Emilie Azule

Happy now?

     Armen's door is painted green. He painted it yesterday. I watched. 

It's been three days since my meltdown. Three days since I talked to Christian, the dumbass gay idiot that was my boyfriend. I've been doing okay. Mostly I just stay inside, watching the TV and waiting for something interesting to happen. I noticed things I've never noticed before. I started singing again. Telenovelas come on every day at eight on channel 45. The microwave is broken. My sheets need to be washed.

A knock on my door.

Probably Armen. I get up to answer.

It's not Armen.

Christian.

"Hey." he says. I slam the door in his face.

"Emie." He says through the door. I punch my fist on the door, and he shrinks back. "What do you want?" I seethe. "To- apologize." He says. I force out a harsh laugh. "What happened, boyfriend dumped you? Now you feeling guilty?" Christian rattles the door handle. "Quit." I say. "Let me in, okay?" He shoves on the door. "Hey!" I shout. "Let me in!" He grumbles. 

I hear  another voice now. 

"Is there a problem, sir?" Polite. Sincere. Armen. "Get the heck away from me, man." Christian says. "Sir. Please step away from the door." Armen says. "No. Get the hell away." Christian bangs on the door again. I shake, putting my back against the door. "Stop." Armen shoves Christian. I sink to the floor, hands around my knees. That gay idiot pounds the door again. I scream. "Go away!"
A fight breaks out, i can hear the guys yelling at each other. Everything blends together in a giant mix of sound and light.
In the end, Christian leaves. And i sigh in relief.
"Emily?"
Armen's voice comes through the door. "Yeah?" weak, my voice sounds like it just went through the washer and came out limp. "Are you okay?" He asks.
"No."
the answer is short. But it sums up so much. "You... you wanna come over for awhile?" he says.
"Yeah."
     "Can you... let me in?"
"Yeah."
I move so he can open the door. He takes me in his arms and lifts me over to the couch.

     "Okay. Do you... need anything?"
"Yeah."
    "Where is it?"
"What?"
    "The stuff you need."
"I'll get it."
    "No, just tell me where it is and I'll grab it."
"Okay."
I direct him to my closet and try to have him grab my big black sweater.
"Oh. You can just use mine." he says.
I agree. "Can you stand?" He lifts me off the couch. I cling to his neck. "No." I lie so he won't put me down. He smiles. "Okay." He walks to the door and shifts me so he can open it. "Armen?" I say. He smiles at me, and his big blue eyes sparkle behind his spectacles. "Thank you." I rest my head on his shoulder.
"You're welcome."