At Midnight

Chapter 6

" So, what do you think?" Ashton asked as he ejected the tape from the player.

" I still can't get over the fact that you made a mix tape." I sniggered.

" Is there a rule in the 21st century that bans mix tapes? No, so shut it, Roden."

" You're such a girl." I snorted.

It was horrible. I hated the songs that he chose. Most of the songs were either sung by egotistic boy bands that thought that they were all that when in reality, they sounded just as good as squeaking mice or singers who auto tuned themselves too much.

" Who did you made this for again?" I asked. I still couldn't get over the fact that my only friend had such horrendous taste in music. I did remember him mentioning what kind of music he liked and it was definitely anything but whatever was on that mix of his.

" It's my sister's mix. Didn't you hear what I said just now?" He rolled his eyes.

" Oh my bad." I laughed sheepishly.

I couldn't concentrate on anything recently. I meant, I never really did but nowadays, it was getting worse. My attention span was shrinking to the size of an ant's brain.

" You didn't really think that I would listen to any of that crap right?" He laughed.

" Almost did there." I grinned.

I liked the way he laughed. He seemed like he had no care in the world and that he was genuinely enjoying himself. Like he was happy.

" So when's your sister gonna visit?" I asked nonchalantly.

" Hmm, not sure. She's too busy setting up her business in the UK but I guess we'll hear from her soon." He replied.

" Do you miss her?" I asked and he nodded his head. There was a sad look in his eyes.

I envied him. He had someone to miss. He had someone he was close to and who was always there for him when he was growing up.

For me, I wasn't close to anyone. Having no friends or family to give a shit about me made me independent. I was so used to being alone that on the rare occasions when my mother came back from her trips, I would just lock myself in the room and ignore her the entire day. It felt weird and awkward to be living under the same roof as her. I wouldn't know what to say or what to do. She was just as good as any other stranger.

" Come on, Roden, let's go listen to some real music."

+++

" What's that?" Ashton asked, pointing to something on my right. I turned and gave him a puzzled look. We were in my room, sitting at the edge of my bed and talking about random stuff as he flipped through my books. 

" What's what?"

" That." He pointed in the direction but I still couldn't see it. 

I got up from my seat and walked towards the bookshelf. " Where?" I asked again.

" In between that brown and red book." He instructed.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed something peeking out in between the books. I pulled it out and realized that it was an old photograph of my cousin and I. She was four and I was thirteen. We were in her backyard and sitting on an old wooden swing set. She was wearing her favorite daisy printed dress and her smile reached her eyes. She was on my lap and I was hugging her tightly. I didn't want to let go of her then.

I stared at the details of her face. Her wide green eyes sparkled and her blonde hair glistened under the summer sun. Her smile could light up anyone's world. She looked so joyful and alive.

" Oh it's nothing." I waved off and stuffed the photograph in between the pages of a random book. I stared at it a little longer than I should have.

" Mia." Ashton said gently, already getting up from his seat.

I quickly shut the book and put it back on the shelf. Ashton looked at me for a while, confused and worried. " What?" I laughed. My laughter didn't seem to put him at ease so I looked him in the eye and said, " I'm okay."

I ruffled his hair and walked back to my seat. I saw a flash of sadness in his eyes but as quickly as it came, it left within seconds. He smiled and sat beside me then, started babbling about something. I couldn't pay attention to anything that he was saying, no matter how hard I tried.

All I could think of was the photograph of Maddy and I.