Don't Handle Me At My Worst

"You're right," Madeline said. "I shouldn't even think about her."

A part of her wanted to ask about that thing where his parents sold him off. But he had just finished explaining that he'd go crazy if he thought about it too much. So, after a pause, she thought a bit more about her mom, and the wisdom of not thinking about her.

"She's just... toxic, you know? Like if I got bad grades, I was stupid to her, but if I got good grades, then I was wasting my time because I'd never get to be anything anyway. It was always something like that. Why should I let someone like that live rent-free in my head?"

It was going to be really hard not to think about her.

"Yeah. Honestly, fuck her. I don't need her" Madeline hated her. Well, that wasn't true, but she wanted it to be. It would make this easier.

Madeline just kept cuddling against Shir for a while. She felt safe with him, and wanted, and cared about. And it made her feel better, but it also stressed her out a little bit.

"...How much time do you have?"

"Do you want to... watch a movie or something?" She didn't actually care what they watched. It just gave them something else to do while they cuddled.

If he was into the idea, she would be pulling up her laptop. "Maybe a nature documentary? Or a horror movie." Something about watching humans doing dumb shit and getting killed seemed like it could really hit the spot right now.