December "Dess" Holiday - "I'll still be here."

It was an awful night. Weather-wise, of course. Rain pattered down over the town of Hometown and made everything moist and icky. Through it, on the edge of the road out of town, a lone figure stumbled a little. They seemed drunk, and didn't even bothering with covering up the rain. Dess'd had to go out of town to use a payphone to call someone she knew who'd gone to college. Asriel. Stepping into the payphone illuminated by a ray of light from the streetlight. She dug through her wallet and pulled out 10 cents and picked up the phone, dialing his number. "Hey Az, its Dess.. Weird number, I know. Well.. I found out Carol's been putting trackers in my shit. Keeping an eye on me, and all that. But she can't bug an out of town phone, eh?" She chuckles humorlessly, before exhaling and continuing "...Well how have things been going with you, college boy? ..Bet you joined some dorky clubs or something. Or hey, maybe you're out partying. Probably why you.. Didn't... pick up." Another exhale "Anyways.. stuff's been.. going on.. here. Lot's of stuff since you've left. Noelle's got a new friend, Y'know that bluebird kid? Berdie..? Burghley? That one." "Your dad opened up that flower shop he was always talking about.. It's.. It's nice. Kris's been quiet with.. everything going on. Give them a call, well, after you give ME a call, hah.." "I know I sound a lii~ttle tipsy, I just had something to drink cuz.." She went quiet. She didn't wanna say it out loud "My dad's dying." "We thought it'd get better but it didn't. Doctor said he's got time but we don't know how MUCH. Weeks.. months.. years if we're lucky. But once that cough's back.. That'll be it." "And my mo.. no. CAROL." Her grip on the payphone tightens at the mere thought of that.. "She's gone full fucking Ice Queen, as always! Just down at town hall, every day. Do we talk? NO! Just work, work, work, like nothing's even happening! I swear she just doesn't even care, and don't give me that bullshit about how she secretly does, I'm tired of hearing it! She wants me out of the house. She hasn't SAID it but she doesn't need to. I can see what she's thinking when she looks at me because.. well.." Her head, as if it already wasn't angled down, looks further downwards. "Everyone thinks that when they look at me. I can see it. I'm the screw up, the burnt out loser. I can see it in their eyes. "What do you call a rich girl who can't get into college?" Same thing you call a musician who can't get any gigs. I've tried, but nothing happens." "No one believes in me. Gerson did, but he's dead. My dad says I've got something special but he'll be gone, too." "And YOU're gone, Noelle's smart, same with Kris. When they're older they'll be gone." "But I'll still be here. Even as everything good goes away..." "I'll still be here." She chuckled slightly, looking up into the cloudy night sky. "Just remembered something corny you told me once.. That if I miss you, I can look up and see the same stars, and the same moon. Didn't factor in storms, did ya? Cuz I can't see any of them. I can't see.. Anything." A brief silence falls over the one-sided phonecall "I'm okay.. just.. just.."

"Call me when it rains." "Please add more coins, or the call will end." She dropped the phone, it hung limply from the wire as she leaned against the payphone. She couldn't tell whether it was tears or the raindrops falling down her cheeks. It was cold. So.. So cold.