Forever

Chapter 10:(Raya's pov)

"So? Tell me what happened at the gala. You know, before you left me by myself."Max exclaimed, his voice dripping with mischief.

"First of all It was horrible. Second,its not my fault that I didn't know you were coming Max."

Today was the day after the ball. After coming home, I got changed and immediately went to bed. I just wanted to forget about the whole thing. But unfortunately Max was all too eager to hear about the debacle this morning, and called me in the middle of my modest breakfast of eggs and toast.Not to mention the fact that he was busily guilt tripping me.

"Come on, it can't be that bad.", he paused, "plus, there's probably a LOT of juicy drama along with it."

"You just love gossip don't you?" I asked him.

"Well, I wouldn't be me if I didn't, now would I?"

True. Max without gossip is the equivalent to Britney spears without her blonde hair.It just wasnt the same.

"Well, remember how a month ago, I kinda persuaded a guy to not commit suicide?"

"Yeah?" he paused,"Wait, you didn't?-"

"Yeah, exactly, I saw him there. And he proceeded to make small talk." I answered through a mouthful of toast.

"You made sure he didn't follow you home right? I'd hate to have to beat someone's ass on your behalf."

"Boy, don't lie, you'd be more than happy to bash some heads in." I retorted.

"True, Nobody messes with my Fun size." He answered teasingly, "anything else happen?"

"Well, besides the fact that my boss took credit for organizing the whole she bang, nada."

"Damn! Seriously?!"

"Serious as a heartattack. That old b-" I started, when the door bell rang.

"Hold on, Max, I'm gonna call you back, someone's at the door."I immediately hung up the phone, and quietly tiptoed to my front door. Looking through the peephole, I immediately recognized the friendly face and full head of snowy, white hair waiting on the other side.

I sighed a breath of relief.

I'll be honest, I was completely expecting to have Will on my doorstep like a psycho.

"Oh Evangeline!"she called in a singsong voice, her age audible in her voice.

I fumbled with the lock for a bit, before managing to unlock and swing the front door open, revealing a very short, very elderly woman in a bright colored sweater. Her wide grin and playful eyes made her look far more youthful than her hair did, and she immediately made her signature shuffle into my apartment. She had her usual canvas bag with her, and I could vaguely smell the scent of chocolate clinging to her.

"Good morning Agnes." I answered sweetly, closing the door behind her.

Agnes was, as she would say, 25 years young, and my neighbor across the hall.

When I first moved into my apartment, she greeted me in old southern hospitality style, offering me a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies.

And apparently, I wasnt the only one she had made cookies for.

Due to her kindness, she was a favorite among all of my hipster neighbors, who respected her nighttime hours, sometimes inviting her to eat breakfast with them.

Agnes was more or less like the grandma for the whole floor, making sure that the hallway smelled like fresh pastries every week.Not to mention that shed periodically check up on us to make sure we were doing okay.

She reminded me a lot of my own grandmother, sweet, yet full of sass. That's why I was appalled to find out that her children rarely visited. I couldn't fathom the idea of ever leaving her alone to fend for herself in the big city.

"How are you doing today, Agnes?"I asked her, as she made herself comfortable on my ratty couch.

"Oh im quite alright, sweetheart.just a little bit of aches and pains here and there, nothing too serious."

" hmm, are you taking your pain medication?"

Agnes immediately went silent in response.

" Ms.Agnes! You know you wouldn't have any trouble if you'd take them!"I scolded, half amused and half worried.

"I don't believe in those jive hooligans called doctors! Gimme some homemade soup and a nice hot bath, and I'll be good as new!sides, those medications are poison! I'm no one's guinea pig!"

"Calm down, Agnes.I know you hate doctors, but they really are there to help you. Besides, that's not what you came here to converse about, now was it?"

Strangely,Agnes felt so inexplicably comfortable with me that she would tell me things in confidence. Like how her youngest son ran off with his mistress to France,leaving his wife and two year old son behind .

Agnes smiled wryly, in that mischievous way that many old people do, her hazel eyes twinkling.

"Well, I might have noticed a handsome young man come into your apartment yesterday."she stated, her voice going up a few octaves. It was obvious that she wanted to hear more about this strange man she had never seen before, entering my apartment with a key.Even more so since I had never had a guy anywhere near my apartment to begin with.

" Was it a tall, black guy, with low cropped hair, looks like he came off the cover of a magazine?"I asked playfully, pulling a stool away from the kitchen.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She asked bluntly, as she fished around in her bag for the container of baked goods I know she had waiting in her bag.

"Oh no, Ms Agnes, he's just a longtime friend of mine. We've known each other since high school."

"Well, he should be your boyfriend. If I were a few years younger..."she trailed, pulling out the container of brownies and looking up at me.

"If you like, I can set up a meeting..." I answered, chuckling while I sat down in front of her.

"Oh no, dear, I'm too old to keep up with you youngin's. I'm just saying, the boy's handsome, and you're not getting any younger, Evie."Agnes answered matter of factly, while opening up the container of brownies, and placing it on my makeshift coffee table.

Oh, so that's the reason.

"Ms.Agnes, I'm happy that you're concerned for my well being, but I'm doing just fine on my own." I replied, walking to my kitchen to get a plate.

"Just fine? Sugar, if you're just fine, then I'm not an old lady. You know I've seen you coming home from work looking like you been worked ragged."

I sighed.It was times like this that she really seemed too much like my grandma. I grabbed two glasses in silence and filled them with milk, balancing them on the plate as I walked back into the living room.

"Ms. Agnes, I know you're worried about me, but you really don't need to worry. I'll be fine.once this internship is over I can move up in the world and live better. But until then, I'm just going to work hard to get where I need to go."

"I'm sorry dear, but I can't help it. Right now you're the only person who really looks after my old self, so its probably because of my own selfishness that I worry. What'll happen to me if you're gone?"Agnes stated, her eyes brimming with tears.

Ugh I can't stand to see the elderly cry.

" I can guarantee you, Ms. Agnes, I won't work myself to death."

"Good. Now lets eat these brownies while they're still warm."

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Hey y'all!its been a minute! Been pretty busy lately preparing for my first time in the artist alley at a convention, so I haven't had much time to work on "forever, so please bear with me!

Peace and blessings y'all!