Fool's Gold [Completed]

06: Mama

We spent the majority of the evening watching movies and goofing off with each other before we all went off to bed. Shaina was the first, saying she had to be up early for some brunch her father was hosting the next day, but we all followed soon after and we were all down by 3 am, including myself. I'd never been able to sleep easily, but that night it was almost instant. I wasn't exactly sure what to attribute it to - maybe I had simply tired myself out so much from running over the situation in my head multiple times or the amount of stress I had regarding Harry had dissipated - but whatever it was, I never knew how much some quality time with good friends could do to lift my spirits until now. Even if the advice the girls had given me wasn't exactly the answers I was hoping to hear, I knew it was what I needed to hear.

My stomach hurt from the abundance of french toast Shaina made for us before she left and the laughter we all shared in the morning, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. Out of habit, I was hesitant when she asked to exchange numbers, but it was nice to have a new friend that already knew some of the dark parts of my life and didn't seem to judge me. I was content overall, despite the fact I knew I'd have a difficult conversation ahead of me the next time I saw Harry.

Who knew when that would be, though. I had no way of contacting him, so for all I knew it could be weeks before I saw or heard from him again. My only hope was that he would understand where I was coming from and he wouldn't be upset.

The afternoon sun was high over the city by the time I made my way home the next day. The bus ride was relatively normal, save for a woman who held an entire conversation with herself, and I was stepping onto the curb at the end of my block twenty minutes later. Keys in my hand, I made my way into the apartment complex and immediately spotted our landlord, Mike, as I made my way inside.

"Good morning, Mike," I greeted, going to the row of mail slots along the wall and unlocking the small door for apartment 3C.

"Morning, Mikayla," he replied in his usual chipper tone, bringing a smile to my face. "How was your evening? Didn't see you come in last night, must've been pretty busy."

"My night was excellent. I spent some time with a friend," I explained, pulling out the few letters that had been inside before locking the mailbox up again. "Do you know if my mom's home?"

"Mm can't say I've seen her," he commented, his words coming out slowly as if he were still in deep thought over the answer. I hadn't checked mom's schedule, but if she was already working, then I probably wouldn't see her again until the evening and that gave me time to shower, decide what to make for dinner, and maybe even rehearse what to say to Harry.

"Alright, thanks anyway. I'll see you around." I was ready to head over to the staircase when I heard him calling my name again, catching my attention to see him standing in the doorway of his office and waving me over.

"Nearly forgot, but you got a package delivered," Mike spoke quickly, stepping back into the room and I followed right behind, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I did? I didn't order anything," I said quietly, the second half mainly a comment to myself as I tried to recall if anything stuck out to me.

"Unless you sent yourself flowers, I doubt you bought them," he chuckled, picking up a vase with a bouquet of flowers from his desk and handing them over. The bouquet was a combination of white and violet orchids and it was easily one of the most aesthetically pleasing flower arrangements I'd ever seen. "Delivery guy said it was from someone named Harry, didn't have an apartment number though so he stuck 'em with me. Got an admirer, do ya?"

Even if I couldn't see it, I could feel that my face flushed two shades of red darker at his comment. I hid my face behind the flowers, pretending to take in a deep breath to admire the floral scent though his laughter told me I hadn't succeeded in being convincing. "Thank you for keeping these safe."