Z E R O  G R A V I T Y
↳ E x e s

"But does it have flavor?"
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-C O R Y-

Finally, after the few days I had to take off to resume the poking and prodding S.T.A.R Labs wanted to assure, I was back on my regular shifts at Jitters.

Sadly as far as my life goes, not so much the same.

Normally as a way to right the weirdness evident lately I would be out doing something exciting, anything a person in their early twenties would consider fun really. But Caitlin's been on my ass about rent. I honestly don't know how she expects me to work full shifts, be the Lab's test monkey, and dodge headline's at the same time.

Some day's she looks at me like I'm Superwoman.

And even gives me responsibilities like her too.

Iris was walking behind the employee counter dressed in her apron, holding a note pad and pencil.

After doing out a page she stuck it on the rack and than rang the bell. I didn't do as much as even say "good afternoon" because I was already slipping into a sleep induced coma. Oh how peaceful that must be.

"Hello. Earth to Cory." Someone waved a hand in front of my face. Unless whoever did such thing had a goal to confuse me they didn't do much help.

My lids continued to gradually droop until my entire body gave out and crumbled beneath me behind the cash register.

Although I could be fired and put out of a job which will eventually lead me to back rent on Caitlin, I was happy to finally sleep.

Can't say the for person who tried waking me up.

I think I made them a little irritated after witnessing my snores.

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I'm not sure about you guys but I'm tired of ending up in S.T.A.R Labs some way somehow.

Cisco being the dummy he his blew up a hand shaped balloon from one of the latex gloves in our medical supplies and slap me with it until my eyes fluttered open.

Trust me when I say the jerk will be returned the favor one day.

"What in hell's name am I doing here?" I groaned.

Catlin came over with a clip board, acting as if she's a family doctor.

"Have you been experiencing exhaustion, fatigue, drowsiness...?"

My eyes felt fragile to the bleeding light and I wanted nothing more than to sink back into the comforting darkness.

"These questions are irrelevant."

"Actually they're not." Caitlin walked to the desk beside me and placed the board down with an everlasting ring.

She took note of my extra complaints after that and nodded her head. "Your powers are causing this. Way too much energy is being taken out of you."

I would've shaken my head "no" as rejection but couldn't find the strength to do it. Verbally speaking is my only way.

"I've just been put under a lot of stress lately." An unconvinced hum was mumbled.

Cisco and Barry were on the other side of the room having an analysis checked out. I didn't even notice until now.

"Seriously, cut the crap of an excuse and tell me why I'm really here. I could've sworn I was at work, probably about to be fired, having the time of my life-"

"I know it's seems impossible right!"

Cisco was nerding off again.

"Would you shut up! I'm tryna' complain over here!"

"Development of mood swings; step one anger." Caitlin mumbled as she scribbled down unnecessary notes.

Barry sat up in his metal gurney- that I've also just realized- and waddled awkwardly to my side. With him hooked up to machines and stuff.

"Cory, you're okay."

I looked at him with furrowed brows and wrinkled nose. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you passed out. I saw you."

Here he goes again. Always stating an unrealistic claim.

"So you were that guy at Jitters?" He nodded in response. "And you were the one who brought me here?"

Based on my tone of voice the second time, Allen nodded again but more meekly.

"Well I have to say, you have really soft hands. Kinda feminine like."

Cisco chuckled an unattractive snort and Allen shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "That's expected to happen when your touching unknown chemicals for a living."

My expression switched to disgust. Not exactly what I wanted to hear.

Caitlin went over to a mini fridge in the corner- there's no point even asking why they have it here. Ellie was a junk food fanatic and forced them to basically have at least one food source in every room.

She walked back and handed me an unbranded bar without a second glance. Similar to what I did to Iris. Except she didn't look tired, more like focused based on her sharp facial features.

"Here, eat this. It's got enough packed proteins to give back the energy your body needs to function."

"Does it have a flavor?" I looked at it with obvious caution.

"What? Why would it need a flavor?"

"It's a candy bar. All candy bars have a flavor. Good or not."

"It's not a candy bar it's a protein bar."

"But does it have flavor?"

"Just eat the damn thing!"

It's gonna taste like crap. It has too, this is Cisco who made this and he doesn't get an A+ when it comes to detail. Especially when It was made scientifically. And I bet what you're gonna say 'most protein bars are actually made scientifically', But this is for energy, not taste. Meaning its bound to be horrible.

And I was right, go figure.
"This taste like crap!"

Caitlin and Cisco shushed me erratically. 
"Oh and while you're here, mind taking all your clothes off?" Caitlin asked in such an innocent tone. It Chilled me to the bone, actually.

"Very. I'm afraid to ask why."

Cisco rolled out an extra gurney from outside. When he opened the door quite sobs could be heard. I'm more confused than before I came in here. Thus reason number one why I don't like visiting.

"Cool cause we don't really have time to answer." Cisco came over and guided me towards it by the shoulders.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone here wants to pay their respects."

This is the main reason why I never like asking them questions. Its not like I ever get answers, not direct answers anyways. In the end I'm always left with more questions to begin with.

"I know I'm gonna regret asking but-What're you talking about?" I flail my arms in utter confusion.

Caitlin motioned to the window that was currently down with shades covering it. Peeking through was the last person I wanted see.

At this point Allen was getting curious or if you wanna take my opinion on it, nosy. "What? What're you looking at?"

