Iridescence

Chapter Two (Eliza)

TWO

ELIZA

This wasn't the first time I'd woken up to the sound of my parents arguing. It was happening entirely too much lately, to be perfectly honest. I sighed and looked at my cell phone. It was four in the morning. My alarm would be going off in two hours, but I knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep.

I pulled out my laptop and put on my headphones. I selected one of my angrier classical music playlists and blasted it, hoping to drown them out. Then I logged on to OurPlace, the most popular social media site currently sweeping my generation. I wasn't really one for posting photos of my meals or discussing every time I brushed my teeth online. In fact, I was a very private person, and being as shy as I was, I only had six friends on the site. Two were my parents, one was my piano teacher, and one was my best friend, Krissy. The other two friends I had were the founder of the site, who friended everyone, and Krissy's aunt, Abby.

Are you awake? I messaged Krissy.

Usually, she sent back immediately. Krissy hardly ever slept, except occasionally during class.

They're at it again.

That sucks. Want to come over?

Okay. I didn't hesitate. I quickly packed my backpack and threw in a change of clothes. I don't usually walk around in my pajamas in public, but Krissy lived next-door to me and we'd been doing this for the last four years, ever since she and Abby moved in.

Krissy opened her front door. She was wearing fuzzy socks and monkey pajamas, and her blonde hair was especially unkempt this morning.

"Nightmares?" I asked with concern. Krissy and her parents had been in a car accident right before she and Abby moved in. Krissy had somehow escaped from it. No one was sure how, especially since they'd found her back by the broken guardrail, unharmed but soaking wet. Her parents, however, hadn't been as lucky. That was why she lived with Abby now. It was also why Krissy didn't sleep much. She'd been prone to severe flashbacks of the crash in her nightmares.

"Yeah. It's no big deal," Krissy insisted.

I hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"Always." She flashed me her bravest smile. "So, wanna watch me kick some alien butt in my new video game?"

I allowed the change of subject. "Sure," I said, welcoming any distraction. Video games weren't my thing, but listening to Krissy's commentary as she played was never dull.

When it was time to get ready for school, Krissy sent me to shower first. Afterward, I felt slightly better. I headed downstairs and found her sitting in the kitchen with Abby, who was making an omelette.

"Morning, Liz," she greeted me, brushing some of her strawberry-blonde hair out of her face. Krissy had nicknamed me Liz upon meeting me, deciding it was quicker than Eliza. Most people used my given name, but Krissy and Abby almost never did. I didn't mind. It made me feel like part of their family.

"Hi, Abby," I said. "Sorry for stopping by unannounced."

"Please. You know our house is your house. You're always welcome, day or night." She cursed as her omelette fell apart. "Ugh. Cereal?" She asked.

I laughed. This happened pretty much every time I came over. Abby couldn't cook to save her life, but that didn't ever stop her from trying. She usually ended up ordering take-out by the end of it, but breakfast generally tended to be cereal of some sort.

"Sure, thanks," I replied.

She poured me a bowl of my favorite. Krissy made herself some coffee. My parents would never have allowed me to drink coffee in front of them. They didn't even tolerate soda most of the time, but I drank it when I was away from the house. Krissy, on the other hand, lived for caffeine and was constantly dragging me to coffee shops when we were out. I swear, she had more caffeine in her body than blood. Abby didn't seem to mind, probably because she also lived on caffeine. It was a miracle she didn't vibrate with how much she consumed on a daily basis.