A Way Back To You

6| Acquaintance

Definition: a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend. 

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Monday Morning, 6am. Day 4.

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Sleep was something that rarely came easily to Maddy in a day. Often, she could spend hours just staring at the ceiling, hoping her body would succumb, which never happened. Eventually, she'd get so exhausted that she'd take a sleeping pill to go to sleep. 

For 6 years, that had been her routine. 

The only thing that might slightly change that routine was a visit to Hazel. Or, there was one other alternative but she hadn't been able to rely on that for 4 years now. Regardless, Maddy's visit to Hazel had meant a rebalance of her medication and a perfect night's rest. 

So when Maddy woke up the very next morning, she was in an excellent mood. 

"Well someone's chipper." Mina grinned as Maddy came home from her run that morning. "No class today?" She added, rummaging through her backpack to find her phone. 

Maddy smiled. "None. Well, oh I have an elective class at.....Shit, was it 3 or something? Anyway I've got the morning off." She responded.

Mina smiled back. "Did you finish that artwork?" 

Maddy tensed ever so slightly. "Yeah. But I'm not totally convinced I like where it went. I'm being paid for it and I want it to be perfect." She explained, buttering a piece of toast as she spoke. 

Mina hummed. Maddy was a perfectionist, plain and simple. She couldn't stand things being even slightly wrong, and Mina often thought that was why Maddy struggled with herself so much. She wasn't perfect. Of course that was what made Maddy, well, Maddy. But old habits die hard and Mina knew that all too well when it came to her best friend. 

"Mads, art is supposed to be imperfect. Those imperfections are how the artist views the work they're doing. You can't iron them all out." Mina responded, hoping her words had their desired affect. 

Maddy sighed. She loved her art, and she got to do it as a part time thing while she studied her major. But sometimes she put too much pressure on herself. Now was not the time to think about that though. "I'm gonna head off to work soon-ish." Maddy said, ignoring Mina's comment. 

"Work's tomorrow Mads." Mina laughed. "Didn't you get enough sleep last night? I thought I heard you snoring." 

Maddy poked her tongue out at Mina, frustration hiding just behind her childish gesture. "I slept fine. I'm just a little out of sorts." Maddy confessed, squeezing her fist shut and glancing at her phone. 

"You need a minute?" Mina asked, not wanting to make Maddy angry. She'd done enough of that this week. 

Maddy glared at her, impulse urging her to snap back at the girl. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "I'm gonna get my project finished. Then I'm heading to the shops because I need chocolate, and I think I might go see the puppy shelter later if I have time." 

Mina smiled. Maddy loved to plan ahead, keeping everything she could in some sort of routine. It had taken many years for Maddy to trust her enough to tell her anything, and Mina accepted the info Maddy willingly gave her. "You didn't have to tell me all of that you big silly. I really am going to be late if I don't go in the next 5 though." 

Maddy passed Mina a cup. "Coffee?" 

"I swear to god if I didn't like Zelan," Mina grinned, snatching the cup off Maddy, "I'd date coffee and you. In that order."