Red Ribbon Ties |on hold

1

"Pick your poison, no matter what you choose it will kill you the same."

The man behind the counter says to me as I stare at the wall. My eyes dance from the camels to the Marlboro red. One brings me back to sitting behind the school and the other one brings me the satisfaction of no memories from behind the school.

"Just a carton of Marlboro reds please." I hand him the fifty-dollar bill and grab my pack of gum off the counter. He reaches behind him grabbing one and handing it to me. Walking out the door I laugh thinking about how much I look like my father right now.

Ripping the wrapping off of the box I grab a pack out and unwrap that one too. I spot a girl in a sundress sitting on the curb, she doesn't belong here. When I sit down next to her she gives me a curt smile. I tilt my pack towards her offering her a smoke, she pauses for a second but grabs one. It's funny how she lifts it to her lips, cupping my hand around it I light it. She inhales and within seconds she's coughing over her knees.

"Who left you sitting on the curb?" I ask as she catches her breath and I take the cigarette from her hand placing it between my lips.

"My dumbass philosophy professor. I should have known how this was going to go through, it happens all the time, I've heard the stories around campus." she stares at the cars as they pass by on the busy street.

"And what stories are those?"

"He finds the naive girl in class who needs just a little help, he takes them out and gets what he wants from them and leaves them with bad grades no matter what they do. I pity myself, like why would I believe that I wasn't like those other girls?"

"It happens to the best of us." I throw down the butt of the cigarette on the ground and pat it out with my foot. "Do you need a ride? Or do you have someone picking you up?"

"I have an uber coming to pick me up, you go have fun. It was nice meeting you," she trails off.

"Iris, you too"

"Taylor" she answered, I waved goodbye and got in my car as I pulled out of my spot a truck pulled up beside me and she stood up. Good thing her uber got here fast or she would have been left in the dark.

It was already eleven o'clock and I still had to finish packing. I had no idea how I was going to get all of this in my car tomorrow but I was going to make it happen. Pulling up at my apartment building I grab my stuff and start my trek up the stairs. One thing I hated about living on the fifth floor was the amount of cardio it demanded.

Opening the door I was faced with chaos. The loud game of Jenga in the living room was more like a game of life or death. Everyone was on their knees trying to get the best view as to which piece to pick.

Jack picked a middle piece and before the tower got the chance to shake it all toppled over hitting the table with a loud crash. Everyone erupts in loud screams of anger as Jake lets his head fall against the table in defeat.

"Ahh Iris your home, finally." Lindsey stands up rushing to hug me like I've been gone forever.

"You have to join us for just one game, please." she presses her hands together begging me.

"If I finish packing in time ill join you guys." I walk down the hallway into my room. Closing the door I slowly make my way into the closet and pull the three small boxes down from the shelf.

The box wrapped in red ribbon was the biggest but the most important. Next to it was the one wrapped in a blue ribbon, it was small to the size of one shoe. The two boxes told their own stories and I wasn't about to reread those stories, now I had to pack.