Caitlin answered for me, knowing I'm too deep in shock. "It's her ex-boyfriend, Dylan..."

I was pacing, something I do when I'm beyond nervous, back and forth in the room. I was too anxious to realize everyone was growing irritated by my shuffling real fast.

"Holy crap. Holy crap. Holy-"

"Hey! calm down, alright."

"Calm down? Calm down?!" Cisco was already written in my death note for reasons numbers can't fathom to describe, but now it's seems like he wants a death wish in hell as well.

I give props to him.

No one makes me want to smash my head into a wall better than he does.

"My boyfriend is sitting in the hallway, bawling his eyes out because he thinks his girlfriend, which he's utterly in love with- I use those terms very loosely- is dead!" Cisco gaped his mouth open for a bit, slightly afraid to say any anything else after that. I don't ramble very often either, another sign of nervousness.

"Honestly Cisco what do you expect me to do?"

"Well, you always talked about becoming an actress in case this job wasn't gonna work out. You could put those skills to use."

I raised my right eyebrow in question. "How?"

"If you'd just strip down and hop up here."

I looked at Cisco with astonishment. I can't take anything he just said into consideration because of the amount of seriousness he had in his voice. He patted the cold metal gurney with his opaque "doctor gloves" that he dramatically slapped on.

"You actually expect me to play pretend with death? Do I need to introduce all five Final Destination movies or...?"

He shrugged nonchalantly with his arms crossed over the chest. "I don't see the problem here."

Of course he wouldn't. My eyes rolled heavily and sternly I said, "No Gurney's will be involved.", despite my state of mind at the moment.

"Wait a minute," Allen intervened with a baffled look. "I thought he was your ex?"

Out of all that, including the mini panic attack, Allen focused on the fact whether the boy out there is my current boyfriend or ex.

"He is."

"But you said, 'My boyfriend' not 'My ex boyfriend'." Allen earned himself a flat-faced look. Did I miss the memo on annoy Cory Day?everyone's going for the gold medal today, I swear.

"Wow you understand English, congratulations. Wanna cookie?"

He huffed out an unamused groan as a retort to my flawless sarcasm. Obviously though he didn't think so. If anything he looked to be growing equally annoyed.

"Did you officially break up with him?" Caitlin asked. Her head was still nudged between the rods of the blinds.

I bit my lip nervously, slyly avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. Cisco seemed to have a new excitement enlightened in him too.

"Did you?" He prodded.

"Not really. I mean who can break up with that adorable puppy face." I defended myself. It was true. Dylan was cute beyond belief and turned me into a complete pushover whenever we stood a twenty foot radius of each other.

Allen flailed his arms around in the air spastically. "Oh, great. You never ended it with him. Why would you even consider him your ex?"

"Because he thought I was dead!"

Cisco automatically clamped my mouth shut with his callused hand. I yelled loud enough for nearly half the building to hear so I knew right off the bat shit was about to hit the fan quickly.

Caitlin looked back timidly before widening her eyes and snapping shut the space she made for herself in the shades. Her finger rested above both lips as an indication to keep quiet or face her wrath.

I'm not sure silence was the best way to go after that little outburst I had. It'd be considered more suspicious than regular noise, and trust me you could hear a pin drop.

But maybe we wouldn't be in this circumstance if Allen would stop asking questions. It was his fault I snapped. This was my problem, not Allen's. Since when was he so interested in my love life anyways?

There was a few shuffling of pad's against the marble floor and then followed by yet another long period of silence.

"Hello?" Then came the solid knock on the automated door. But he needed a employee ID to enter.

"Caitlin, Cisco, I know you're in there." He sniffled. Broke my heart into little crumbs just hearing it. "I-I wanna see her already."

Caitlin shot me a panicked expression, as did Cisco. But I'm not about to strip nude and mess around with death to hurt a loved one. Not anymore.

College was filled with wild times.

That's another story for another time.

Without looking at anyone's face for approval I slowly removed Cisco's hand, which is in deep need of lotion, and ever so slowly made my way to the door. Ignoring the tiny shivers from the cold weather it took every ounce of energy to pull the door open. Partly because I refuse to eat the shitty energy bar S.T.A.R Labs dare called food and partly because I'm extremely lazy.

Dylan stood there, frozen. His right hand was valued into a fist above his head, prepared to knock again.

He looked like pure and utter crap. Probably even worst than the little deathly chemical bar Caitlin's most likely gonna force me to eat for the second time in ten minutes. His eyes were bloodshot from the numerous tears he shedded a dramatic tear roll right now, their were deep and dark bags underneath, his clothes looked disheveled and uneven, and his hair looked messy as if he's been pulling it in random directions.

"You're not a dead body!" His voice rasped dumbfoundedly.

"Neither are you."

He poked my shoulder with his bony figure hesitantly.

"I'm not Casper the friendly ghost, Dyl-"

Usually on a regular day I'd get a good amount of upset when someone interrupted, but I'll let this day pass. Because the breathtaking -literally- bear hug he gave me sent a fuzzy feeling in my chest. One that hasn't been there since Ellie died.

One that made me feel at home.

[Re-Edited]

Let's hope this is the last time I'm re-editing my chapters. I'm not writing any new material just pairing together filler chapters. And trust when I say this rewrite was long overdue

If you liked this chapter then don't forget to vote, comment, and all that jazz beause I really do appreciate it

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