Looking at my new alarm clock, I saw it was a little after three in the morning.
“I asked Stephen, not you, Simeon.”
Grabbing a couple pain pills from my bathroom, I quickly filled a cup of water and downed them both.
“You can’t deny what your body wants, Cassie. You’ve been keeping it to yourself for far too long now.”
What was going on? Why does my head feel so fuzzy? “Who are you?”
“I’m Stephen, the love of your life.”
Shaking my head, I wanted him to stop. “No, you’re not. You’re nothing like Stephen. You’re sick, Simeon. Stop it!”
Sitting up on my bed, Simeon sighed. “Cassie, it’s me. You can tell it’s me. Why are you pushing me away now?”
I refused to believe him. It couldn’t be him, could it? My head and my heart were having a full scale war. I wanted it to be Stephen, but I knew it couldn’t be. If it was Stephen why was he doing this to me?
Looking over at the other side of the bed, I found a blue shirt and navy trousers on the floor. Looking even further, I noticed my dress. The dress I was wearing earlier.
Walking over to his clothes, I bent down and picked them up. Motioning them to him, I scowled. “How could you, Simeon? How could you do this?”
Sighing in resignation, Simeon lay against my headboard. “You wanted me to be him. I just thought I’d play along for you.”
I was disgusted. “How could you do that? It’s sick. Just…sick!” Feeling my head spin, I held onto one of the dining room chairs. “I don’t feel too good. Did you put something in my drink?”
Looking up, I saw his hesitation. “Of course not. I wouldn’t do that to you. Look at everything we’ve been through together. I’ve been there for you, Cassie. You know I have.”
It was getting worse. Now I knew he had spiked my drink. His reaction to my question confirmed as much. Now that I knew I must be right, I willed my mind to work through whatever it was. I had to be strong. I had to try and force myself past this.
“That doesn’t give you the right to pretend you’re someone else.”
I watched as Simeon folded his arms and shook his head. Now his face looked nothing like Stephen’s. Stephen never showed me anything but kindness and love. Simeon’s whole body language just looked geared up for a fight.
“Why couldn’t you have just done as you’re told?”
Feeling the fuzziness coming again, I shook my head. “What have you done to me, Simeon?”
He sighed like he was bored and frustrated with the whole thing. “I only gave you a little something to help you relax a bit. You’re always so tense and wrapped up in Stephen all the time. You needed to let lose a little.”
Feeling the anger rise, I fisted my hands. “And you thought I could loosen up with you? You sick, twisted, piece of—”
“I wouldn’t finish whatever you’re about to say, Cassie,” he said, softly.
“Or what, Simeon? What will you do?” I knew I shouldn’t anger him too much as there was no telling what he would do.
“Don’t push me. I’ve been pushed far enough. I’ve had weeks of sitting around and listening to poor Cassie loving Stephen, poor Cassie missing Stephen. Stephen, Stephen, fucking Stephen!”
My stomach clenched in fear and loathing for this man. I had treated him with kindness and respect whilst he was laughing at me this whole time.
“I want you out!” I demanded, willing my head to just clear up. I seemed to be able to see sense one minute, but the dizziness would come the next.
“I’m not going anywhere until I get what I deserve. You disappoint me, Cassie. You let yourself hang around with people who prefer their own sex. You—”
That certainly cleared it for me. “Whoa, hold up.” Were my ears deceiving me? “Please don’t tell me you’re going there.” I looked at his face and it told me everything I needed to know. He was going there.
“You know, the world is full of people like you. You sit there feeling all high and mighty because you’re an angel so that means your own shit doesn’t stink, right? Well, you’re wrong. Billy and Chris are the most loyal, loving, caring people I know. Just because they chose to be with someone that others, like yourself, don’t agree with, doesn’t make them bad people.”
Simeon threw his hands in the air in frustration. “It’s not right.”
“According to whom, Simeon? You? Oh, let’s all just do whatever you think we should do, shall we? Let’s just stop being gay because the great Simeon said so. Poof, I’m straight. Isn’t that amazing?!” I was so overwhelmed with it, I started to doubt whether all this was real. Surely Simeon wasn’t here doing and saying the things he is. Surely, as an angel, he wouldn’t think like this, would he?