to myself.  Then again, he was the one person I knew wouldn't tell anyone, so why was I questioning myself? 

       I wasn't thrilled about having to work, but I forced myself out of my car seat and across the parking lot into the building.  I noticed the lack of customers in the store as soon as I walked inside.  A few of the other employees waved or nodded at me and I returned the gesture on my way to the technician's desk.  As I approached the break room near my work station I caught a few voices I recognized from inside.  I stood just outside the doorway and listened.

       "So what's up between you and Ryan?"  I heard Leonna ask.

       "I don't know really, he's so difficult to even talk to I mean I have been trying to get to know him and he refuses to entertain the thought of conversation with me even for just a minute."  I heard Anthony's voice in response. 

      "Well, he's umm---complicated to say the least."  Leonna quickly responded to Anthony.  

"I don't even understand why you're so interested in him, I mean I have noticed you trying to talk to him and it seems to me like you're doing more than just trying to get to know him."  Leonna said sounding rather smug. 

       "What are you suggesting, Leonna?"  Anthony snapped, sounding highly offended by Leonna's statement. 

       "Well, umm--- I don't really---"  She was cut off.

       "She is basically trying to ask you if you're into him.  Which is fine, I mean it's not unusual around here.  So if you are you have nothing to worry about, that's your business man."  It was Daniel who interrupted her.  Some conversation they were carrying on.  I thought to myself. 

       "It's difficult to like someone who acts less than human, like he couldn't care less about anyone around him.  I mean it's not like we're all just stupid, but he just doesn't let anyone in."  Anthony explained dodging the question. 

       "Look, Anthony, Ryan hasn't exactly had the best luck in relationships.  The last guy he was with really screwed him up, and then the accident and everything that happened to his friend Michelle didn't make it any better.  All I am saying is that if you want to try to get to know him, you're going to have to try and you're definitely going to need to be patient."  Leonna explained to him. 

       I stood in the doorway and cleared my throat.  "Eh-Hem."  They all jumped and looked over to where I was standing. 

       "Hey Ryan!  How long have you been standing there?"  Leonna asked me quickly looking a bit pale.  

"I'm gonna get to work."  Anthony quickly said getting up from his seat. 

       "Long enough to hear you nosing around in my business Leonna, but I guess that's nothing new."  I told her quickly.  She rolled her eyes, I suppose to avoid looking insulted and quickly exited the break room behind Anthony. 

       "I can't believe you were in here encouraging her Daniel.  Anthony is just being nosy and you're helping her feed into it!"  I said to him in an irritated whisper. 

       "So you did hear the entire conversation.  Look I am just trying to help, the question needed to be asked."  He said sounding overly-cocky.  I was so irritated.  It didn't make sense for him to actually try to get involved in something like this, it wasn't his style. 

       "If it bothers you so much, just go out there and erase it.  You could make both of them forget the whole conversation."  He said it nonchalantly.  I looked at him in disbelief, why would he even suggest such a thing after everything I had told him about this ability. 

       "But that's just it Ry, you can't do that to either of them because you know the consequences.  Which means that you actually care about them---both of them.  So you can either go out there and actually erase it for whatever reason, or you can take the conversation as a favor.  This guy is actually interested in getting to know you and you're either too blind or too stupid to realize it."  Daniel told me sounding so self-assured. 

       Just go out there and prove him wrong, erase the conversation from their memories and be done with it!  I thought to myself.  I tried to tell myself to move, but couldn't.  Was he right, did I actually care about hurting Anthony?  It was so easy for me to do it to Alana or Leonna, I had even killed one of my old close friends.  What was stopping me? 

       I turned around and walked out to the technicians desk.  Anthony was working diligently on one of the projects left by a customer.  Just do it!   I tried to force myself over to where he was sitting.  He glanced quickly over at me and then back to what he was working on. 

       "You know, I wouldn't mind some help on these repairs."  He said without looking back at me.  I walked over and sat down next to him, I quickly looked over the other computers resting on the floor. 

       "So, how much of our conversation did you hear?"  Anthony asked me.  I reached for one of the computers and placed it on the desk in front of me, completely ignoring his question. 

      "So what, are you back to giving me the silent treatment?"  Anthony continued to question me.  I could see him looking at me from the corner of my eye. 

      "I wish you would at least give me the chance to be your friend."  He said now sounding a bit frustrated. 

      "At least?"  I looked over at him, his cheeks turned from a light caramel to a pinkish red.  I laughed a little, he certainly was adorable when he was embarrassed. 

