There's a reason we all believe in lies; because they are beautiful and the truth is plain ugly!
Chapter 19
I woke up on Sunday morning with a killer headache and a stiff neck from sleeping on the floor for all those hours.
Why was it that people got hangovered when they got hammered? Why not just feel warm and nice or a bunch of other nice things?
I was going to get Jules from the airport and I was hoping I wasn't already late. Now the other problem was that I actually couldn't find my phone.
Searching through my table I couldn't find it and it wasn't on the floor either. Ok, so maybe I couldn't remember using it after talking to Jules on Friday, but it wasn't like I had a million people to call or anything like that.
Flipping through my blankets, the thing luckily dropped to the floor. It was on and the screensaver clock showed that it was 8:03a.m; which meant I had a few minutes to ready myself before the top of the hour.
She was coming back solo because her parents were going to the reading of the old lady's will and testament, and we had school on Monday -which was days before her parents jetted back in on Thursday. In short; her parents wouldn't let her miss a week of school.
I managed to clean up moving about like a zombie all the while, and took a B52, diluted beer and tylenol hangover remedy before leaving the house.
The drive to the airport was a total nightmare as it turned out to be 'overtake Charlie' day and I got a load of middle fingers aimed at me, then I thankfully found out I was a poor lipreader since I couldn't make out what those drivers were soundlessly shouting at me.
Finally making it to the airport at 40kmph, I had to go through a thorough security check before I could proceed to the main airport building.
Departures, with an arrowhead pointing upwards, and arrivals, an arrowhead pointing downwards. Those were some very accurate descriptions given by the genius who thought them up.
It was already 9:00a.m and her flight would be arriving at any time.
The waiting area was full and I took a seat away from all the anxious people and poking cardboard placards with names and messages. I didn't really see a need to mill around when the plane hadn't even landed yet.
"Hey man, can I borrow a light?" Some gangly paranoid-looking man asked sitting next to me. I'd thought that I was a mess at the moment, but clearly, I wasn't the most messed up compared to this guy.
"I'm not man, and I don't smoke," I said looking away from him.
"Shit, you're a girl inside there?" He asked leaning towards me and inspecting me with his bloodshot baggy eyes.
"What do you think?" I asked tutting at him as he got up to leave. He could pluck a cigarette from up his for all I cared.
The crowd was growing more and more frantic and to be honest, it was starting to tick me off.
Finally at 9:08 -8 minutes late- the plane made touch down.
Standing on top of a seat, I looked over the buzzing mass at the gateway. It was open and the passengers were now streaming out.
I could see people laughing and hugging and a number of welcomy things. Then she was there. Clad in a simple flowered blue dress, and her hair a bit messy from the flight; she was gorgeous.
I quickly took out my phone and called her.
"Hey, I'm at the waiting area, meet me there. And you look beautiful," I said feeling myself smile.
"Thanks! I can't wait to see you!" She gushed.
I wanted to get her home, mess around and then get some more rest before I was faced with going to school looking like crap.
"Oh my gosh! You look like a creepy blind lumberjack!" She said once she got close to me towing her designer suitcase beside her.
"Gee, thanks, I missed you too," I said giving her a friendly hug.
"What happened to you?" She asked lifting up my black stunnaz to take a peek at my wan eyes before she made a stink face.
"I had a rough night, and for your information, this checkered shirt was the only one I could put on without pressing."
"Charlie?" Jules started almost quietly as we were cruising back into town.
"Yeah?" I answered turning down the radio since I could tell whatever she wanted to say was important.
"Do you have a drinking problem?"
"What?"
"A drinking problem," she repeated as if I hadn't heard her right the first time.
"I don't spend three-quarters of the day thinking about my next sip if that's what you mean."
"I mean that you could be a functional alcoholic."
"I'm not an alcoholic of any sort. So I drink a bit more than I should, but that doesn't exactly mean I have a problem with it."
"Alcoholism is a big problem Charlie."
And so was the global economic downturn, or Kim Kardashian not finding a dress that appeared as if it had been painted over her ass!
"Relax, I don't have a problem, ok?" I said pressing the accelerator down harder.
I'd had plans of at least spending most of the day with Jules, but now I was finding that it would be better if I just dropped her home and got on my way.
"Aren't you coming in?" She asked as we reached her house.
"I'd love to," not really, not anymore. "But I don't want to be a lumberjack tomorrow as well. I have-ta-do laundry." I said giving her a kiss before I drove off.
Well, that was a bummer. I'd had great plans for our afternoon, but I guess I'd have to forego the 'welcome home' s*x and sleep alone as well.
That sucked big time.
