As Bizarre as It Gets

''You've been quiet lately, dear. Did something happen at the party yesterday?'' my aunt asked me while we were drinking coffee at the kitchen table after lunch. It was Sunday afternoon.

''No, I'm just tired from last night.''

''You've been drinking, right?''

''One beer.''

''I didn't hear you come home.''

''I came back around one o'clock. A friend actually walked me all the way over here.''

''All the way over here? That must really be a loyal friend. So, was it Shin or that friend of his that you're in love with?'' she began teasing again.

''I'm NOT in love with anybody.''

''Ok, ok,... Don't get so defensive.''

''Sorry. I'm shouting for no reason.''

''It's alright, dear'' she said, ''You have been tense for the last few days.''

''I know. I'm constantly anxious. However, some things are more clear to me now. Any chance of Shin and me being together went down the drain. His friend I liked and me are cool, nothing awkward about the rejection. Only...'' I paused to take a deep breath and try to form a sentence in my head before saying it, ''There is this other friend of theirs. I think he seriously doesn't like me.''

''Carry on, dear.''

''He was cool when we first met. He was the one who wanted me to give Shin a call after we met. Everything was ok. But somewhere along the line he just stopped talking to me. I don't know why. Maybe I somehow made the wrong impression on him later. Maybe he thinks I'll hurt his friends. I'm sure he doesn't want me around anymore.''

''You are telling me one of your friends declined your romantic proposal, another one just wasn't interested, and a third one obviously wants you out of their lives?''

''I don't know how all of that happened in such a short time. But there is one boy who really cares. His name is Strify. He walked me home last night. Actually, he first showed me a beautiful park in his neighbourhood. That was the high point of my night.''

''I think I know which park. It's very romantic.''

''Aunt Mary, please stop giving me that look. Strify is one of the nicest people I've ever met. He is the only one of them who makes me feel at peace and he is my only true friend right now.''

''If I understood you well, it is a group of four boys and you've become very good friends with one of them.''

''That's half way true. There are five of them. And the fifth guy... Oh, gods.''

''What is it?''

''Nothing, nothing... I've just remembered what I'd told him last night.''

@}--,---

It was Wednesday evening already and I haven't heard from any of my friends. Which one of them did I expect to hear from, anyway? They were busy young men building their career in music and they had a lot better things to do than talk to me. After all, I called one of them a fuckin' freak. The only thing I could care about was relling Strify I appreciated everything he'd done for me.

I wrote him a text message saying: ''Hey, I'm sorry for ruining the party for you. I don't remember if I thanked you for a lovely walk home.''

A few minutes later I saw his number on the display. He was calling me.

''Hey there,'' I said.

''Hey. Finally a message from you. What took you so long?''

''I don't know. I waited for you to contact me first. I hope I'm not disturbing you.''

''Of course not, Carly. I love talking to you.''

''Yeah? You're the only one who does.''

''C'mon, you know that's not true. Didn't we all have a good time when we went to the club together? I mean, the part that you remember.''

''I can't believe you're still not letting go of that.''

''So, what have you been doing for the last four days?'' he changed the topic.

''Nothing much. Hanging around the apartment mostly. There's always something to do around here. Right now I'm baking sandwiches.''

''Baking sandwiches?''

''Yeah. It's like making French toast, only you put ham, chese and ketchup on them and shove them all into the oven for about twenty minutes.''

''That's a clever recipe. Your aunt and uncle must be happy to have a niece like you visiting them.''

''Actually, I'm not making dinner for them.''

''No?''

''No. They went to Munchen this morning to visit some friends. They'll be back in a day or two. I'm watching the apartment while they're away.''

''That sounds perfect.''

''Naw. It's a little boring.''

''That's not what I meant. Look, Carly...'' his voice suddenly got serious, ''There's something I have to talk to you about. Is it ok if I come over tomorrow afternoon?''

''Sure. What is it, Strify?'' I got worried.

''I don't want to discuss it over the phone.''

''Strify, please-''

''Tomorrow afternoon,'' he said and hung up.

I gently threw the cell phone on the couch and went to the kitchen to check up on the sandwiches. They were perfect. The ham was crispy on the edges and the cheese melted just the right way. I put one sandwich on a plate and poured myself a glass of cold Coke. I put those on the coffee table and pressed play on the remote. I was watching Sid and Nancy. It was one of my favourite movies but almost every scene in it looked like a sad garbage dump.

I ran my fingers through my hair that was still damp fom the shower I had taken earlier. It was chilling but I didn't feel like picking up a hair dryer and drying it. I just pulled my blanket up and ate the sandwich.

Long before the movie was over I was dozing off. I put the plate and the empty glass into the kitchen sink, turned the TV and the DVD player off and checked once more if the door was locked.

I brushed my teeth and went to bed wearing an oversize Marilyn Manson t-shirt. I was soon sleeping like a rock.

@}--,---

Loud banging noize crept into my dream and when I opened my eyes to the darkness of my bedroom, the bangs repeated. My heart stared beating like crazy, threatening to jump out of my rib cage.

I turned the light on and went into the living room. I knew there was somebody at the main door. But who the hell was it? The clock on the wall said it was almost one o'clock. That didn't make me feel better. The banging repeated once more so I took a kitchen knife with shaking hands and unlocked the door but I didn't remove the chain.

I opened the door as much as the chain allowed and saw the face I definitely didn't expect.

''Hello, Carly. I'm so sorry for barging in like this in the middle of the night but this can't wait.''

''Oh... Ok... Come on in, Luminor,'' I said and removed the chain from the door.