Vision

Chapter Four

Edited

Today's the day...well not the day, but still a dreadful day. Still sleepy from nightmares that pass as dreams, I crawl out of bed an hour before I have to be at 2 Of Hearts. Does it matter if I'm late? Dylan asked me to help Opal pack, which really means that I'll be doing all of the work, so I should be able to show whenever I want to.

With shuffling feet, I leave my apartment. I take my sweet time, I even knock on Oasis's window as I pass by. Ethan waves me from behind the counter. I catch him mouth the words 'good luck', which I'm definitely going to need. When I told him and Lillian what my Dylan enlisted to do, they offered to get me out of it, but I rejected the offer. I need to do this. For Dylan.

I arrive at the store to unlocked doors. Here we go.

From the first step inside the shop, you're surrounded by boxes. Some empty, some full, some already sealed up. So many boxes, but the racks are still full and the shelves still crammed with merchandise.

Someone has to be here. Walking further and further into the shop, I search for someone. I had been hoping that it would be Dylan, but my lock with Opal. She only meets my stare for a fraction of a second before she goes back to filling a box. But even though her attention is on something else, her mouth still makes jabs at me, "about time you showed up."

I don't catch a tear fall, but I catch a snuffle of her nose, see the swipe of her hand across her cheek. Is she crying? Why? Because she failed? Or because Dylan isn't letting her take everything along with her? This is the reason why this place didn't work out. It's a closet to her that just happens to have a few strangers come walking into every now and then.

I decide not to start a fight and poke fun at her misery. Tossing my purse down on the counter, I go to the opposite side of the shop to start packing. Sneaking up on me, a hand latches onto my shoulder. I nearly drop to the ground, fists up.

"Jumpy much?" Dylan asks, clueless how true those words are. "Are you going be fine for awhile? She needs to get away from this stuff for a bit." I give him a firm smile holding my words back. "Call Lillian over if you want to. Half of this stuff needs to go and I don't mean it as to go with us."

As they walk out the door, I take that as my cue to have the place empty before they come back. If they come back. He said I can Lillian to help, so that's exactly what I do. A quick text sent telling her of the incentive at hand. While I wait for her, because she will come, I start to rummage through everything picking out anything I'd be willing to wear.

I despise this shop, maybe because it's Opal that makes me hate everything about it. Maybe it's the prissy customers that are just like Opal that make me dislike it. But in all honesty, the clothes aren't too awful.

Lillian announces herself the exact minute she walks into the shop. "Wow. Where is all this going?"

"A few places. Opal is taking some of it with her to Maine and I'm taking these and-"

Her excitement interrupts me, "and I get to take whatever I want."

"That was the deal." At the confirmation she takes off, "but you have to pack the other stuff up at the same time." I'm not going to be the only one working...still.

Three hours later, sweaty and hands sore, I get a text from Dylan saying that he and Opal won't be coming tonight and that the key to lock up is in the cash drawer. Once Lillian bows out, stating she needs to get back to Oasis to close up with Ethan, I take that as my cue to leave too.

"Do we need to bring these," Lillian kicks at one of her boxes, "with us? Because it's going to be an extra long walk back if we have to carry these."

"Leave em. We'll come back tomorrow." I'll have to get Dylan to bring them over..

The click of the lock is quite satisfying. Only a few more days and this place will be gone. In one week Opal herself will be gone. But so will Dylan.

Lillian regrettably has to go back to the shop, which leaves me to finish the walk home by myself. I don't let her know of my nervousness, of the fear that slowly engulfs me. I can do this. It isn't August ninth yet. I have just over two weeks.

At least that's what I tell myself on my walk home.

I can't help the relief that washes over me as I enter my apartment complex. However, there is no stopping the sudden surprise of catching someone in my hall. I scare myself more than I scare him.

"Hey." I mutter to my neighbor, Peter, as I pass him.

He replies with the same, "hey."

I've never been one for small talk, neither is he from what I've seen, so I keep approaching my door, fumbling with my keys to unlock it. Before I get it open, he draws my attention back to him. "I-uh-I heard you tell someone you love them the other day."

What? His question has my head spins. Is he interested? He is nosey? "Umm..." I find myself choking on my words. "It was..."

Just as quickly as he asked, he takes it back, "I'm sorry-I didn't mean-that came off sounding...terrible."

His nervousness has a giggle creeping up my throat. Is it wrong that I've had a crush on him since the day I move in? "No. No, it's fine. It was my brother, Dylan."

"Got it." He grows more awkward by the minute. "I'll see ya around, Bianca."

My tongue is suddenly numb and too big for my mouth. The words come out all smashed together and choppy. "Yeah. Sure. Bye," are the only understandable words that come out.

Shutting myself in my apartment, my head thumps against the closed door. I don't know if I'm more embarrassed by my lack of flirting or that I tried to flirt when I'm a couple weeks out from being attacked. Maybe Peter is behind it? Could he be capable of such a thing?

Terrible thoughts cloud my mind for another night in a row. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling until I pass out.

The cold tile floor, the bright lights, the smell. It all lingers, slowly seeping into my bones. Even after waking to the beep of my phone, the dream follows me into reality. When I open my eyes I see that room, the shadow that blocks my path.

Shaking the residual dread that clings from me, I grope the nightstand for my phone. A text message notification pops up. The text that Lillian sent has me rolling over in bed, groaning about having to start the day. I give her a quick text back saying I have it covered.

Do I? Not exactly. But I do have a prospect to help us get our boxes from Opal's shop to our apartments. Colton.

Through one squinted eye, I tap out a message to Colton. I expect it to go unread or unreplied to for several hours, but within minutes it is accepted. All I have to do is get dressed and wait at 2 of Hearts for him.

But with one problem solved another is brought forth. Physically getting out of bed, getting clothes on and socializing with people. I'm stiff and sore and I'm not sure if it's from my deadly vision or just how awful I slept.