The Bad Guy

by Celia Aaron

Little did he know that psychopaths made the best CEOs.

The fair maiden wanted the monster more than she needed the knight.

“You aren’t the first to call me that, though I prefer high-functioning psychopath.”

“I don’t expect you to understand. But you will.” I pointed at Camille. “She makes me feel.” I pointed at Dad. “Your tears, they should make me sad, right? They don’t. I see you upset and I think ‘I don’t want you to be unhappy’ but I don’t feel your sadness. But her”—I leaned forward, as if proximity might make my dad understand—“when she cries, when she laughs; I feel it in here.” I tapped my chest over my heart. “I’ve never had that, never experienced anything like it. I can’t let that go. Don’t you see?”

“Let’s just say that she’s going to keep running, but she’s fine with letting me catch her every so often.”