Phonophobia

|7|

"Lace, if this is a joke then you're taking it too far." I croaked, my eyes wandering my apartment in amazement.

"Ooh, they set the beads perfectly- what? A joke? Is that what you think? Please don't." Lace laughed humorlessly. "Because it's not."

My eyes were staring at every inch of my space with nothing but wonder.  My cold wood floor was now covered with a plushy, dusty pink carpet. My previous plain eggshell walls were now matching my new carpet, but in a much darker shade. There were sofa's!! I had three sofa's and a center table that had an empty vase at the middle. 

At the place my makeshift bookshelf once sat was an actual, 3 foot bookshelf. A real one.

It was amazing.

"Well? Do you like it?" Lace questioned behind me.

My head was so full right now. Like was clearly not the word to put this. Whirling around I stamped my arms around her and pulled her into an earth shattering hug.

"I love it." I whispered, not because I had to, because I was on the verge of crying.

"L..lgg..omm!" Lace muffled into my hair.

I pulled away and dabbed my sleeve under my eyes to soak up unshed tears and then blinked at her.

"Where you trying to say something?" I asked, her face looked flushed. "Are you okay?"

"I was telling you to let go of me but case solved, and I am okay now." She breathed out.

I looked at her with the most brightest smile I could manage my whole life. But then a few thoughts settled my mind and it faltered completely.

"Um...Lace?" I started with a small gulp. "Where– I mean how...no– I uh..."

"How did I get the money to renovate your apartment?" Lace offered and I let out a breath and nodded. "I told you my father was somewhere around the world and hopefully where I'd never see the bastard but...he is one stinky rich asshole and I just put the money to better use no?" She ended with a grin.

"B-but, you shouldn't have done all this. I know it cost you a lot. Do you even have any money left?" I asked pointedly.

"Trust me. I have more than enough." She said, her voice taking a serious poll to it.

"But...but–" I sighed and clean ched my fists. "Why?"

She stared at me and then she smiled softly, her girlish features lightened her face and her eyes shone with pure Goodwill and warmth. She somehow reminded me of him.

"I might have only known you for three days but you mean everything to me. I swear. Don't think for a second that I did this out of pity, it's friendship and much more. You're not alone and neither am I, we're family and don't forget that."

She laid a hand on my shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. My eyes were teary and my whole body was numb.

The only movement I could manage was a mouthed 'thank you'.

She mouthed it back and pulled me into a small hug. A peaceful moment of peace and then....

"Mademoiselle Todaro?! Come and open sis door for me."

Mr Albert Jean. The landlord.  I could almost here the unrhythmic tap of his feet from here.

I almost tripped when I opened the door. The unforgivable stench of his French perfume seethed my nose making my eyes water. I tried to give him a light tipped smile but it was impossible, not when his thin eyes were narrowed to slits and his nose like a misplaced arrow.