At last, after what had felt like a whole week of teeth gritting and passive-aggressive tolerating, a relieved sigh came out of Darcelâs lips just as the cold air embraced her.
Something less like a grimace and more like a smile curved her lips as she followed the unnervingly slow plague commonly known as Artur outside.
If she had to be honest, winter was her favorite season â cold, however uncomfortable it was, usually kept people (like him) away for good amounts of time. Of course, Artur wasnât smart enough to understand the basics of hibernation, but she still confided in natural selection. Or in the power of self-convincing.
As soon as she was out, it only took her a few seconds to wear her coat and hold the car keys firmly in hand, almost wielding them like a weapon, ready to drive away as if she had the devil on her hees.
But nope. He still insisted on being a spoiled brat, and well, the strategy with brats like that was always the same: tolerate them until they eventually get tired. Maybe that was the trick â maybe if she managed to actually contain herself (which she highly doubted would happen, but she was willing to give it a try), he would have eventually grown tired of those little game of his.
âMonday, Tuesday, noon to midnight. Wednesday, Thursday, the other way aroundâ. She replied casually, without putting much effort in it â it was exactly the opposite anyway, and her schedule varied every week, so maybe he would fall for it and piss somebody else â hopefully the Sheriff â on his next night out. Although, however strong her faith in his stupidity was, part of her was still convinced he was smarter than he was willing to show, and way more cunning and clever that she would give him credit for.
âIâd appreciate you bringing donuts. Or some weed so I can pretend youâre not realâ. She smiled at him, the perspective of getting away making her way more cheerful than she had been just seconds before â sure, she shouldnât have offered him so many chances to unleash his so-called humor again, but then again, she was so close to freedom it would have been a waste to not insult him some more.
Her smile only got wider as she approached her car, almost greeting it, like a child â well, certainly her car and her dog where more important to her than a vast majority of human beings, especially ones who liked to piss her off as a sport â plus, it was her way out of that nightmare, and she was willing to greet her salvation with the proper enthusiasm. âGoodbye Artur, Iâll be praying I wonât see you ever againâ, she smiled once more as she got in the car.