Sell Your Soul

"Cali?"

Someone was standing in the doorway.

"Cali, you up?"

Cali groaned, but she didn't actually say anything.

"Are you gonna lay there for the rest of your life, or are you gonna get up?"

"Don't wanna go anywhere," Cali mumbled. She lay on her bed staring at the ceiling.

"Well, Matt's coming to work with me, and I thought you could use something to do. You've been like this for the last week. Will you please get out of bed for something other than crackers and beer?"

"What's it worth?" Cali sighed.

"Drinks are on the house," Maria said. "I just want you off your ass for once."

"I might stop by. If I feel like getting up."

"Alright, but I'm counting on you being there."

"At your work? It's Saturday. Won't there be a lot of people there?"

"Depends. I still want you to get out of the house."

Maria smiled at her and patted the door frame. Cali sighed and sat up.

"I'll be there," she said.

Maria replied, "Awesomesauce. If you don't show up, though, I'll have Matty drag you out."

Cali rolled her eyes as Maria walked away. She went to the closet and pulled out her Alexisonfire shirt and a pair of loose-fitting jeans. She also grabbed some clean underwear and a bra, and she sulked down the hall to the bathroom.

The warm water of the shower felt good against her dry skin. She had neglected showering for a couple days, and she was glad to scrub through her long hair. Never had she felt so thankful for showers.

Even the soft material of her shirt felt good on her skin. Maria was right- she needed to get off her ass. She was becoming a hermit, and she did need to get out of the house.

She left the house an hour after Matt and Maria did, but who cared? She was going somewhere, right? When she started the car, the radio was blaring "If You Only Knew" by Shinedown. Cali harshly punched the off button on her radio. She couldn't take another love song.

"Fuck you, public radio," she grumbled as she pulled out of her parking spot.
----------------------------------------
Maria grinned and nudged Matt when she saw Cali approaching the bar. She got a glass down and began mixing a rum and coke. Cali sat down across from her and next to Matt, looking none too happy. She lay her forehead on the bar.

"Fancy seein' you here," said Matt. He elbowed her.

"What's my limit?" Cali mumbled.

"Don't get stone drunk," Maria replied. "That's your limit."

"Then gimme all you got," Cali said.

"You gonna eat something with it?" asked Maria.

"Do I have to?"

"If you would rather not have alcohol poisoning, yes."

"Fine."

"Kyle!" Maria called. "Bring this fine lady something to eat, would ya?"

Kyle looked up from writing an order down. He spotted Cali, and he smiled. As soon as he was finished at the table, he came and sat beside her.

"Cali, hey," he said.

"Hi," Cali said.

"Whatcha been up to?"

"Slowly drowning in sappy love songs, crackers, and beer. You?"

Kyle raised his eyebrows. "Cal, can I talk to you?"

"Why not? Everyone else does." She sighed and got up from the bar. She followed him to a little area away from the customers and other employees.

"Look, I've been thinking about what I said to you," Kyle began. "I didn't really mean that I wanted you guys to break up. I just didn't really think Jordan was your...type."

"Yeah, I figured," Cali said.

"I was wrong, though."

"What?"

"Matt and Maria were telling me how depressed he was, and he was even mixing depressants. I didn't think I would ever meet someone who loved someone else that much that they'd rather be dead than not be with them."

"Oh..."

"From what I hear, you mean the world to him." Kyle crossed his arms. "They tell me he's at least functioning somewhat normally- talking to other people, walking around, eating. I just can't fathom why I ever thought he wouldn't be right for you."

"I don't know." Cali touched her nose ring uncomfortably, but she said, "I don't really wanna talk about this right now."

"Okay, that's fine. I'm just glad to see you're up and around as well."

Cali nodded and went back to the bar. Matt smiled at her.

"You like my sweatshirt, right?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Cali said, unsure of this random spout-off.

"Good, cuz I got you one," he said. "Thought it could help cheer you up. Lauren should send it soon, so it'll be here in the next week or so."

"Oh, thanks." She gave his arm a gentle pat.

Maria handed her a rum and coke, and she downed it in one long drink. She handed the glass back to a stunned Maria, while Matt stared disgusted at her.

"Ugh, you drink like George," he said.

Cali shrugged and said, "At least I won't remember this in the morning. Maria- hit me with something stronger."

Maria reluctantly poured her friend a glass of tequila, and she and Matt watched horrified as she downed that too.