Fire Escape | l.h

no. 7

I opened my eyes to a ceiling much like the one in my apartment.

How'd I make it home?

I sat up in the bed, a headache rushing to my brain. I placed a hand on my head and looked around.

This wasn't my apartment.

The walls were gray, there was a bookshelf in the corner, and I was wrapped up in a black comforter with a big, white moon on it.

I looked at the nightstand next to me and found a glass of water and some Ibuprofen.

I tossed the pills into my mouth and gulped down the water.

Who's house am I in?

I flopped back down on the bed, and sighed. I couldn't remember shit.

The door suddenly swung open and in walked Jade.

"Oh, you're awake." She said, rolling her eyes.

I held my head again. Why was she talking so loud?

"Please be quieter. What happened last night?"

She ran her tongue across her teeth, and sharply turned to me.

"Well, you ruined my night, I'll tell you that."

I sighed.

"I'm sorry. What did I do?"

Jade closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"You went to Calum's party. Got fucking trashed, and passed out in the street." She explained.

Amazingly, I suddenly remembered.

She was there with Michael.

Jade must've seen the look on my face, because she then asked:

"Why were you so mad?"

I shrugged.

"There has to be a reason, Luke. Michael is a good guy, so what's up?"

I told her what I told myself.

"You're the only friend I've had here, Jade. And I don't know how to do this. The last real friend I had was back in Australia, and we had a 7 year-old friendship. I don't know, I just have this feeling that Michael is going to take that away."

I felt like I needed to say something else to her, but I didn't. instead, I played with my fingers as she looked at me.

"Luke, you're ridiculous."

I shrugged.

"I'm kinda new at this."

She took a hold of my left hand and pulled me out of bed and into her kitchen.

"Do you live alone?" I asked.

Jade shook her head and asked why.

"Just curious."

"oh. Well her name is Caroline. She needed a roommate so I took the spot, but she's out of town. Never really seen her. But she's coming back in two days."

she's never met her roommate?

weird.

"Well Hemmo, it's Saturday. What would you like to do?" she said, playfully poking my chest.

"I need some coffee." I groaned.

"okay. coffee shop it is."

she grabbed her coat and her keys, and started out the door.

I followed her, and when we made it to her grey, 2002, Toyota Corolla, she turned back to me and smiled.

"yeah, it's kinda a piece of junk. but it runs."

I grinned at her and got in the passenger side, to see the floorboards covered with trash. I laughed.

"Excuse the mess. I obviously don't clean a lot." she chuckled.

The mess didn't bother me as we drove to the coffee shop in a comfortable silence, nothing but the soft sound of The Cab playing on the stereo.

I didn't dare interrupt it until a thought popped into my head.

"Jade?"

She hummed in response,

"Why don't you ever drive to school?"

Jade's lips turned up into a small smile as she looked down at the steering wheel, as if she was embarrassed.

"Well I really like walking with you."

That was enough to make my day.