Oblivion {James Rodriguez} {Book ONE}

paranoia and a deadline

"So you guys talked? No way!" Melissa squealed, dropping the spatula.

I'm sat on her modernly furnished kitchen isle, flipping through the pages of one of the many copies of Vogue magazines she collects and sipping on fresh orange juice.

After a very slow and uneventful day at work, I quickly decided to pop up by Melissa to see how she's doing and if he has any plans for the weekend. Turns out, my buzz from Carter yesterday night glowed till the morning, which of course lead to Melissa asking me what's making me so giddily cheerful today.

I went around her kitchen isle and picked the spatula up. "Yes, we did." I brushed it off passively. I don't want to make it seem like a big deal and start squealing and jumping around, even though I've gone through that about a million times last night.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" She exclaims again in an excited frenzy. I really don't understand how she's more hyped up about this than I am right now.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Asks a concerned Jimmy from the living room.

"Nothing sweetheart, it's okay!" She calls out to him. Facing me, she gives me a coy smile. "So, what exactly are the details?"

I picked up an abandoned half of a cucumber laying on the counter and started subconsciously munching on it. My mind drifts back to yesterday and it's eventful happenings. Carter had left after a brief but heartfelt good-bye, and another reassuring promise that everything will be alright and there was nothing to worry about. I spent the entire night replaying our conversation over and over again, analyzing and patching up the holes.

"Oh, you know, he just... Came to say hi." I lie. There's no way in Hell I'm telling her about Kerensky. She's my best friend and I trust her, but everything has exceptions.

She raises her eyebrows at me. "Does that mean...?" I frown at her words in confusion, before suddenly realizing the innuendo. My eyes widen in surprise.

"No we didn't do anything. What kind of person do you think I am?" I exclaim, chuckling at her absurdity.

She innocently puts up her hands and goes back to adjusting the heat on the stove, leaving me with my thoughts for a few minutes.

"I'm hungry!" Hollers little voice from the living room.

"I'll be done in a minute, love!" She calls back, giving her chicken noodle soup one last good stir. "Mia, can you call Lola and ask her where the hell she is?"

"Wait, how do you know who Lola is?" I ask, picking up the house phone.

"Lola Parks? She's a lovely woman. I think she works at Ashton and Berkeley's with you. Turns out we go to the same gym. I even made her favorite soup as a treat." She says happily.

It's a small world after all.

The phone rings a few times before a tired, nasally voice picks up.

"Herro?"

"Mother of God..."

"I know, I know." She sighs, groaning. "I'll be there in a second. Dylan can't find the car keys."

"Hurry up then!" I usher. Melissa turns around and gives me a stern look.

"Classic Mia, always fussy about timing. She's sick, give her a break." She says.

"So, Dylan is coming along with her as well..." I start off with a skeptical tone.

"Wait..." Realization dawns upon her features. "Isn't he that guy that went with you, me and Carter to the Winter Olympics a few years ago?"