Nothing. She wakes up peacefully in the morning.

Glimmer’s blacked out, too tired from the whole day's events and the week-long travel session to care about sleeping in a new place. She wakes alone in bed, though. The king-sized mattresswas too big for a girl of her size to fill. She’s tucked in, however. Naked, and carefully wrapped in a blanket. There’s a note on her forehead that she quickly grabs and reads.

“Had to go. Let’s meet again at the park at 6 pm,” she whispers, then notes its contents whilst reading it. She looks up, feeling her nipples point at the chill of the room. It wasn’t the warmest morning, and without even pulling the curtains apart, she knew all of Porttown was covered in snow.

Glimmer slips from the covers and traverses to the bathroom to shower. The stink of last night’s session made her stink, and despite herself, she didn’t enjoy the smell of it and took good care of herself in the shower, rinsing off sweat, grime, and whatever else was sticking to her skin. All the while, it felt like things were finally going her way.

The bathroom floor was heated, and she took extra time drying and getting her clothes out, wondering what the best way to meet David again was. The extra clothes she brought, or the new ones she bought? Ultimately, she chose the old clothes; they were never really worn anyway, and looked as good as they did when they were first delivered to her apartment in Neon Shroud.

When she steps out, the entire suite is warm. And it’s easy to move around in, she primes a cup of coffee while waking up. She sees that the carpet is stained and the couch is visibly marked. The signs of last night's bliss are evident where it all started.

Content and relaxed. This was a vacation. If only she could do this more often. Neon Shroud had its own vacation spots that wouldn’t take a week of travel to reach. But there were no places like this. A bubble that retained such peace. Even if Glimmer was sure Porttown had its own share of twisted people.

She left the hotel, not used to the bitter breeze that greeted her as she walked. She stopped by a bakery that made local coffee and served fresh bread with every cup. It was cheap, and even though it was a little lonely, it was pleasant as she admired the town’s slow movements.

All the buildings were advertising Christmas plans, event dates, and the sold-out ballet’s Nutcracker, now a gnawing disappointment that it was sold out. She got another cup of hot coffee before braving the freezing wild of Porttgown, despite not wanting to see all of it without David.

David came in and out of her mind, occupying her thoughts whenever she saw something she liked, or something that she’d like to experience with him. Subconsciously, she wandered back to the park where there was a calm quiet. There were still a few families taking strolls, but it was clear that a majority of the city, local and tourist, didn’t want to deal with the cold.

Glimmer’s mind was elsewhere as she was staring hollow-eyed a sigh of otters and bears about a zoo that was hosting a light show of its own when a snowball hit the side of her head hard. Her vision blurred, and she cursed, reeling from the pain that itched her cheek.

She wiped the snow from her cheek, tears filling the eye that was struck by the slush ball. She looked over, blinking the tears away with annoyance as she preeminently thought of all the horrible insults she’d curse this attacker with when she saw piecing amber eyes standing in black beside her. Two-Trick, looking as cold as the slate sky above.

“What the fuck?” Glimmer spat, shaking her head clear of the discolored slush. “Are you that much of an asshole that you have to shit like this?”

As a feeble attempt to attack Two-Trick, Glimmer gathered what remained she could and, through the slush, backed, falling short or missing entirely as Two-Trick stepped forward, scoffing slightly as she eyed the debris of Glimmer’s counterattack. “That’s a horrible way of thanking me,” she said. “If it weren’t for me, you, David, would have missed you entirely last night.”

“What?”

“I was the one who hit you with the snowball last night.” Two-Trick’s beauty was mocked by her expression, a coldness that made Porttown seem like a tropical island. “If you hadn’t been crying, you would have seen him walking around, too.”

“I wasn’t crying,” Glimmer lied, crossing her arms and shivering. “Why do you care about me anyway?”

“Gotta make sure you’re as crazy about this guy as you claim to be. He really doesn’t look like much to me.”

“What’s your type? Assholes and augged to near insanity?”

Two-Trick’s eyes narrowed subtly, but Glimmer couldn’t tell if that was because she struck a nerve or because a wicked wind cut through the park and ruffled her hair, the blonde strands getting pulled. “My type is taller and more confident.”

“David is plenty confident,” Glimmer challenges.

“He’d have to be if he isn’t worried about your clients probably being better than him in bed. How big is he anyway?”

“Shut up!” Glimmer shouted, her voice cutting through the park like a wind of its own. “What’s your problem? Are you really such a lonely prick that you have to try to dismantle what others have?”

The confidence Glimmer had lost before coming here was raging, fueled by her night of success, her vocational mood, and her overall joy. Two-Trick’s eyes danced over Glimmer, gauging something. She concluded and tilted her head down. “David means this much, huh?”

“He means more than you know,” Glimmer spat. “More than you’d ever know. That much I know for sure.”

“I’m not new to this game, and I don’t think you are either, Glimmer.” a disarming softness entered her voice. “You’re making a mistake doing this to yourself. You know what Sevens will do to you when he gets this confirmed?”

“Now you’re telling me to stop,” Glimmer guffawed, throwing her arms out. “Why the change of heart, huh! Jealous??!”

Two-Tick’s stone-cold glare was as vocal as a brick wall. “I know Sevens better than you do, and this isn’t new. He’s going to twist this thing you have going on until you’re bleeding with every step. Spare David and yourself from what happens after this vacation. Break it off.”

Glimmer stared, unsure if this was the truth or some kind of manipulative trick. So, she drew a deep breath. “What do you know?”

