As Opposed to..

This day couldn't get any fucking worse.

What's the purpose of a luxurious studio apartment when you have to share it with some twit you've never met? Well, I guess its no surprise when your parents pretty much hate you, though they have to provide for something, they take in joy by making sure your life sucks. Nothing much I can do, really-- After I was kind of responsible for my younger sisters death, its no wonder my parents would rather have me out of the house and hey, I guess they thought it'd be great to have me suffer in the process.

huh. Story of my life.

I bet you're just dying to be me, huh? Xaix Alastar Reagan, the black-haired, green-eyed 'problem-child' with shit ass parents and a criminal record as long as you could imagine. Why not throw in the fact that I'll be spending the rest of my high school life forcefully living with someone I'd never met, and will, undoubtedly, hate. I hated nearly everyone my parents had me associate with.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not like those 'emo' freaks who cut and torture themselves because they believe their life's shit, and that the only salvation is to just slit their wrists to end their sorry lives. Or even those people who cut themselves because they like it.
Me? I've got a bigger torture to live out-- I have to live out my life and die a disgusting, wrinkly old man. Yeah, that's my own punishment.

I crumpled the little note my mom left behind, and as luck may have it, both my parents were 'busy working' today and didn't even stay for the breakfast that THEY invited me over for. Great, right? They leave me alone, and I do the same with them. Everybody wins.
With that, I tossed the useless note into the trash where it belonged, and strode out of the house as fast as my legs could take me-- without actually running. Sure, I was glad as fuck to get out of there and not actually sit down and eat with my parents (who, by the way, I haven't seen for god knows how long), but not so much that I needed to run and actually sweat. No, sweat was something that came from exerting effort, and I sure as hell didn't need to put any effort into finally leaving my parent's place. As far as anyone was concerned, I would rather never go back, really. I could hold out on my own, because it wasn't like I didn't have a job-- I did, in fact it was a pretty good job as a Batista in a pretty popular coffee shop.

I felt relieved, only because I had been saved from having a 'brunch' thing with my parents, but my whole body ached of frustration that I had just found out that I needed to share by amazing apartment with someone. Without a doubt, there WILL be rules, and whoever the unlucky fellow is, he or she WILL have to abide to them. It was originally my pad to begin with-- until whoever-it-is barged in to half the rent.

Grudgingly, I got into my 2006 'switch hitter', seething of course, but wouldn't it be a normal reaction? Seriously, I thought I was free from my parents and anything related to them then suddenly they shove whoever-it-is in my face and be all "Oh, you're gonna live with this person now. Have a nice life." Great.

A minute or two passed, and I remained sitting in the drivers seat of my Piano Black Honda, sinking into the wine red-and-black-trimmed upholstery. I would think how and what I would do to ensure that I still had complete reign over MY apartment, especially since whoever-it-is is a kid of my parent's friend, he or she is probably my worst nightmare-- No doubt about it. Knowing my parents, they'd set me up with the most repulsive, mind-exploding creature that they could find. Ah, its probably someone I can handle. I can take anyone, and I was mentally prepared for who-- or WHAT --they had to throw at me.

Feeling a little triumphant for the first time today, I finally turned the keys to my car and sped out of the dreary street, heading back to my apartment to take one last look at its pristine condition before that person would come later on tonight and just ruin everything and most probably move my things around. I sighed, as I got in and tossed my keys into that little metal bowl that sat on the kitchen counter. It was my place, my pad-- my HOME. This apartment was my salvation for only a few short weeks, and now I'd have to share its amazing view and awesomeness with someone else.

I remembered Dominic had his shift today, so I figured that I might stop by and spend my time at the 'Coffee Bean'. We worked there together, so Dom and I were pretty close. Obviously, I would be taking my time at the cafe and hoping that something unfortunate were to happen to my guest-to-be that would leave them from staying with me indefinitely. There was so much to do in Orange County, it made living in Irvine a great deal of fun, sometimes. Though lately, everything's seeming to be a bother to me, and I just come off as annoyed, I don't know why.

~.x.~

I cut the engine to my Honda S2000 and got out, promptly closing the door behind me and locking my 'baby' (what? the car means a lot to me.) It didn't take long for me to stride into the Coffee Bean and see Dom working the counter.

"Hey, man." I said, sitting down on the tall counter chairs as I did.
"Hey." Dom replied, his messy blond hair bobbing up and around from behind the counter while he prepared drinks for our loyal customers. "How was brunch?" He wanted to know, raising a pierced brow. I stared at him, for a couple of seconds at most.
"Luckily, there was no brunch," I began "Parents ran out on me." I smirked, happy that I didn't have to bear a meal with my two psycho parents.
"Maybe, they wouldn't avoid you so much if you didn't have those lip piercings." Dom commented sarcastically. I laughed, saying "Oh, yeah. They hate me because I choose to pierce my lower lip with snakebites."

Dominic turned to continue his business while I sat, chin resting on my palm while I began to space out but my thoughts drifted away to one day in particular, many years ago. One specific day which practically turned both my parents on me, and when I became an only child. My train of thought was interrupted when Dom came back to my side of the counter and spoke, "Dude, we're still on for some Left4Dead later, yeah?"

I hadn't told him about my newly acquired roommate.

"Yeah, man." I shot back at him, grabbing Dom's hand and following up with our 'handshake'. "I'll see you later, dude." I finished just as I stood back up then walked through the cafe's glass doors. I had happened to be too preoccupied to notice that I bumped into someone's shoulder, but it didn't take me long to find out.

"Hey!" a high-pitched voice cried. I turned around to face a red-headed girl who's striped shirt had gotten splotched with a big, brown coffee stain. Her left hand still holding her cup, but horizontally, which was completely emptied of its contents and was still dripping onto the cement ground where the rest of the coffee puddle lay. "You owe me a new shirt, and another coffee." She puffed.

I looked at the small specimen like she had a second head, throwing and catching my car keys with my right hand, with my left hand jammed into the pocket of my pants. Oh, yeah sure. Like I'd buy this girl a new shirt.

"Just go home and change, carrot-top." I stated bluntly, already turning my back to head over to my car.