Golden Linings

Chapter Six

Olive was mad as hell at Kayla.
Who the hell did that bitch think she was? Okay, no she was her friend and hadn't really done anything to deserve that name. Not that calling her a bitch was wrong, at least not in her books, but Kay was a prude. She wouldn't appreciate being called that even if it was just in her head, she sighed. .

She loved Kayla. But still, why would the bitch.... sorry Kay, behave like that with her. And as she entered their apartment, she noticed the object of her anger moving about unbothered.

Kayla was in the kitchen making breakfast for the first time in a while when Olive walked in obviously livid. She rolled her eyes at her wondering exactly why she was angry. She wasn't about to ask what the problem was and if she was going to act like a brat then fine. She also knew how to ignore people. She had been doing it as long as she could remember. If anyone was supposed to have an attitude, it should be her not Olive.

"Hello roomie", Olive said sarcastically dropping her bag noisily on the counter. Kayla turned to look at her livid roommate. She looked very refreshed and not tired in the least, obviously she hadn't spent all night waiting for a call from someone.

She nodded in response to Olive.

"Really? All I'm getting is a nod? A fucking nod? What the fuck is wrong with you?" she continued as Kayla stared at her.

"How could you behave like this with me? I've been gone all night and you couldn't try reaching me? What if something horrible had happened to me? What if I was lying in a ditch somewhere? Do you even care about me like I care about you?" Olive was more disappointed than angry now.

"Exactly why are you cussing me out?" Kayla asked. "You don't get to cuss me out after staying out all night. You didn't pick any of my calls, why's that? I called you countless times and all went unanswered. I'm not saying don't stay out but don't be so irresponsible as to not call home and definitely don't come back cussing me out. She dropped the knife she was holding and folded her arms.
"Did you even realize I wasn't at the party or you were too busy hanging out with Stephanie to realize your roomie missed it? Kayla fumed.

"She's Tif.... Really, Makayla?" She said stopping herself, frowning. We're going to pretend you have no idea her name is Tiffany and not Stephanie?!

"Well, I didn't."

"Bullshit Makayla. Fucking bull crap. And I know you're going to ask me to not fucking cuss you out but fuck you Kayla! Fuck!"

"I get that you're unjustifiably angry but don't cuss me out. I didn't call you and stay up all night waiting for you to come cuss me out the next morning. You're being unnecessarily hurtful."

"Ooh stop lying already. You couldn't have called my phone. My battery died. That's why I called you on Tiffany's phone which you didn't pick. Why's that?" She threw her words back at her.

"No, you didn't!" Handing her phone to Olive, she said "look at this, Liv. Not once did you pick and there's no call from you or any other number. "

Truly, no call had been made to Kayla's phone other than someone called Dennis. Kayla also had called her 8 times throughout the night each of them going through. Her last call had been placed at 2:30am. At the same time when she was....fuck!

Digging for her phone from her bag, she stared disbelievingly at it. She realized her phone was on and she had missed calls." the bitch..!!" she said to herself. Giving Kayla her phone back she mumbled "I'm sorry Kay. I really am. I should have known you wouldn't do that. I was angry and felt a bit disappointed. I'm truly sorry."

"Satisfied now?" Kayla asked annoyed. "I don't know how you could think so low of me. How would you stay out all night and not get countless calls from me? Huh?"

Smilingly apologetically, she said to Kayla, "8 times isn't countless, Kay." She watched pleased as Kayla rolled her eyes and smiled back.

"I'm allowed to be angry, Liv"

"I know Kay, I'm sorry. And her name is Tiffany not Stephanie " she laughed picking her bag off the counter.

Apparently her anger towards Kayla was unjustified and misdirected.

"Really? I heard Stephanie when you introduced her. Who's she?"

"no one you should worry your pretty head over. You won't be seeing her around anytime soon" Kayla chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure you'll burn the eggs doing that. Lemme make the eggs as you relegate the story of how you ended up not going for the party" Olive said laughing. "And who's Dennis?" she asked serious

Kayla told her story as Olive made the eggs for them. She told Olive how she had met Dennis the previous day and Olive had cussed the guy that had attacked Kayla out so hard she had to cover her ears as she laughed. Olive seemed very upset which Kayla thought was amusing and Olive had been remorseful when she told her how she felt about Olive ignoring her that afternoon. She told Olive about Dennis, and she had been very attentive and serious.

"I look forward to meeting this Dennis. Do you like him?" she asked as she shoved a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

"I don't actually know. We had a good time last night. There wasn't a dull moment and that has never happened with me. Except for when I met you" Kayla smiled at Olive as she spoke.
"He's coming to get me later, you can meet him then" Kayla said as Olive carried their plates to the kitchen.

"A date?"

"I don't know but I guess yes. At least I hope it is" Kayla replied giggling.

Olive smiled at her. Kayla was like a little butterfly coming out of her cocoon. She had decided recently to leave behind a lot of her anxieties and embrace the little joy life had to offer. She sometimes felt anger towards Kayla's family, her sisters especially. They had excluded her from a lot of things out of concern rather than including her and allowing her to feel independent enough to make her choices and fight for her decisions. Kayla was still a lot unsure about the things she wanted and often relied on Olive to make most of her decisions with her. Olive was trying to get her to make some of her decisions by herself whether they were wrong or not. Kayla had to learn how to pick herself up when she fell but first she had to learn how to let herself fall. Olive didn't understand how people didn't understand that exclusion out of concern wasn't always acceptance.
"Okay " she said smiling at her excited roommate.

She didn't know how she felt about this Dennis fellow but she knew she wanted Kayla to be happy, no matter how short-lived it could be.