Somebody Else

XI | Girls Girls Girls

"How was the movie?"

"It was a-okay, Lauren," I roll over on my stomach then off of Leilani's little bed fit for a little kid and only a little kid. She's been up since 6 in the morning so it's only right she takes a nap at this time. Thankfully, Lauren is able to help me off of the floor while her daughter peacefully stays asleep through this ordeal.

"That movie puts her to sleep every time. Thank the heavens for The Lego Movie. Works every time like a charm. How are you feeling, do you still believe that you have a cold or are you now believe that I was right in diagnosing you with the flu?"

"Lauren, it's not helping me get better with you bragging. You're right I admit that I have the flu. Damn."

Whatever I have is practically gone I'm just exhausted more than anything now.

The two of us listen to Ryan giggle downstairs followed by her fork, spoon or even knife, hitting one of those porcelain plates and we walk right towards the noise.

Ryan is sitting at the maple wood table that we all gathered around at Thanksgiving, laughing at something on her phone. Her forest green eyes soon look up at us, glinting with some anger that we were disrupting it all.

"Put the phone away," Lauren says as she separates from the little embrace that we had and slides into a seat.

I follow suit, sitting across from the both of them. I'm forever grateful that I decided to come here for the weekend rather than stay at my own house where there are three factors that would lead to me not getting rest.

One, I live in a house with three other girls I have practically known my whole life. The noise level is at an all time high when they are around.

Two, there is the possibly of Eli showing up at any time possible. Because he's done it before and history repeats itself.

Third, the most prominent of them all, my thoughts. They've floated here with me. I can't escape the mess that's laid out in front of me and I shouldn't want to. I should want to face it head on but I don't know how.

Just the thought that we might have actually unknowingly ended our relationship a few days ago, is one that sits in the from of my mind along with the fact that I inadvertently dragged Kimberley through the middle without her knowledge. Or that at this point in time, Kimberley and I can't be friends because I've reached the point where I feel more for her and that maybe came from the incident with Eli.

"Chez, don't you hear me talking to you?" Lauren asks as I look up from my fingers wrapped around a fork tightly.

"No, what did you say?" I ask dropping the fork down as she passes me a plate with a few pieces of whole wheat toast on it.

"I said, how is your life."

"I'm still living."

Both Ryan and Lauren suck their teeth in sync before I begin to chew on a piece of the triangular cut bread.

"She fucked something up. What was it this time Cheryl?" Ryan asks as Lauren nods in agreement.

I guess my sisters read me the best.

"I didn't do anything-"

"It has to do with Eli. I bet," Lauren says as I roll my eyes into the back of my skull. I didn't anticipate that breakfast would begin like this. Of course, it was almost noon so brunch.

"Everything is fine," I say stabbing my bread that's on my magenta pink plate with my fork. It feels so satisfying that I do it a couple of more times and harder, before I feel both of their palms on my knuckles, yearning for caution.