text: Brandon had not been doing well since the incident, avoiding any social situations and spending his time immersed in books or online. Brandon was less than thrilled when his roommate guilt-tripped him into coming to a bar with him. At first, it wasn't that unpleasant. Brandon drank a couple of beers and even managed to strike up a few conversations. But then he noticed her. Across the room, she was laughing with her friends. It felt like a nightmare come true. The girl who had destroyed his life was standing directly before him. Brandon's stomach grumbled as he watched her laugh and flirt. He wanted to run, but his feet were stuck to the floor. He caught her kissing another guy just a month ago, and everything fell apart. He thought their love was real, but if that was true, how could she want to be with anyone else. It felt like she ripped his heart from his chest; they hadn't spoken since. But she's only 15 feet away now, and her perfume draws him back. The girl had infiltrated his dreams like a neocortex Blitzkrieg. Last night she was sharing a cigarette with this other guy, now she's touching his chest, and then they went to bed together. He awoke in a cold sweat, sick to his stomach. But he couldn't shake her from his mind. She was always there, haunting him. Even while he was daydreaming, she found her way into his thoughts, stripping off her dress and crawling into bed with this other guy, who he despised more than anything but couldn't picture his face no matter how hard he tried. He was a blurry background figure, a spectator, a minor character in this assassination. Shake it off, be cool; the worst thing you can do is let on that she has consumed you for the last month. It's like being obsessed with a celebrity - completely irrational and beyond your control. Brandon has gone through fifty scenarios in the last ten seconds as time has slowed. What happened? He wants to know if it was all for nothing. He was going to confront her, no not now, yes now, your sanity is hanging by a thread, and the path back to normal lies in a few words. He can't handle it any longer, but he's been standing still for 12 seconds, 13... You are not just naive but also gullible. You're hoping she'll say something to help you solve the mystery. But what if she thinks you're a loser? You'll be able to tell everything you need to know just by seeing her expression when she sees you; you know the one, the one people make when they're annoyed to see another person--the phony smile, devoid of passion. On the brightside, you'll know and be able to move on. But what if the reverse happens, and you end up with a fresh version of the face that haunts you? Runaway, runaway, runaway... at least your nightmares now allow the possibility that the other guy is fantastic; what if it's you? You cannot avoid that reality and don't want to find out. Oh my God, you've been standing here for 15 seconds like an idiot. Run! Brandon moves towards the exit and collides with a waitress carrying a tray of beverages. The entire bar rubbernecks the five-car pile-up. "I'm very sorry." Brandon's gaze meets the waitress's, and he is free of the spell. She smiles, and he smiles back.