Black Lotus

1 - Start

May 26, 2016 | Thursday

I didn't even remember waking up this morning. Who knows? Maybe I didn't and all of this was a figment of my afterlife imagination. After all, it had been a while since I had actually felt alive.

I sighed as I stared at the pale blue chipping paint coming from Adelaide's wall. Everytime I visited her house she swore that she was going to get the walls repainted, but I had yet to see her actually follow through.

I wouldn't exactly consider Adelaide a friend, more of a caring acquaintance. And if you asked her what her relationship was with me, she would probably say the same thing. I had known Adelaide since seventh grade when she began to date my brother, Ocean. The whole boyfriend and girlfriend deal barely lasted a month. Ever since then I wouldn't say we were inseparable, just kind of stuck together by circumstance.

"I made some tea for you, Oasis." Adelaide handed me a cup of tea. "It's your favorite, Red Zinger."

"Thank you." I took a sip and tasted the sweetness.

Tea at Adelaide's house was basically a weekly event for me. Every Thursday after school, I would come over and have some tea with her. Then, she would proceed to bring forth all her problems to me as if they could be physically handed off. At times I had absolutely no desire to talk to her, but, I knew better than to be rude, so I listened to her vents anyway.

"I've been thinking about going to live with my cousin Jesse in Chicago."

I put my teacup down. "Why is that?"

"Things just aren't the same here in Queens. Ever since my father got remarried Anderson went off to college in Canada, I've felt kind of lonely, you know? The rent even went up here. I don't even know if I can afford it anymore." She sighed and drank some of her tea.

"It's understandable. But why Chicago? That's far."

"I know, but it might be a little better for me. At least I won't have to procrastinate getting the walls fixed here," Adelaide laughed and so did I.

"Now I gotta find something else to do on Thursday afternoons, I guess."

"I'm sure you'll find something."

"I'll just write a little more than I usually do, that's all."

Writing was one of the few activities that I actually enjoyed. I had been doing it as long as I could remember and planned to keep it like that forever. I wrote poems, stories, songs, and even essays sometimes. I had yet to find something to put these things to use to besides school.

"That's good. Maybe you'll even publish a book one day."

"I hope."

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The sonorous church bells from across the street rang continuously.

"Well, you know what that means Oasis. It's 6:00. And now it's about time for you to head home. Do you need for me to give you a ride home?"

"No, it's fine. I'll just take the bus. It won't take me that long." I grabbed my red messenger bag and slung it across my shoulder.

I didn't want a ride home from Adelaide because I knew she'd drive slowly and lead me into some pointless conversation that I would be forced to listen to. I just wanted to be alone so I could reflect on the times I've had with Adelaide now that she's moving away. I wouldn't desperately miss her, but I would miss her making me good tea and chatting with me about things out of my element.

I sighed and put my earphones in my ears.

It was nice while it lasted, I thought to myself.

I clicked the shuffle button on my iPhone and Holographic Lover by St. Beauty played through the speakers. I listened to the melodic voices of Isis Valentino and Alex Lebelle and started my walk to the number 8 bus stop, which was only a block away from Adelaide's house. Once I arrived there I sat down at the bench. I was relieved that nobody else was at the stop.