Ambivalence

We Are Not Okay

Camila

I was just deciding whether or not to knock on her door when she opened it wide, a first aid kit in her hands.

"What are you doing?" her eyebrows furrowed together and she took a slight step back.

"I don't have a first aid kit yet, so I was going to ask to borrow yours," I said quickly. "But never mind, I will just buy one tomorrow."

"I figured." She laughed, though she didn't seem to find it funny. She held up the first aid kit. "I was going to give this to you."

"Oh, thanks-" I reached for the kit.

She pulled it back, staring down at my ankle as I balanced on my other leg. "How bad is it?" She knelt in front of me. "Did you feel anything pop?"

"No, it's fine." I put my foot all the way on the ground, only to wince and lift it up again.

"That is not fine. Come in." She took my elbow, helping me inside.

"Laur-"

"Keep walking." She guided me toward her gray sofa.

Everything in her apartment was either navy, gray, or off-white, and annoyingly clean like one of those show homes or...well, like a hospital.

"Sit," she commanded when we reached the sofa.

"I'm not a dog-"

Sighing, she just pushed me back slowly.

When my butt hit the couch, I felt the urge to just lean back into it. The thing was so soft. "This is nice..." I whispered, running my hand over the cushions.

"Isn't it? It's called a couch, a marvelous invention really. With all that empty space in your place, I wasn't sure if you knew about such items." She sat on her wooden coffee table, lifting up my leg.

"You are not funny-ah." I winced as she pressed around my ankle.

"What happened?" She finally looked up.

"Why do you care?"

"Because if people see you coming in like that, the value of this place might go down."

Reaching up, I tried to smack her.

She squeezed my ankle.

"Ouch! What happened to 'do no harm'?"

"Sorry, just checking to see if you tore anything." She shrugged, a small smirk on her lips betraying the lie. "You're going to need to ice this first," she muttered to herself, taking out a large, square instant ice pack. "After the swelling goes down, I'll compress it. Hand me that pillow."

Reaching over, I handed her the navy pillow.

She put it under my leg. "Is there some possible way you could mange to keep still for about twenty minutes? I know it might be hard, but-"

"I don't know, Dr. Jauregui. I am five years old." I rolled my eyes, shifting my foot again when she left it on the pillow and walked around the couch. "Thank you," I muttered.

"What was that?" she pressed, even though I was sure she had heard me.

This woman is trying to annoy me to death. "I said thank you!" I shouted.

"Okay, jeez, no need to yell."

Shifting, I turned to look back at her.

She gave me a blank look, holding up a bottle of beer and waving it. "Want some? I also have Coke, and-"

"Do you have Chocolate ice cream?" I sounded so excited, I could tell she was fighting back a comment.

"Sadly, I hate Chocolate, so that would be a no."