Girls Who Dreamt of Castles

Chapter Five

          "Music is the strongest form of magic."
                         - Marilyn Manson.

Adira's mother was half right, a messy house shouldn't be any woman's style. It shouldn't be anybody's style at all.

Call on me by Joeboy boomed from the speakers as Adira whistled to it shamelessly while she cleaned the mess made from last night so demurely, it was shocking.

After getting drinks at the bar, the girls brought their drunk selves to her house to get even drunker. They didn't talk much last night, they all drank looking at each other with dull eyes, understanding the language they spoke.

It was 10:30 in the morning and while the others were already out of the door before the sun came up, Anna was still in the bedroom sleeping. She drank more than everyone else last night, so she snored a little louder than usual. Stress could do a whole lot of things for you. Her friend wished she could wake up.

As if Adira's thought of her spoke to her, Anna woke up. She scrunched her face as her brown eyes met the light.

"Rise and shine," Adira smiled. "Please shine. It's a good day today."

"Good morning," she sat up, signalling to the other girl to turn off the music.

She didn't. She just stood there with an evil smile.

"No. You'd have to get used to it."

"Please na, my head is paining me and I don't want to throw up. Isn't this your favourite rug?"

"You wouldn't dare," she turned the music down.

"Thank you."

Adira nodded and sat at the edge of the bed. "You drank a lot last night. How are you feeling now?"

"Sick," Anna rasped. "But I'll live."

"Sorry. Should I get something for you to drink?"

"No. How about you? How are you feeling?" Anna asked. She didn't know how Adira felt. She didn't know how anyone felt. Almost everything, like every other day, had been about her last night.

Almost.

"Not so good."

Immediately Anna felt guilty. "What happened?" she asked in her no-so-sober voice.

"I want to talk to you, but you'll have to eat something first."

"I'd rather not. Is it bad? I'd rather not."

She was doing Anna things again. She was being too emotional.

"Well, I don't know. It's not good for me but it's not that bad."

"I won't eat now, then. Tell me. What's up?"

"At least let me make you tea."

Anna nodded, feeling defeated. "Okay, don't take long," she said and fell back on the bed.

"There's hot water in the flask already. Give me a moment," Adira said and disappeared into the kitchen.

She reappeared with two mugs containing hot, dark Lipton tea. She handed one to Anna.

"Okay, I want to quit," she said settling in bed. She wasn't even looking her friend in the face.

Anna raised an eyebrow for her to proceed but she didn't, she just sat on the bed, her face grimaced. Finally, she looked up at her. She didn't say anything, she just stared. After minutes of just staring at each other, Anna inhaled deeply.