Germaphobe

Germaphobe Callie Moss Copyright Copyright © 2023 by Callie Moss All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Contents Disclaimer Courtesy Warning Dedication 1. Family Reunion 2. Fake Home 3. Failure To Adjust 4. Necessary Adjustment 5. Hollow 6. Comfort Zone 7. The Fallout 8. Under Control 9. New Truth 10. Empty 11. Explosion 12. Who We Used To Be 13. Rain 14. Trying New Things 15. Regret Nothing 16. A New All Time Low 17. Is This Better or Worse? 18. The Morning After 19. That Terrible Night 20. Everything Changed 21. All Grown Up 22. The Kids Are Fine 23. Breathe In 24. Hold It 25. Breathe Out 26. The Calm 27. The Storm 28. Now and Forever 29. Endless Epilogue . Chapter Germaphobe Playlist . Chapter . Chapter Now Showing Peek Now Showing Disclaimer This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, incidents, and events are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Courtesy Warning For a detailed list of the potentially upsetting themes in this book, please check out the content warnings tab on my author website: http://www.authorcalliemoss.com Dedication This one is dedicated to anyone who has ever had to explain that, no, they don’t actually want to fuck their stepbrother. Chapter one Family Reunion You're Somebody Else by Flora CrashI was nine years old the first time I laid eyes on the woman that would change my life forever. More so, I was freshly nine years old the day I met the moody, damaged boy that would become my best friend, confidant and protector. He was the best part of my day, where I went to seek solace when the nightmares got too bad. When the girls at school had something ignorant and snotty to say, he was the only place that felt right to let those tears out, but only after he promised not to fight their brothers. He was everything. From the moment I saw him sitting on top of the hood of his car, I knew he was going to be the best part of this whole new family deal. He looked so undeniably cool, his hair such a deep shade of brown it looked nearly black. The only hint of its true color coming in the rare moments the sunlight hit it. I remember how nervous I was that day, how my heart drummed painfully in my chest. Much like it's doing right now. The deep breath I drag through tight lungs doesn't feel like enough as I sit clutching the locket around my neck, the one I’ve held tightly in my hand since the day everything in my life went to hell. As if holding it close to my heart will somehow dull the ache. It doesn’t. Not even a little. “We’re about thirty minutes out.” I give the Uber driver a small smile from the backseat, leaning my head against the cool window. Staring blindly at the large buildings, skyscrapers, and cars off to the side as we fly down the highway. Portland, Oregon, exactly two thousand forty-two, point one miles from my home in St. Louis. From everything and everyone I’ve ever known.Except him.Even that brings me little comfort. It’s been nearly four years since I’ve seen him. Save for the quick update from Lynn when she'd cling to a rare article featuring a picture of the eccentric shut in software engineer to the gods. At least that's what they all say. I know the video games he's developed are insanely good. Everything from first-person shooters to RPG and horror survival games. I can practically taste the bitterness creep up the back of my throat at the thought of my stepbrother. Someone who just four years ago I would've sworn hung the stars in the sky just for me. Then everything changed, changed in such a substantial way it can never go back. Being close to him would only rub salt in a festering wound. But there's nowhere else to go.Despite myself, I can't help the glimmer of hope that I'll step out of this car, and he'll wrap me up in a hug, pulling my feet off the ground, my head going light as he spins us. A selfish, silly glimmer that it'll be like stepping back in time, before he became someone I can never forgive. Someone worthy of my disdain. I'm not the type to hold grudges. At least I wasn't before. They've always seemed like more trouble than they were worth. For years I made excuses for him, lied to myself time and time again. I was endlessly patient.Endlessly patient because he made promises to me. Ones we sealed with our pinkies. I was patient…Until I wasn't. Until that awful day when he, the person I needed most, was nowhere to be found. Barely stayed on the phone for five minutes when I sobbed, trying desperately to get the worst words I had ever spoken out.“I'm sorry for your loss.” Those were the words he said to me before the line went dead, he's sorry for my loss. I had never in my life felt as lonely as I did at that moment. In that empty dark house filled with memories I was tasked with boxing up because I wasn't even allowed to stay there. I close my eyes, steadying my breathing as more silent tears slip down my cheeks. The skin underneath my eyes is permanently puffy and stinging from the constant flow of liquid. I've never understood how people could say that love and hate often went hand in hand. How could anyone hate someone they love? It never made sense to me. I had never hated anyone at all.