Painting

Chapter 6

We stop in front of my building. I thank them for the ride and I ask them if they want to come in. They accept, so we go in the underground parking. We climb the stairs and stop in front of my door. I unlock it. We step in and Tyler says:

-So spacious! I like it. The decoration is perfect. It's actually pretty "cabin like".

-Yeah, at first, I wanted to live in an actual cabin, but I thought I would stay near my parents. They live just downstairs. Two apartments below us.

-So you've got the highest view, that's neat.

-You can sit down, would you like anything? It's actually pretty late for just a snack. How about you guys stay for dinner?

Victor looks at me and says:

-Can we cook?

-You want to cook? You can try, but I don't have a lot of things. I didn't prepare for guests.

-I have supplies in my car, I'll go get them!

I can't even say anything that he's already stepping out of the door. So they like to cook. I really need to get to know them better. Tyler says:

-Can you show me where are your kitchen tools?

-Yes, absolutely.

I open some drawers and some cabinets. He puts two frying pans on the stove. He opens my refrigerator and puts butter in each of the frying pans. Victor comes back with two bags full of groceries. He puts them down and I start unpacking them. Victor is already cutting an onion and putting the slices in the pan. He's sautéing them.

-What are you cooking?

-Pad Thaï noodles with vegetables.

Tyler says that like it's nothing, he's already putting some water to boil. They look like chefs.

-You guys are taking over my kitchen...

Victor smiles.

-Sorry, I didn't wait for you to say yes. We need to always ask for consent, so do you still want us to cook you dinner, in your kitchen?

-Yes, but for dessert, we're making melted chocolate and fruits.

-Deal! You should choose a movie. I hope you don't mind eating in front of the TV...

-Not at all.

I open the TV up and go on Netflix, the account I'm sharing with my parents, of course. I go in the latest stuff, but I don't find anything interesting. So I go on with a classic. The boys come in the living room with three big bowls. They sit, making sure to be comfortable. Victor gives me mine and he says:

-Forrest Gump! Cool, it's been ages since I watched that movie.

-It's my favorite!

-He's just so lucky!

Tyler says that with noodles in his mouth. We all start laughing. We talk about our favorite scenes. Tyler tell us that when he was younger he thought it was a real story.

I get a text, maybe I should put my phone on silence. I open it up and it's Teddy, he sent me a message. I open it up.

I saw you today. You were getting in a black truck. What were you doing?

Instantly, my smile disappears. The boys look at me. Tyler asks:

-What is it?

-Nothing.

Victor looks at me seriously and says:

-You were smiling and laughing just a second ago. What's going on?

-It's nothing.

-Tell us.

-It's my ex-boyfriend...

-What did he say?

-Nothing, just...

-If he's being mean you have to tell someone. I can tell with your reaction that it wasn't a "I miss you" kind of text.

I give him my phone and he reads the message. He gives it to Tyler.

-That's creepy.

-I know.

-Was he always like that?

-No. Not at the beginning, that is.

Victor takes my hand and says:

-You shouldn't let anyone treat you like that.

Tyler adds:

-Don't answer. You said he wasn't like that in the beginning, that means he was like that after. That's not good. Do you want to talk about it?

Then, I just let it all out, to two boys I barely know. Well, maybe not everything. I spare them some details, obviously. I never talked about it to my mom. I guess she just knew, somehow. Mothers always end up knowing everything. It's like a super power they have. I don't know if my dad knows, maybe he does, he just doesn't want to tell me. I don't know why I kept that for me. Now that I'm letting all of it out. It's a relief.

Victor and Tyler listen to the whole thing. They nod their heads and ask occasional questions. We end up eating all of our Pad Thaï noodles while talking.

Victor talks to me about his parents and Tyler talks to me about his past addiction to technology.

So basically we're all on the path of healing. Well that's good, that means I'll have people to talk to when I feel bad.

-I left my parents, I just left them. I only see them on holidays.

-I did my own weaning. I asked Victor for help, obviously.

-But you made most of it by yourself, I'm proud of you. I asked Tyler for help too. Since the day I left my parents, we live together.

-We work at the same place too.

I learn about them a lot. They work at a publishing house. I tell them, that I thought about being a writer.

We end up watching Forrest Gump afterwards. During the entire movie I could feel them scooching closer discretely. At the end, I look at the time. 11:59 PM. I feel like I could fall asleep... No, I can't. Do they want to sleep here? I look at them they're already asleep. I end up falling asleep too.