Perfume

Chapter Four - Realized

Mandy refused to speak to me on Monday. Or all that week. There were those rare exceptions during newspaper, but she pretty much gave me the cold shoulder all that week. We would walk from and to school together, but her lips never moved. 

     A quiet Mandy was much scarier that a chirpy one. 

     Hanna and I started spending more time together during those days Mandy pretended I didn't exist. Mainly at the coffee shop where we had our first cup of coffee together last month, and sometimes at the book store or at my house. 

     The days passed and August turned to September. The days grew colder and colder, like someone had shrunk the city and put it inside the freezer. The possiblity of snow was on the horizon and already people were anticipating Christmas, even though we still had Halloween and Thanksgiving left before that. 

     Mandy finally caved in and talked to me on the second Wednesday of September. We were walking home, and this time, instead of just ignoring me like she'd been doing, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

     "Linden, I'm sorry, " she said. "I've been acting so stupid. I don't even remember why I'm angry with you."

     "It's all right," I said, patting her back. I had not missed her kisses, but I'd missed my best friend talking to me.

     "No, Linden, it's not. I - "

     Shh!" I put my finger on her lips to quiet her down. "It doesn't matter. The past is the past."

     She grinned. "Oh, Linden, my parents are not home. Come up with me, please?"

     I was reluctant to accept. I didn't know what she would try to persuade me to do. But if I said no I might ignite another one of Mandy's attacks. So I really didn't have much of a choice.

     Thankfully, though, she didn't try anything. I guess she's misses us being together that making out on her bed was enough. For now.

     The next day during newspaper, Hanna paid me a visit. I'd been sitting around the meeting table, struggling to start the week's article on the sudden increase of gas prices. I took a deep breath as I tried yet another opening line. "How long until gas prices reach its highest - "

     I heard the door squeak open behind me.

     "Hello," Hanna said. 

     I turned toward the door, grinning from ear to ear. 

     "Hanna," I said, standing up.

     "Wait, what are you doing here?" Mandy stood up from behind her computer and walked toward Hanna.

     Hanna one step in and froze, frowning. "I - "

     "She's with me," I said.

     Mandy narrowed her eyes and stormed toward the door at the right of the room. Angus' office. Mandy banged her fist against the door, and when she grew impatient, she kicked it, rattling its windows, her jaw tight.

     Hanna furrowed her brows. "If this is not a good time, I - "

     I shook my head. "No, Hanna, don't leave. I told you, you can be here. Mandy has no right to say otherwise."

     And I couldn't bear it if she left. I wanted Hanna here. I wanted her company. I wanted to talk to her for hours and hours, like all those countless hours at the coffee shop, until I was able to pierce her thick exterior like I'd done only a few times before. I wanted her to trust me, wanted to known everything about her. The ugly and beautiful things about her. It didn't matter.