       "You're an a*s!"  He shoved me as he said it.  He got up and walked around to the desk toward the front of the store. 

       "What?  I was kid--- Wait!  You're not even finished."  I yelled after him. 

       "I'm going on a smoke break."  He said in a mumble.  He smokes?  

"You smoke?"  I said it as I thought it. 

"Nope."  He answered. 

Anthony seemed to avoid me for the rest of the shift.  I tried to talk to him so I could make an attempt at an apology, but he wouldn't give me the chance.  Being the impatient person I was, I quickly gave up. 

       The night came to a close and since we had hardly any business I was able to get everything cleaned up pretty quickly.  Anthony made no attempt to clean, he finished his project and left immediately after.  I tried to wait on Daniel to finish up with his paperwork, but I was irritated to say the least, and I just wanted to go home. 

       I should have taken notice to the car next to mine in the parking lot, since we were closed and there should have only been a couple cars in the lot.  It was Elisa's black, Dodge Magnum parked next to mine, and as I neared my vehicle she quickly got out and rounded hers. 

       "Ryan, we need to talk!"  She said sounding furious.

       "Not now Elisa, I'm tired and I want to go home.  You could have just sent a text, you know, it's a lot easier than driving all the way down here."  I told her sounding uninterested in what she had to say.  I opened the door to my car, and she slammed it shut as she approached me.

       "No, we need to talk now!"  She was yelling now. 

       "O----kay?  What's going on?"  My expression could have only looked confused. 

       "Why don't you tell me?  I know something is going on with you.  And don't lie to me, I know you all too well Ryan!"  She said brushing her long dark hair out of her face. 

       "Well, if you can't tell I am a little confused at the whole situation, so if you could divulge a little more detail, I may be able to help you."  I tried to keep from looking guilty in any way.

       "That girl, the one you were with last night.  What happened, Ryan?" 

       "Well, she died.  From a heart-attack if---I'm not mistaken."  I told her, trying to hide my frustration. 

       "The truth Ryan!  You can't sit here and tell me she had a heart-attack.  Everyone around you has been having mysterious health issues suddenly, and you expect me to just believe that it's all just coincidence?  I don't think so!  I know you all too well, and after everything that we have been through together in the past you can't really expect me to believe this is all just random."  She said, and I could tell now that I was not the only one who was irritated. 

       "Elisa, are you trying to accuse me of killing her?  What exactly are you trying to say here?"  I asked trying to sound sincerely offended.  It was hard for me to lie to her, she and I were always very close. 

      "Look all I know is; nearly every one of your friends have been in and out of the hospital recently, all of which were in great health before then.  Two people, people you know, are now dead, and both of them were conveniently killed by a heart attack.  You may have somehow fooled the police, and everyone else but I know something just isn't right here!"  Her accusation was ridiculous, regardless of how true it was.  She had no hard evidence and she still seemed so sure.  I opened the door to my car again, and again she slammed it. 

       "Elisa, cut it out!  You're being ridiculous."  I told her trying not to shove her out of my way. 

       "If I was being so ridiculous, you wouldn't be acting this way.  You know, I know you're not telling me everything, and whatever it is you're hiding---I WILL FIND OUT!"  She was yelling.  She turned quickly and I grabbed her arm.  It was then I noticed Anthony getting out of his car.  Had he been sitting there in the parking lot the whole time?  What had he heard?  My attention was directed back to Elisa whose arm I still had in my hand.  The touch of her skin felt amazing I could feel her life starting to pour out into me.  I couldn't do this with him sitting right there watching. 

       "Elisa, you need to just mind your own business!"  I said with my teeth gritted, trying to be quiet enough that Anthony wouldn't hear what I was saying to her.  I loosened the grip I had on her arm, but I wasn't quite ready to let her go.  The energy I felt from her was intense, it must have been because of how angry she was.  It didn't last long though, she snatched her arm back as soon as she noticed my loosened grip. 

       "What the hell was that, Ryan?!"  She said sounding terrified.  I didn't even think that she would notice something unusual.  This situation was so far out of my control.  Damn-it!  I thought.  Her high-heels clicked against the pavement as she ran back around to the driver's side of her car.  She stopped to look at me before she got back into her car and drove off.  I was left standing in the parking lot with Anthony staring right at me, probably confused about the whole situation that had just taken place. 

       Not only did I have to try to explain to him what just happened, but now I had a whole new problem with Elisa and I knew that she wasn't going to let this go.  She was very persistent when she wanted to be, and getting close enough to her to make any changes to her memory was going to be hard especially with what had just happened.