On a count down

Familar faces

I step out of the car, the familiar smell of too many grass clippings filling my nostrils. I laughed lightly, swatting the air away from my nose.

"I know they take pride in their garden and all, but people literally rent this place to trash it. Why would they freshly groom it every time?" I snorted, watching as Joshua flipped the boot up.

"Well if it looks trashed you'd have to clean it, right? Or it wouldn't sell." He responded blankly as he passed me a carton.

I took the load, staring at him confused "Well Mr, You told me we had to clean it anyway."

"On the inside, not the outside. Stupid." He laughed, taking a bag before slamming the boot shut again.

"I don't need to stay here, I'll just get in the car and leave if you insult me. The one with a steady, rich job mind you." I teased, referring to his crap hole of a job.

He looked at me with his mouth agape for a moment, as if what I'd said at hit him hard. "You know I was joking Sage, don't be such an ass!"

I smirked at him, walking up to the grand wooden door and waiting for him to open it. I hopped side to side before opening my mouth Again, "Well I was joking too, stupid."

He rolled his eyes at me, shoving the door open, "Man, you're so childish sometimes."

I smiled, nodding at his words. "At least I'm not a rich sour apple."

He snorted, placing all of the beer on a familiar long table. His eyes glaring into me. "You are a sour apple, don't forget that you snob."

I laughed at him, leaving the carton there as he led me to the dance room.

We had friendly banter often but majority of it was non serious insults. It was amusing to toss them back and fourth as we'd known each other back to when he still sucked his thumb and I was wearing diapers.

Nothing we said offended each other too harshly but that was because it was between us. We respected one another's privacy and wouldn't go tossing information at random people we met.

It was a trustful bond to say the least, a friendship built solely on secrets and trust.

"Say, Sage. Do we really need to clean up?" He asked sarcastically, gesturing to the total dump.

Cans lined the floor with cups and food scraps scattered absolutely everywhere. I grimaced in disgust when I noticed a bright pink bra hanging from the ceiling fan.

"Oh not at all."

-

After a session of cleaning I sat myself in the large velvet chair, watching Josh pick up the pink bra in amusement.

"Say, I wonder if it was a strippers?" I said jokingly, earning a disgusted glare. I winked back at him with a smile whilst clicking my tongue.

"I reckon." He responded nochantly, his face screwing up. I snatched a beer from the carton as he threw it at the bin and got a goal.

I didn't say anything as my mind wondered mindelessly back to the woman from my dream. I rested my chin in my palms, grinding my teeth together in annoyance.

Joshua walked up to me with his phone in his hand, talking to someone quite loudly. "Yea, Sage is here. You know him?" He said abruptly, staring at me with a eyebrow cocked in confusion.

He put the phone on speaker and I heard her speaking. "Well, ish. I know him but he doesn't know me?"

"Ah, I see." I scowled in confusion and he simply shrugged at me,
"Will he be there or not?" She said almost irritatedly.

"Yes."

Silence fell at the other end and we heard a crash, "Ah fu- look. Im coming tonight but tell Sage to look for me."

I leaned back in the chair, a perplexed look resting on my face. That's when the voice started to trigger a certain memory.

"Holy shit, Veronica, we broke up a solid year ago." I stated in annoyance, grabbing my phone and unlocking it.

"You broke up with me by fucking blocking me!" She squeaked, her high pitched voice forcing me to snatch the phone from Josh and toss mine on the table.

"Cause your a fucking psychopath! don't call me or Josh ever again, got it? Fuck how'd you even get his number?" I shouted as I hung up his phone, placing it on the table violently.

He stared at me with a raised eyebrow, licking his lips in anticipation. "I'll block her, Sa-"

"Why is she even in your contacts?" I spat, averting my eyes to the window in annoyance.

"She drove me home when I was drunk, or would you rather me die?"

I bit the insides of my cheeks, tilting my head in anger. "Why didn't you call me? I would've come got you-"

"Sage, just shut the fuck up and calm down."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, picking my phone up again and opening my mother's contact. "I should go home."

He grabbed my arm, pulling the phone away from my ear. I stared at him in confusion, "Dude wha-"

"I'm sorry, I know what she did to you. I shouldn't have brang the phone near you I just thought I could fix everything but I can't."

I nodded my head, staring at the ground as I licked my dry lips. I bit back any emotions and settled with a small smile.

"I know. I get it, I'm sorry for losing my mind." I chuckled slightly, placing my phone in my jeans pocket.

"We good?"
"We're good."