Lovers' Quarrel

"So hungry. LET ME IN!"

"I'm not afraid of you, bitch! I'm top dog, and this is my house!"

"HA! No one every calls you 'top dog' unless they want something from you. It's literally the stupidest nickname of all time."

"I've been sharpening stakes all night, bitch! Just try something! I fuckin' dare you!"

"Oh really? You think you can take me? Invite me inside, 'top dog.'"

"Yeah right."

"No? Still won't let me in? Fine. Let's see here..."

"Jessie? Jessie. Jessie, wait. Jessie, don't! Not my car!"

"Invite me inside, then."

"I can't..."

"Can't or won't?"

"Please, babe. I'm asking you. Please. That car means everything to—"

"Your car means everything to you? Wow Chris. Ha. Wow."

"That's not—you know what I mean. You're my everything, babe. Just please. Not the car."

"Fine. I won't. If you invite me inside."

"But..."

"If you won't let me in, well..."

"No wait, wait, wait! Okay!"

"Okay, what? I need to hear the invitation, Chris. Either you let me inside, or you can say goodbye to this piece of shit you value more than our marriage, apparently."

"Can we just... can we just put the weapons down and talk about this for a second, please?"

"So, now you wanna talk. You give me the silent treatment for years, but now? Fine. Let's talk."

"How did this happen, Jessie? How'd you end up a..."

"Say it, Chris. Say the word."

"...vampire?"

"Do I scare you?"

"Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time?"

"WATCH IT."

"This is YOUR FAULT."

"That wine was cursed. How was I supposed to know it'd turn me into this?"

"Not that, I mean our marriage. All you ever do is sit around in your fucking sweatpants and order takeout. It's fucking disgusting!"

"So I'm the one who gave up? When's the last time you bought me flowers, asshole? You didn't even remember my birthday!"

"Fuck your flowers. You want flowers, you can get on your knees and fucking earn—noooooOOOOO!"

"Can't have you driving out of here, Chris. Momma's thirsty."

"My caaaaaarrrrrrrrr!"

"LET ME IN!"

"holy shit. your teeth. I'm not letting you in. EVER!"

"Typical. Put up another emotional wall. Like you always do."

"You're a vampire, Jessie!"

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"How're you doing that? You're... not touching the ground..."

"You know what I hate about you, Chris? I hate how you manipulated me into thinking that your emotional regulation was my responsibility. I hate how the only time you were ever vulnerable was when you wanted something or when you were looking for validation. I was always excusing your childish behavior to people—even to myself! Hahaha. You're fucking exhausting, Chris. And I am so fucking sick of it."

"If you actually loved me, you wouldn't have—"

"Bullshit! I loved you more than you ever deserved."

"Look, I don't know how to... I don't know what... Fuck, how did things get like this? I don't even know what happened. One minute we were dating and everything was great. Next minute we're at each others' throats every fucking minute. How am I supposed to talk to you when every time I do you're just mad at me for something? I don't get it."

"You never grew up, Chris. You're an emotional child. Your dad taught you that any emotions besides anger are things you shouldn't feel, and anything besides absolute control amounts to failure. Then your mother—what a piece of work. She coddled you and made you feel like nothing was ever your fault. It was always somebody else. Then I came into the picture. You know, at first, I thought you were sweet. I mistook your overbearingness for gallantry. That part is my parents' fault. They taught me to look for a man like you. So here we are. A couple disgusting monsters."

"You're not disgusting."

"Just a monster?"

"No. I mean, well, I dunno."

"Hah."

"Babe?"

"Yes?"

"I'm really fucked up, aren't I?"

"Ha. Yeah we both are, babe."

"Jessie?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you come inside, please?"

"Maybe. How do I know you won't hurt me?"

"I promise I won't."

"You never kept that promise before."

"This time I... I get it, I think. I mean... I really messed up before, so if you need blood to survive, then..."

"Noble self-sacrifice? From you?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it, okay?"

"Alright."

"Babe?"

"Hmm?"

"Will it hurt?"

"Just for a second. Then you'll feel cold. Then you'll fall asleep."

"Babe?"

"Hmm?"

"...I'm scared."

"...I know. It's okay. I'm here."