The Kiss Of Midnight

Chapter One;

I turn off the warm running water from the shower and I step out as I hear my phone ring, knowing I only get calls for certain reasons. Wrapping my towel around me, I wipe my hands before grabbing my phone.

"Hello?"

"Aleksandra," I recognize the voice immediately, although the call came from an unknown number. Along with the hesitation and the force holding of tears behind the line.

"Mom? What's wrong?" I ask, tucking the towel to secure it around my figure.

"Your grandmother. She- she's gone."

I clutch the fabric of the towel in my fist as the words rang in my ears.

"It was so sudden. But they said she went peacefully." I hear sniffling on the other end of the line as my eyes close, they begin to burn. "Aleksandra? You okay hon?" She asks as her voice softens. Before my throat begins to close, I muster out a few words.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay. Can we meet Thursday for lunch? The funeral will be Friday at the church your grandmother went to. So, you can stay in the house if you want to." The tears over lap my cheeks and run down my chin as I lean against the bathroom sink.

"Um, yeah. I can do that. Hey mom, let me call you back I was just getting out of the shower."

"Oh, yes of course honey. I'm sorry. Call me back. I love you Aleksandra."

"I love you momma."

I end the call and lay my phone on the counter, taking a breath as I close my eyes. I take a moment to regain myself before I dry off and put on a new change of clothes. I brush my teeth and text Alanna. After brushing for a mere of two seconds my phone begins to ring. I spit out my toothpaste and rinse of my toothbrush before putting it back.

Grabbing my phone I answer her call.

"Hey."

"I'm on the way." I hear a door shut as she talks. "I'll be there in thirty minutes. Do you want anything? Nevermind, I'll just surprise you, and me."

"Lanna," I try to speak but she cuts me off.

"Yes, me. Don't go anywhere. I know your home. I'll be there soon. Love you."

"Love you." I say as I hang up her call. Now only awaiting my best friends arrival. In the mean time, I figured I would call my mom back.

I scroll to her name in my contacts and press dial, putting her on speaker.

"Hey," I say as I walk to my small kitchen, placing my phone on the counter.

"Hey babydoll."

"Hey momma. I'm gonna schedule a flight for tomorrow to make it there for lunch Thursday." Considering it was Tuesday I'd have plenty of time.

"I was doing the same. There was something I wanted to talk to you about real quick."

I open the fridge and grab a blue powerade, opening if before taking a sip.

"Yes ma'am. What is it?" I ask as I pick up my phone and begin to walk to my bedroom.

"Just, bring Alanna. " She says.

"Alanna? Why?"

"Sweetie, I know you were already thinking about it. She's your best friend, and she's from there remember?" Oh, right.

"Yeah, yeah I remember. I'll discuss it with her. I'll call you tomorrow. Love you mom."

"Love you too honey."

The line clicks and I put my phone down on my bed as I walk to my bedside table, grabbing my cigarette pack and pulling one from it. I place them back down on the table and grab my lighter before walking out of my bedroom. Walking to my patio door I unlock it and step outside, instantly hearing the rain beat down on the awning above me. I flip on the light switch to get a better view and light my cigarette as I wait for Lanna to show up. I take a drag from my cigarette as the rain continues to beat down, the street infront of me glistening from the street light post.

I take a moment and exhale the smoke from my lungs, seeing the smoke rise and float away as I take another breath; this one fresher than the last. The cool air nips at my skin as the dark of night envelopes my home. I smoke on my cigarette as the rain beats against the metal of the awning above me. Allowing the moments to pass by, I continue to consume the chemicals from the cigarette until it reaches its end. I embrace the sounds of what's around me. I put out the cigarette into my ashtray as I see a car slow down and turn into my small driveway.

The headlights click off as the door to Alanna's ford focus opens and she steps out, taking off towards where I am standing on my small side porch. I open the gate for her just as she runs up to it, taking shelter from the rain. Although she is already soaked head to toe.

"You good?" I ask her as I close the gate, locking it behind her.

"Yeah, just cold." Alanna says as she walks inside the open door. I follow behind her and close the door, locking it. "Can I change clothes? I'm soaked."

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll roll one." I tell her as we make our way to my bedroom across from my living room. Stepping to my bedside dresser I pull out the essentials as Alanna goes to my dresser, looking through the drawers for a change of clothes.

I begin the process as I flip on my tv, putting on music for background noise as we attend to our own activities. After a few moments Alanna returns in new attire, my pink pajama shorts and a white tank top. I pick up my lighter and light up the blunt I had just rolled, the smoke rising as the fire catches. I take a long drag, allowing the tainted smoke to reach my lungs; holding it there for a moment before releasing it. I pass it to Alanna and she takes a puff. This continues til it is about 9 inches long, putting it out in my near by ashtray, having ordered pizza in between. Our impulses taking over as our high intensifies.

Before we know it, my door bell is ringing and we are running to the door. I look through the small peep hole and see a older man in a pizza hit uniform, smiling to myself as I step back and open the door.

"Hello." I say, opening the door wide enough to see a more clear view of the delivery guy.

"Hey, pizza for Leksa?" He ask as he looks from me to Alanna.

"Yep, that's me."

"Two pepperoni's. Here y'all go." He says as he unlatches the pizza contraption and pulls out the two pizzas and cheese bread, handing them to me.

"Thank you so much." I say as I take the pizzas from him, the smell immediately hitting my nostrils of freshly cooked pepperoni and cheese.

"No problem, y'all enjoy." He says with a soft friendly smile and walks off the porch and back into rain to his car. I close the door as he walks away and lock the door before heading to my bedroom.