The Wish (Book One)

Chapter 13: Overthinking

The rough night has passed in a blink. Is life really as stressful as we make it out to be, or is that just an excuse? Life is supposed to be stressful, but what if it really isn't. We make it that way. Life shouldn't be hard, humans make it complicated. I need an escape either way. Jason appeared out of nowhere, into my life, causing more stress than I can endure. Mid-morning, I text Chenelle.

Me: Count me in for California.

I'm not sure when, where, or how we're leaving but I'm ready. My job can wait. I haven't taken a vacation in years. It's time to finally live for once. I just hope Axel will understand.

I've realized that while your world might be over, it's actually temporarily over. The actual world never stops, everyone carries on about their day. Your birthday is just another day. While you think it's all about you, it might be, for that day, in your eyes . Once a new day comes around, everyone will forget about yesterday as if it never happened. Your problems don't affect a thing. So I'm not going to let my problems affect my world.

Looking out the window, sun streams through the curtain, bright and lively. Blue skies, a few clouds here and there. The grass needs mowed. Too bad Axel isn't here to do it. Quickly make him a man. Before California, I should probably clean the place up.

So it doesn't look deserted or like we belong in the slums when we come home. Deciding to skip breakfast, if I'm hungry afterwards I'll eat. A shower can wait as well, I'll be a sweaty mess after it's all said and done.

Inhaling, the house smells musky. I guess I'll put the windows up, leave the door open, and air this bitch out. The living room in this old rancher is a decent size. Two windows in the front. I spread the curtains wide, pulling the windows up one at a time. The house used to be full of carpet. I paid Jacob to put dark hardwood floors in.

Easier to clean and looks sleek. One leather couch right across from the window, a recliner that swivels and rocks sits before the tv. Our tv isn't anything fancy. Not a flat screen, that's for sure. The walls are painted a light gray, ceiling white. Only pictures of Axel and I live on the walls. No art of any kind, it's easier to clean that way.

The living room leads into the kitchen, it's an open floor plan. No granite countertops, can't really afford it. It's basic but still neat. The place had wall paper in here once. I removed it and painted the kitchen white. Linoleum flooring, and light gray cabinets, Chenelle helped me pick that out.

The dark cherry oak table stands in the middle of the floor. Whenever I do the dishes, a window in front of  the sink, leads into the backyard, also viewing the neighbor's backyard. They have three horses. I love to watch them prance around as I wash the dishes. Such angelic creatures. 

A door in the kitchen leads to the basement. Not too much goes on down there, although it should.

Axel is afraid to go down there alone. He thinks monsters hang out there while we're away. Somehow once, he locked himself in the basement while I was outside. I came in and I heard screaming and banging against the door. I didn't know what was going on. It scared me so bad, I thought something horrible happened.

Back upstairs, beside the kitchen is our bathroom. It is right across from Axel's room. Just a regular bathtub and shower, nothing compared to Jason's penthouse. Everything reminds me of Jason. Earlier in the week I went grocery shopping, I swore it was him there, buying vegetables. I stared at the guy for a while, admiring his beauty.

Then the man looked up and smiled. It wasn't Jason. It was some old man. God I'm losing it big time. I can't get him out of my head. Even while I'm reading he is there! Usually when I read, I only think about the book I'm engrossed in. No, Jason just has to pop into my head uninvited.