Colors Part II

Everything is Gray: VI

I let myself sleep in this Sunday, not worrying about school or anything that I had to get done. But I was awoken by my phone buzzing underneath my pillow. I groaned and picked it up. "I thought I turned my alarm off," I grumbled to myself. Then I noticed my phone was actually ringing and I quickly swiped my phone to answer. "Hello?"

"Were you asleep?" I heard a raspy voice on the other line say. I took my phone away from my ear to see who it was.

"Valerie?" I asked and sat up in my bed. I looked over to see Josie's bed empty, her hot pink zebra stripped blanket tossed on top of a mess of pillows.

"Yeah, I..." she paused, seeming to think about what she was going to say next."I didn't wake you up did I?"

"No, I mean yeah, but I was getting up anyway," I brushed off, combing my fingers through my hair as I yawned. "What's up?"

"Well I was going to go to NOMA today?" she sounded a bit hesitant, and for once, nervous. NOMA was the New Orleans Museum of Art; it was really nice to walk through, but why had she decided she wanted to invite me to the museum over anyone else? Especially with the tension between us lately, I figured she didn't want to see me anymore. "I was going to go with Corrie, but she has plans with her mom. I wasn't sure if you'd want to come with me."

"Oh," I sighed at the mention of Corrie. I was a bit upset to be her second choice, but I still really wanted to go either way. "Yeah, I'd love too. Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, get ready and I'll be there in twenty," she said in a more forward tone than before. I smiled slightly, trying not to show too much excitement, but the thought of spending more time with her made the butterflies I once knew long ago, awaken in my stomach and flutter around until I started to feel sick. I agreed that I would be ready and she hung up, leaving me with an upset stomach and no ideas on what to wear. It was still chilly outside so I just threw on my favorite gray knit sweater with some black leggings. I paired it with a beanie to match and my combat boots. I folded them over to reveal the plaid underneath before sitting on my bed, ready a whole ten minutes early and forced to just sit here with my stomach twisting around until I noticed her dads old truck sat outside. I ran out of my dorm room, and into the campus parking lot right outside of my building. I pulled the passenger door open and got in, taking in the familiar smell of the truck and it took me back to when we were younger, driving home from the coffee shop, late night rides...

"So," she said, pulling out from the campus and it shook me from my thoughts. "Have you ever been to this museum?"

"Not yet," I shed, my stomach still knotting up inside. "I've been wanting to go for a long time, so I'm glad you called."

She smiled, keeping her eyes on the road and they sparkled like they always have, in that dark, dancing way that I memorized from gazing into them so often. Even though its been years, I still seem to remember exactly what it felt like to be the one to have those eyes any time of the day. She picked up a coffee cup from the cup holder and pointed to the other spot. "I got you chai?" she rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I didn't know what you wanted."

"I think it's a problem that we've known each other this long and you still have a problem with telling coffee and teas apart," I laughed. "And with trying to remember what my favorite drink is. Shame on you."

"Hey," she looked over at me for a second. "At least I try."

"That's true," I nodded. "What does Corrie like?" I found myself asking.

"What?" Shit.

"She works in the cafe at the theater," I said. "She must like coffee right?"

"How do you know where she works?" she asked in a confused tone. I sank into my seat. I hadn't told her that Corrie and I had met before, and now I'm assuming she hadn't mentioned anything either. "Lou?" I realized how long I'd been sitting there when she said my name.