Barely There

Chapter 4 - Empty Cups

She woke up, the sun glaring down on her. The light burned her eyes and brought back the faint trace of the headache from last night. She groaned and sat up in bed feeling hung over even though she had nothing to drink. Standing up from the bed, her feet clumsily moved her to the bathroom to shower. She shivered as her feet made contact with the cold tiles, and quickly turned the knob until steaming water flowed out, the steam spreading throughout the small bathroom with ease. Avoiding looking at the mirror, she stepped out of her clothes and into the shower. The water made contact with her back, burning at first, then became a warm, comforting temperature. She relaxed completely, her shoulders slackening. The steam enveloped her in a hug, wetting her face with tiny droplets of warm water and making it easier to breathe.

"GRAYSON, YOU BETTER COME BACK WITH COFFEE FOR ME TOO!"

Leda jumped at the sudden noise and reminded herself to have a talk with the infamous party thrower living across from her.

She finished her shower and stepped out. The soaking brunette pulled the soft towel close around her body as she walked down the hall back to the bedroom.

Leda threw herself on the bed, still damp in her towel. Her slippery fingers unlocked her phone as she checked her notifications.

As she swiped through the device, she came across a memory dated from four years ago. A picture revealed itself on her screen.

Her hands failed as she dropped her phone.

It was a picture of herself wearing a graduation gown. She stood on the green turf of her high school's football field. Next to her stood a tall, dark-haired teen. A grin was plastered across his face and his dimples looked deeper than hers on the rectangle screen. Her father and mother stood slightly behind them in the image and she could tell her mother had been annoyed by something before the picture was taken after looking at her expression.

Her heart fell as she looked at the picture longer, darkness clouding the edges of her vision. Staring more and more at the youthful picture of herself next to him, she could feel the tears threatening to spill.

She swiped to the right frantically.

There were no more images of him.

That was the last one.

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Sometime during breakfast she decided to talk to her neighbor before he could leave for whatever it was that he did on a Saturday. She opened her apartment door, quickly glancing at the spot where he had been last night. Cursing herself for thinking about him so much, she tentatively knocked on the dark wooden door.

The young boy opened the door at lightning speed. Perhaps he expected her visit.

His smooth, dark skin glowed under the lights and his boyish grin stretched to his eyes, reminding her of the boy in the image. 

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hmm... I don't know Caleb, not like you threw a SIX HOUR party!" she yelled, the anger from last night returning.

"Oh come on.. The first three hours weren't even an actual party."

Confusion overtook her as she thought more and more about his logic.

"Then why didn't you just start it at 10:00?"

"We were warming up."

She frowned at his forced innocence and shoved the good-humored insult back down as he spoke again.

"Why didn't you come?" 

His eyes were curious but knowing and she felt guilty as his smile wavered. His dark eyes betrayed hints of sadness and his brown face fell downwards in turn.

"I just-, I didn't feel up to it."

"You said you would."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I know."

Upon her watery eyes, he reached out, grasping her arm and pulling her rigid frame into a comforting hug. His softness made her forget about everything and she let herself be tricked into happiness.

He eventually pulled back.

"Wanna come in?"

Any hints of sadness had completely disappeared from his gleeful face.

Leda agreed quickly and walked into the messy apartment, stepping over plastic cups as she moved towards the living room. Caleb trailed behind her as she finally sat down on the couch, taking in the scene before her.

Remnants of the night before were scattered throughout his apartment. Empty bottles and cups littered the floor and dishes were piled in the sink in a mountain of ceramic and china. The faint smell of alcohol and something else still lingered in his cluttered apartment. 

Caleb threw himself on the spot next to her.

"So I'm guessing the party went well."

"You have no idea."

"Tell me everything."

"Where should I start?"

"The beginning."

He began.