Sorry I'm Not Her

Chapter Four

"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?" ( - George Carlin)

After I left the diner, I went in search for my car. It was parked behind an old Chinese restaurant that serves the greasiest food I've ever tasted. I jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. Nico, my car, was a nice metallic Mercedes. Nico was perfect, but she had some dents on her shell. On the inside, leather covered the seat. Everything was clean except for the passenger seat where I usually keep all my stuff.

I repositioned the back view mirror and then drove away from the alley, leaving everything that happened tonight behind. The street lights brightened the road as red lights turned green. At the speed I was going, I got home in no time.

I dug through the pot, searching for the keys in the soil. I pulled it out, wiped my hands, and unlocked the doors. After the door squeaked open, I hid it back in the pot before heading inside. What was the point of keeping the keys if you're just only going to lose it? Besides, the only time I came home was in the morning before dawn.

I could hear the sound of yelling bounce off the walls. I quietly locked the door before sneaking down the halls. The sound of Garcia and Koch's yelling filled the office. I didn't even bother to stop by. Why should I?

Every night and day, they're bickering about something. Whether it was about who forgot to wash the dishes or who cheated on whom. And the next day, they would be holding each other's hands and their eyes would twinkle. After all, people in love have twinkling eyes and a "spark".

I don't know how much longer this relationship will last. Ever since the incident, they've been fighting for so long that I didn't even bother to count. They've had multiple splits and breakups and divorced at least once. But after all of that, they're back together.

Most people would be amazed at how much those two love each other from the way they reconciled. Honestly, I think it's just a waste of time. Obviously it's not going to work, so move on and eventually you'll find "love".

Not that I care really. The yelling usually goes on for hours and it leaves them in a bad mood, so when I ask for a favor, it's like they're on their PMS.

"I asked you to pick up the phone and...!"

"I did pick up your goddamn phone...!"

"You told him what!"

"I told him he could shove his money and offer down his...!"

"You son of a...!" The sound of something shattering rang behind the door.

I was in my room with the doors closed and the room was dark except for the little light from the curtains. A pair of headphones was placed over my ears and a song was playing on full blast.

"Wake me up!

Wake me upside

I can't wake up!

Wake me up inside

Save me!

Call my name and save me from the dark

Wake me up!

Bid my heart to run

I can't wake up!

Before I become undone

Save me!

Save me from the nothing I've become."

A bang at the door brought me back to my senses. I stared at the door, as if string at it would make the noise go away.

"Open the door Juliette!" the voice said from behind the locked door. I ignored the ruckus and began sketching on my journal. I continued one of the many detailed sketches I have drawn.

"Open the freaking door Juliette!" another voice yelled. The voice was deeper, but no gentler than before. Aren't they supposed to be arguing? Two minutes ago, they were going at each other's throats.

"If you do not open the door this instinct, I will kick down the door," they threatened. Try me. Technically, it was their door. I barely reside here so the door makes no difference to me. After all, if the door broke down, they would be paying for it. The pounding stopped and the knob began to jingle. They were obviously using the spare key. Couldn't they have used that before all this nusance began?

"Wasn't so hard now was it?" I said, still with my loud headphones on. Their eyebrows furrowed and their nose began to wrinkle, but it had no effect.

"Why didn't you open the door when I told you to?" I continued to listen to my music as if they had no affect on me. The lines on the sketch me began to bolden as I add every little detail with the tip of the blunt pencil.

"Answer him!" I let out a big sigh to show that I was annoyed of this.

"Why should I?" I asked not paying any attention to them. They walked over and yanked off my headphones forcefully.

"You're paying for that if it rips," I said gesturing towards the headphone that was now lying on the carpet hardfloor.

"Why did you come in late?"

"Shouldn't you two be fighting about some stupid shit or something?" They looked at me hysterically.

"Don't curse at me. Now, we weren't fighting we were just..."Koch tried to protest.

"Don't start. I don't need an explanation from you Koch." Her face wrinkled as I stressed her name. She hated -no despised- the name Koch. It was her maiden name and no one calls her buy her maiden name. No one, except her daughter.

"Why did you come in late?" Garcia pressed.

"Why do you care?" I said, not taking my eyes off of my sketchpad. There was silence; no answer.

"That's what I thought," I said getting up and tucking the sketch into pockets. I shouldered past them and walked out the door without a second thought.

I should have known. They've never cared. Never had, never will.