The Unexpected Deal

✿ Marilyn: A Friend ✿

"IT'S LATE, Marilyn. You could have called me back instead of texting," Mom stated as she sat at the opposite end of the table. She pressed buttons on her phone and held it up to her ear while I removed my jacket and placed it on a nearby chair. Her wavy hair was strewn into a sloppy bun, and a pot of coffee was on the stove. "I texted you. What's the problem?" I asked.

"Yeah, hey Grayson," Mom said into the phone, disregarding my outburst. "She just came home. I'm sorry you didn't get to see her... I'm thinking about sending her to you in Florida while you are on your business trip," she said, emptying the hot brew from the kettle and returning it to the stove, pouring it into a coffee mug. I gave her a sidelong glance. I wasn't thrilled with the fact that my parents still treated me like a child. How could she try to send me away? She's never wanted to try to fix our already damaged relationship. As usual, I was an additional burden to her. Per usual.

Mom got up from her chair and walked into the living room. To avoid my punishment, I felt obligated to minimize any smart remarks I might have made. My main punishment at the time was having to live with her. I decided to go upstairs to my bedroom to drown out the static in the air.

My bedroom was just tidy enough to suggest that I was concerned with organization mostly to avoid my mother's wrath. It's just a little messy, with clothing heaped in a corner that I've been too lazy to put in the hamper. My room is full of plants, with flowers in bloom, calm mild neutral hues, which gives me a welcoming feeling every time I step in. My curtains were a creamy brown with a golden shine in the sunlight. My pillow was a pure white color that reminded me of a fluffy cloud and supported my head, making me feel snug and comfortable. A light-yellow bedspread covered the bed, the hues of a natural evergreen garden that reminded me of the sun's rays. Every pattern in a flower pattern with flowing swirls appeared natural and straightforward. My room was tastefully designed, and the air was peaceful and uplifting, reminiscent of a garden. That's how I liked it.

I don't want to sleep right now. But my body just wanted to collapse into my warm, comfortable bed. To avoid tiredness, I changed into a blue oversized sweater with white shorts instead of the clothes I was wearing. I decided to go to the bathroom after splashing some cold water on my face. I turned on the water faucet. My face is drenched, with the drips combining to flow into my eyes and trickle down my chin. I grabbed a towel and wiped my face with it. When I heard my phone ring in my bedroom, I walked out of the shower and into my room. As I sat on my bed, I noticed Selena's name on the caller ID. I answered and put her on speaker.

"Can you go out?" she asked into the receiver. "I want to go shopping."

"Wait, why? And now? Also, no because it's late." I asked, startled by her question. "Can't you ask Damian?"

"No, clearly tomorrow or sometime this week. I guess so or I could ask someone else," She said. There was static in the background, so I held my phone at arm's length. I drew it towards me when the static stopped.

"Where are you even doing?"

"Oh, right. Damian and I are doing something."

"I'm not interested to find out, "I responded with disgust. I never really cared much about how Selena met Damian and he wasn't really my friend. I wasn't as interested in their relationship as other people who knew Selena. She was the school's worst troublemaker, who never worried about detention, and was careless and irrational. She was a person who lived in the moment and didn't think about the consequences until it came to her. Deep down, I knew she was a brainiac at heart, incredibly intelligent, and aced every final and test without doing any homework. Still, I don't get how she made it to senior year in the first place. Damian seemed like he was merely obsessed with getting into a prestigious university, and Selena wouldn't be able to get in due to her disciplinary behavior. They've been dating for a few months, yet despite that I had a feeling that Damian was bad news. I couldn't tell that to her face though. She'd probably kill me for assuming she had bad taste in men.