Tragedy

Excited Much?

I pushed the key in the door, turning it until it clicked, then pushed the door open. Mae followed me into our well designed apartment, the only thing Sherri left us with besides money to live off of when she left. My friend closed the door behind her, and dropped her purse along with her brown leather jacket. Then, she walked to her room softly closing the door.
I sighed and turned around stalking into the kitchen, opening up the fridge and squatting down. I pulled open the bottom drawer that held my life saving stash. Grabbing a small bag of the blood, standing up, and closing the fridge, I sat at our kitchen island. I sipped from the bag admiring the way the pouch's content made my stomach flutter and the way it satisfied my thirst.
I finished it, dropped it in the garbage bag, and walked across the living room and down the short hall, stopping in front of Mae's room. I knocked slowly then entered. Mae was tangled in the covers, and I saw her shaking like she was sobbing. I closed the door and crawled in next to her under the covers, wrapping an arm around her. She turned into my chest and cried.
"Shhh, it's okay," I cooed. I gently ran my fingers over her scalp, knowing it would relax her a little bit. "You don't have to talk about it right now Mae, but if you need to, I'll always be here," I talked softly, still running my fingers through her reddish-pink hair,"I have to go get ready for my date with Ezra, but I'll call him to bring you some rocky road ice-cream. It's your favorite Mae."
She sniffled a barely audible "ok" and I rolled slowly out of her grasp standing up. As I walked to the door and open it, I heard my best friend say, "I love you Natalie. Thank you."
"I love you too Mae."

