A Writer's Antiques

So Show Me

Category: Short Story
Written: December 2018
Disclaimer: Lesbian romance, poverty, knives, mature themes

~

"So tell me how's it feel sitting up there
Feeling too high but too far way to hold me
You know I'm the one who put you up there
Name in the sky, does it ever get lonely?"

Halsey's voice poured out of my headphones at max volume as I stared at my window, tears staining my mascara. I'm an actual idiot. I wish I didn't go to that stupid party. But my mom was so excited when she heard I was finally leaving the house and acquiring a social life.

My clock glared big, red numbers. 1:17. I remember the taxi dropping me home about a half hour ago but everything else was a blur.
I looked down at my wine stained dress and mentally cursed the drunkard who spilled his drink on me. It was the only nice one I owned, with a velvet maroon finish and soft fur at the neckline and cuffs of the sleeves. My mom had dragged me to the mall and spent all the money she had saved for food. It was her day to eat, too.

But, now part of me is angry at her for making me believe I was actually going to have fun.
While I moped in my room for the next hour, I heard a loud, urgent banging on my door. That's weird. I took my pocket knife from my cabinet and made my way to the hallway. The only options I could think of were a killer, the police, or...

Her.

There she was, standing at my doorstep in the pouring rain at 2 in the morning. Her lipstick smudged, eyeliner ruined, hair knotted, and covered in snow.

"Jesus, what happened? Are you okay? Wait, come inside," I froze as my brain turned off and my mouth turned on. She barely trudged a few steps in until she started bawling.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. Come on, sit down. Tell me what happened," I said, hugging her. She was my best friend. And sometimes best friends knock each other's doors down at 2am. I wouldn't have been nearly as calm as I was now if it was anyone else.

"It was...I just- he broke up with me and I don't know what to even do anymore. Three years. Three ENTIRE years that he just threw away in one minute!," she screamed.

"Are you kidding? Honey, I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say," I held her as she sobbed even louder. My heart hurt seeing her like this. But honestly, I was happy someone like him was exiting her life. She doesn't deserve someone who won't make her their first priority.

After a few minutes, she sat up straight. "Thanks for listening to my melodramatic self," she sniffed.

"Don't mention it. Wait right here, I'll get hot chocolate and marshmallows, and you choose what movie you want to watch," I replied as I walked to the kitchen.

I watched her go through the channels, until she settled on the one she liked. Her crystal eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning and her laugh automatically filled the room. I watched her long, dark curls fall in front of her face and her dimples form as she smiled.
I suddenly heard a subtle sizzle and turned around. Crap, I almost burned the hot chocolate.

I brought the snacks and drinks back to the couch as she got comfortable under the blankets. The end credits of White Chicks came on a few hours later, and we were both yawning.

"Can we go on your balcony? I could really use the smell of rain and polluted air right now," she chuckled.

I smiled. "Sure," I said, leading the way.
I closed the door behind me and joined her as she stared into the distance. We were both quiet.

"Hey, your mom isn't back yet."

"Yeah, double shift tonight," I answered quickly. Normally, I would've been at my part time job to help out, but mom urged me to go the party.

Ugh, that awful party.

She was clearly thinking the same, because she interrupted my thoughts. "That party was terrible."

"It really was," I agreed. "But at least you're here now.

There was a moment of silence.

"Do you think I'll ever find love agai-"

"You already have," the words slipped from my mouth. We both stared at each other and I wanted to throw myself away. God damn it, where did my brain go?

She resumed talking, and I calmed down. "I don't think so. If someone loved me, why haven't they told me by now?

"I'll do you one better and show you," I blurted, still unsure of where this sudden confidence came from.

"What do you mea-"

Before she could say another word, my arms were around her waist and my lips met hers. Suddenly, I was high off ecstasy for only a few seconds.

Wait. What am I doing? What if she's not into girls? What if she doesn't think of me like that? What will her parents think? "I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me," I started rambling.

"Hey, the only reason you should be apologizing is for moving away," she laughed. I did, too.

And just like that, we were two souls merged into one. Two hearts whole. And there we were, kissing in the snow on my balcony. I guess Christmas came early this year.