Fossegrim

Chapter One: Lukes House

It was starting to poor when Arja finally came to the door.

"Holy hell Ary, it's raining cats and dogs out there. You're soaked..." Luke looked at Arja with concern as he ushered her inside his home, he eyed his laundry pile on his couch that he had yet to take upstairs to his room. He grabbed a clean towel from the heap of clothes and wrapped it around his friend.

"Thanks..." Arja muttered as she shivered in place, slowly removing her wet shoes, only to reveal wet socks underneath. As if she could have done anything about that, at least the rain had fixed the mud from her earlier, curious encounter with whatever that...thing was.

"Damn, you're usually a mess, but like, not this much of a mess" Luke teased. Arja threw a sharp glare that pierced right through Luke's soul, leaving him nothing but a husk of a man. Nervous laughter escaped his lips

"Ah-ha-ha... forget I said anything..." Luke began,

"I'll just get you some clean clothes to wear and I'll throw those in the wash for you." Luke stammered, and with that left to go upstairs to grab her an outfit suitable for movie night.

Arja stayed downstairs, the towel rested on her shoulders where those hands once were. She was confused. What did the man mean by she was different? Different from what? The other women? And what did he mean by he knew her? The only guy she knew around her age was Luke, and to think that he was some mythical fairytale character, well, it was comical really. Despite being somewhat fit and handsome, he was mostly helpless when it came to just about anything. That included anything musical. The guy was tone deaf. And the only time he tried to learn an instrument was two summers ago when he thought guitar was his calling. He only learned the chorus of wonderwall and only exclusively brings that out at parties when the girls are too drunk to know the difference between that and good music. She supposed Ian was a possibility music wise, but no way. He lived all the way back in Nebraska and he was a traitor. Arja hadn't talked to him in two years.

"Man I'm sorry but you look horrible..." Luke remarked, he was never good with the compliments.

On the far side of Arja was a mirror attached to the door to the kitchen. In this mirror Arja clearly saw what Luke meant. Her once curly short brown hair was stuck to her face in all sorts of places and her bangs had dried quicker than the rest, and curlier than the rest, giving her an 80's hair band vibe. Her mascara ran down her face all over.

"Well damn. You're right..." Arja whispered. Like snorted, which earned him a scowl, that quickly turned into a chuckle, and soon the two were laughing hysterically.

"AAHFH, you-you look like... Bellatrix Lestrange and Chuckie Finster had some sort of child!" Like wailed

"I look like Daria after she realized she wasn't actually as different and special as she thought and turned to drugs" Arja chuckled. Both laughed at her disheveled appearance for a bit longer. When they were done Luke gave her a pack of makeup wipes, and a hair tie he no doubt snuck out of his sisters bathroom.

"I would've gotten some clothes too, but Rita's boyfriend is over, and I'd really not like to see that." Luke said with a wink.

"Course. Thanks Lukie-pookie" Arja teased

"Ohhhh no, you're not gonna get away with calling me that..." Luke went to grab Arja but she closed the bathroom door before he could.
"The bathroom can only save you from me for so long Ary!" He laughed as he banged on the bathroom door, waiting for his dear friend to change.

"Stop waiting at the door you freak, it's weird." Arja said as she threw on one of Luke's shirts and a pair of his sweatpants. They were too big so she had to use the cinch tie in front of them and roll up the pant legs. She removed the mascara from her face and tied up her hair. Admittedly, it still seemed as though she hadn't hit puberty. She had a chest, yet that was about it for her in the curve department, and her face remained that of a twelve year old. She scowled at herself in the mirror. What did that weird dude in the forest even want from her. She wasn't special or anything. She was just some chick from the middle of Nebraska visiting her grandma for the summer. Her grandmother! She had nearly forgotten to text her. Arja whipped out her cell to reveal a flurry of texts from her grandmother.

Sent 1 hour ago
Hey sweetie, it's supposed to rain so be careful

Sent 45 mins ago
Hello beautiful girl, it's starting to rain, hope you're coming off the trail now

Sent 34 mins ago
I'll put your food in the fridge... please be safe on your way home.

Sent 23 mins ago
You either be at Luke's or heading in the door right now young lady

Sent 10 mins ago
Arja, sweetheart. I'm not mad if you went somewhere else for dinner. It's raining and Luke's is closer to the trail... just please say you're safe there. You know how I don't like that trail, especially when it rains.

Shoot. At least she won't be mad. Arja quickly texted back.

Sorry grams. I made it safely to looks, it was getting pretty bad so I just went to Luke's. Was going to text but I've been taking care of my wet clothes.

Gram would understand, she always did. But it seems she would need to sleep in 'Rita's room' again. Gram didn't like the idea of Arja staying at Luke's, but with Rita there she was more at ease. Gram was pretty old fashioned. It's not like Arja was attracted to Luke in any way anyways. They would fall asleep watching movies on the couch like always anyways. It was their thing. Arja heard a knock on the bathroom door. A muffled voice that came from a smushed face pressed against the door complained, "You've been in there for like, ten minutes dog. Let's get this party moving."

Arja opened the door, smacking Luke in the noise caused a loud, feminine squeal to escape his lips.

"Dude... not cool." He whimpered as Arja shoves her wet clothes into his hands.

"Sorry..." she pouted. Luke blushed ever so slightly, but not enough for Arja to notice.

"All is forgiven baby" Luke winked

"Oh gross, gag. Is that what you pull on all the girls you romance back at school." Arja joked

"Nah, just the weird, smelly ones from Nebraska." Luke teased back.

"Mhm. Says the one who forgot to put on deodorant this morning." Arja quickly cured back

"What, I did-" as Luke went to finish his thought, he also went to smell his underarm, which indeed smelled a bit like an onion. He quickly shut up and put his head down like a pup. "Touché" he finally said, admitting his defeat. He removed himself from the situation to apply deodorant, but not before putting his dear friends clothing in the wash.