••••••••

I stepped into the steamy shower, letting the water soothe my back. I poured the mango shampoo into my hands, setting the bottle back down, and bringing my hands back up to lather my long, dark, brown hair. I then picked up my bath clothe, drizzling my antibacterial soap, and cleaning my body. I pick up my plush, blue loofah and pick up my coconut body wash. After I get done cleansing with my scented soap, I rinse off and step out of the shower onto the soft, black bathroom carpet. I grab my white towels, bending over and wrapping one around my hair and the other around my body.
I brush my teeth and dry my hair, combing it out, then straightening it. I apply my foundation, blending in my small imperfections. I lightly cover my soft eyelids in a whitish shadow then apply a little bit of eyeliner. I finish with mascara and pick up my phone.
***
To Ezra:
Casual or dressy?
Ezra:
Casual ;)
To Ezra:
Ew...
Ezra:
What?
To Ezra:
That wink. Nasty... ;) jk
I need you to pick up some rocky road ice cream on your way. Don't ask any questions. See you in a bit. Be careful.
Ezra:
O-Kay... Be there in about 30 minutes
***
I pull my under wear on and my black sports bra and walk over to my closet, looking through the racks. I get out some light washed high waisted shirts, my white regular Rolling Stones shirt, and my red converse.(outfit will be in next chapter/authors note) I pull up my shorts that stop midthigh, and throw on my t-shirt that I picked out. I check myself in the mirror, pulled on my converse, and grab my white sunglasses off of one of the shelves over my bed, and grabbed my small black purse with little, silver, dull spikes spread around on it off the table beside my door on the way into the hall. I get into the living room and set down my purse and sunglasses on the couch and sit. I pull out my phone and scroll through Instagram until I hear the soft knock on the door that I always love to hear. I spring up and run to the door, slipping on something wet, and falling. I reach up from the floor and open the door, propped on my elbow, then I flop back down rubbing my temples. Ezra comes through the door smiling widely, then looks confused until he sees me on the ground.
"Well, what happened to you?" He asked bending down next to me. I heard Mae speak from the kitchen.
"She got excited and busted her ass trying to get to the door. I guess I forgot to clean up that water I spilt a minute ago. Oops, " she said laughing.
I hadn't noticed her when I came in the living room. I guess I wasn't paying attention.
Ezra starts chuckling then scoops me up in his arms bridal style. He walks me to the couch and sits me down.
"I forgot something in the car, I'll be back in a minute." My head has already stopped hurting, as I watch him walk back out the door. About 40 seconds later, he returns with a plastic bag. He sets it on the island bar and pulls out the rocky road ice cream I asked for and hands it to Mae.
"Hey,how'd you know I didn't want that for me?" I said sarcastically.
"Because you hate rocky road dummy," he said bending down kissing my cheek and grabbing my hand pulling me up.
"Bye Mae," Ezra and I say in sinc.
"Don't get raped," she says as we close the door.
We hop into his 2014 Malibu, and close the doors. He plugs his phone into the aux cord and out streams "Bad Habits" by The Kooks. He pulls off into the road. "Where are we going, my friend?" I ask.
He gives me a weird look then looks back at the road, "Friends don't kiss each other sweetheart," he says.
"Don't try to change the subject," I say sticking out my tongue at him.
"Don't be immature Nat," he says, trying to change the subject again.
"Ezraaaaaaa," I whine.
"Natalieeee," he mocks gripping the steering wheel as he makes a sharp right, "you'll see when we get there."
We are crossing a bridge that takes us out of the city. He takes an exit off the bridge that goes towards a woody area. We ride the twisting road for a little while before he slows down, turning on his left blinker and pulls onto a gravel drive off the side of the road. We travel down that drive past beautiful willow trees with the sinking sun shining through. I put on my sunglasses. As we round a corner I see a sparkling creek with a big, pretty willow tree on one side and a big oak tree with a rope on the other side. There is a small house at the end of the gravel. It's a beautiful little canary yellow house with white shudders, a white door, and a small white porch. Ezra parks the car between the willow tree and the house. He gets out and I put my sunshades in the console as he closes the car door. I open my own door and follow him to the house.
He fishes a small key out of his pocket, and we climb the 4 steps and walk across the porch. He stops in front of the door and pushes the small key in. He twists his wrist a couple of times before I hear the click. He allows me to walk in first. It smells like honeysuckle when I walk in. There is a small kitchen with silver appliances to the left of me, and a cozy little living room to the right. The living room has a small, plush, white carpet set on the light brown hardwood floor. There is a black coffee table with a black love seat on one side and a big black recliner on the other. A fire place is set into the wall with a mantle and a flat screen above it. The walls are a light, pale blue. The kitchen is the same color with light brown wooden cabinets and granite as the top of the bars. Some cabinets are lined over the stove and surround the microwave above the stove. There's a sink, refrigerator, and dish washer also.
Ezra waves his hand in front of my face,"Natalie," he says softly, "You okay there?" He asks chuckling.
"Y-yeah, it's just... so beautiful," I stammer.
"Yeah, well I'll show you the rest later," he says smirking walking into the kitchen.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" I ask laughing loudly.
He winks, "Yeah, is it working?"
"Nope," I state popping the "p".
He chuckles lightly and opens the fridge pulling out a big basket. After he gets the basket, he walks down the small hall with two doors and goes into the one to the right and comes out with a big quilt, I'm guessing it's the bedroom. I try to hold back the smile tugging at my mouth.
He walks to me, intertwining my fingers with his, the quilt tucked under his arm. I open the door for us, and we walk out onto the porch and I grab the knob with my free hand and close the door. It's dark by now, and I love the dark. He spreads the blanket out by the willow tree and sets down the basket.
"Oh, I almost forget something, sit here," he tells me and I sit on the quilt admiring the patterns. He walks about 5 feet towards the house and bends over picking up something. The tree lights up over me. I look up to see small Christmas lights tangled in the tree. The cliche' bastard. He had picked up an extension cord and plugged the light plug into it.
He returns sitting down beside me, and opens the basket. He pulls out a Foosackly's bag and a bottle of white wine. This boy knows me. I start laughing as he pulls out my favorite menu item. Chicken tenders.
"A twenty piece for me and my beautiful girlfriend with an assortment of sauces," he says in a fake British accent. He reaches back into the basket pulling out another bag and reaches in. He decides just to dump the sauce containers onto the quilt. I pick up a barbecue, honey mustard, and Foosauce. He does the same. We start to eat and he pulls two little wines glasses out of the basket and fills them, handing me one. I finish my tenders and he does the same putting the bags back into the basket and we continue to sip on our wine and listen to the creek until he breaks the silence. "Let's go for a swim."