Praying for a Riot

The light shining through the open window in the kitchen bothered Mandy, her black hair catching the light and blowing lightly over her glasses, giving her a kind of rumpled look she’d rather not gain in the early mornings.
She didn’t normally wake up at this hour, but the news of last night had wrecked her so terribly that she didn’t want to lie in bed with Ian for too long, in fear that she might beg him to stay.

It wasn’t like she wanted him to go on tour again, but he had to, it was his job, his career, his life.

She rubbed her eyes and sighed, tapping her fingernails on the cup of coffee she was holding.
She knew she shouldn’t be drinking the stuff; Ian would have boxed her up and sent her back to her mother if he knew she was drinking anything remotely caffeinated.

Mandy sighed again, she’d miss him. She’d really miss him.

As much as Ian had kissed her stomach where their babies hid from the world, as much as he’d whispered in her ear how much he loved her; he was still leaving, he was still leaving the three of them again, like he did.

She needed to get out of the house.

So, much to Ian’s horror, she wrote him a small note explaining she was going to Kay’s.
Kay’s meant not having to talk about it, because if she went to Laur’s, she would probably have to face the same things that her own household had to face.

The door swung open to Kay’s newly renovated shop, the walls now jet black, the shelves covered in an assortment of make-up products.

Rhys stares glassily at her, blinking, probably trying to figure out why she was there so early in the morning.
She stared back, of course; he looked tired, and as they stared at each other awkwardly for a moment, Mandy realized she knew almost nothing about Kay’s new boyfriend.
This worried her, almost more than Kay usually worried her.

He tried to smile politely.

“Hello, Mandy,” He said quietly.

She tried to smile back, but she couldn’t, her heart was still breaking slowly.

“Hey,” she said, looking a little anxiously over Rhys’s shoulder “Kay’s not here is she?”

Rhys shook his head, her stomach sunk. But then he spoke.

“She’s half asleep, talking to Lauren.”

Mandy looked up, confused. “Laur’s here too?”

Rhys nods.

Mandy followed the thin man inside the shop and up the stairs to Kay’s apartment; she realized that she’d not actually seen the apartment part yet after Kay moved in, and she almost rolled her eyes when she entered the living room.

The walls were once again, painted a jet black, the roof splattered with white paint and stuck-on spiders, two tacky dark green couches sat at the far end of the room, with an old fashioned television and a record player facing the couches. The kitchen was cornered right next to the stairs, looking just as old as the rest of the place. Another room led out to the right of the couches, and to the right of the stairs was a bedroom, all the furniture placed awkwardly around.
Kay obviously hadn’t gotten to that room of unpacking.

She spotted Laur and Kay sitting cross legged on the old couches and smiled awkwardly at them, noticing the coffee’s sitting in their laps.
She immediately fell into her friends’ arms, both of them knowing exactly why she was there without words.

“God, we’re emo,” Laur laughed softly into her coffee as Mandy settled herself in. “Our welsh freaks decide to go touring and what do we do? Go catch up and find a corner to cry in.”

Mandy leant her head on Kay’s small shoulder, watching as Lauren stirred her coffee. She was in the same boat as she was, Mandy wasn’t utterly alone.
Her hands instinctively reached down to her slightly bulging belly.

“We’re going to miss daddy,” She whispers, she felt Kay’s head move from above her. “We’re going to slaughter him when we get back so he doesn’t have to leave.”

Laur chuckled from beside her. “We’re absolutely hopeless.”

“Since you pushed my love aside I’m not in my head, hopelessly in love with you…”Kay sang ridiculously, grinning.
This made the other two smile.

“You need to stop watching Grease, it’s turning you into a singer, and it’s scary.”

Kay scowled at Mandy. “I’m sorry if Olivia Newton-John doesn’t appeal to you.”

Mandy shakes her head, amused. “Grease doesn’t appeal to me all together.”

Kay’s mouth dropped to a sudden ‘O.’
Lauren began to sing. Mandy looked horrified, and somehow wished Rhys hadn’t disappeared, leaving her to endure this.

“Summer loving had me a blast…”

Kay started too…Mandy groaned as they got up, grinning, and started holding hands, swaying.

“…Summer loving happened so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be
Summer days drifting away, to oh oh the summer nights
Well-a well-a well-a huh
Tell me more, tell me more
Did you get very far?
Tell me more, tell me more, like does he have a CAR?”

It was only early days, but Mandy felt like she just might get through this, with her two insane friends by her side.
Maybe she wouldn't be so alone.