“Enough to know this is a childish fucking dream you’re chasing. You think David really cares about this much? He’s at a vacation spot alone, and now he’s got a little doll to show off where he goes. Do you have this thing? It’s one-sided. You’re blind if you haven’t pieced that together.”

“It’s not fake,” Glimmer’s hands closed into fists. “We really love each other.”

“Oh?”

“Yes!”

“What’s his job?” Two-Trick’s question slapped Glimmer. “Where does he live? Do you even know his last name? Has he cared enough to ask you for yours? Glimmer Veil?”

“These are just minute details,” Glimmer disregards, unable to answer the questions. “Who cares about someone’s last name, employment, or living situation when you love someone?”

“Funny, you’re giving David free sex and guilt over Sevens using you.”

“I don’t even like Sevens,” Glimmer bites back. “I have to do whatever he says because if I don’t, then how could I even see David like this? Didn’t seem like I had much of a choice to get what I wanted–”

“Yeah, what you want. You selfish bitch…”

“Watch your fucking attitude,” Glimmer shoved, but Two-Trick batted her hands away with one swift swipe of her wrist.

“Touch me again, and I’ll make sure you, David, don’t recognize you.” Her eyes were the same color, but somehow glowed with intensity. “I’ll hurt you as easily as I could kill you.”

Glimmer retained her glare, but felt all her sense of power drain out of her. “What did you want to say? Anything else besides doubt?”

Two-Trick shook her head, annoyed. “There’s no helping a love-sick puppy, even if the medicine is the truth. David doesn’t like you. He’s using you. A piece of cake for his sugar tooth.”

“It isn’t like that,” Glimmer moaned, primarily for herself as she rubbed her face. “If this were all you had, could you just go away? Leave me?”

No words are exchanged, and it becomes apparent to Glimmer in the silence that even though she hated it, there was no getting rid of Two-Trick while she was on vacation. No. She would not be going anywhere, and even if she couldn’t see Two-Trick, Two-Trick would be watching her from the shadows, listening to everything, and judging every word.

“Alright,” Glimmer nodded, turned heel, and wandered the park with Two-Trick just a few steps behind. She was followed, and had been followed this whole time. The park was more or less explored, but with the killer on her trail, the mood was gone, and Glimmer decided to retire to the hotel room, where she could be alone.

She gussied up at the mirror, taking naps and watching TV. She massaged the cheek struck by Two-Trick’s slush ball; a slight bruise started to form, but she simply covered it with makeup when it was time to meet Davida again, ignoring the fear that had been festering in her mind since before arriving…

It was dark, busy, and snowing again. Gentler than the night before, yet still romantic and intimate. Glimmer jogged, meeting David in the middle, and hugged him. He smiled in return; there was no **** emotion or coldness in his eyes or on his face. The doubt was ripped out; even if they came back like weeds, they wouldn’t be here as long as she saw him.

His hands gripped hers tightly as he looked in her eyes, words on his tongue that poked to come out. She bit her lip and regarded him with a shy smile, feeling a little out of place suddenly. Two-Trick, fears, clients, and Neon Shroud as a whole faded to the galaxy above.

Glimmer was so fixated on his face, she didn’t hear him speak, but the sound of his voice still warmed her. Knocking out cold, fear, and distrust. She just smiled wider, and when she failed to answer, he repeated himself, this time with a little chuckle.

“How does this sound?”

“What?” she laughed nervously.

“I have tickets for tomorrow.”

“Tickets?”

“The ballet,” David chuckled. “I know you’ve had to see an ad for it by now. Do you want to see it tomorrow?”

Glimmer gasped, but… aren’t there other concerns? “No,” Glimmer whispers, making David frown.

“What do you want to do?” David asks, squeezing her hand, reaching for her cheek.

“No,” she blinks. “I mean, yes. I do, I want to go.”

David looks closer, concern washing over his expression. “Did something happen today? You seem… not all here right now.”

“No,” she says again, the lie hurting her to say. “Nothing is wrong. I’m just… Just glad to be here still. With you. Seeing you. Holding you.”

Her vision blurred at the edges as a sudden flood of tears washed over her. David frowned again and hugged her. “Let’s do something.”

“Where were you today?” she asked, muffled slightly by his coat.

“I had to do some stuff for work,” David answers, vaguely and without really answering the question. He puts distance between them, and it worries her. The worry becomes etched in her face, and he can see it all written out plainly. “I’ll tell you all about what I do before you leave. I promise.”

“Why not now?”

“It’ll ruin the mood, and I think the rest of your stay.”

Glimmer’s heart drops. Good Christ. What is he hiding that could ruin her stay? She shakes her head. “What does that mean? What are you doing here?”

“Glimmer,” he begged softly. “It’s not bad. I’m not telling you what this is for for a really stupid reason, alright? It’s ego. That’s all.”

“Ego?” she whispered, not believing, worrying more. “Just tell me. I won’t judge you.”

“Glimmer,” he sighs, looking deeper into her eyes. “Please. It’s nothing to worry about. Can’t you trust me?”

She doesn’t want to believe him unquestioningly, but he seems so sincere—no malicious or cruel intent. And despite it all, David’s cheek burned with embarrassment, like the night she took his virginity.

“OK,” she nodded slowly. “OK. I can do that.”

“Thank you,” David smiles, the burn on his cheeks lingering. A slow, timeless tune starts to emanate from the park somewhere. A guitar, lazy and country-like, echoing from some place. It wasn’t so festive or joyous. It was a song, but the words were missing, the vocals not yet caught up with the strings.

David looks, and then back at her. “Want to watch that?”

“Yes,” Glimmer grinned, child-like and accepting again.