You're So Pretty On the Outside

Everyone had left to do a bunch of random stuff and I was stuck in a car with Lee. They had all wanted to go shopping and I didn’t so there wasn’t enough room for him and they pawned him off on me. Finally, the little baby harassed me until I brought him out for ice cream.

“There, you’ve got your ice cream. Now if you don’t stop annoying me then I am going to find your guitars and destroy them,” I threatened.

He was about to say something but the ringing of my phone cut him off. Glancing at the caller ID I noticed that it was Jennifer. I was instantly worried when she just cried into the phone.

“Jennifer, I-“ I was cut off by her sobs. “Jen- Jennifer, you have to calm down. I can’t understand you. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

The only thing I could really understand was that something was wrong with her friend.

“Just… Can you come over?” She sniffled.

“Sure. Do you mind if Lee comes with me? He’s been a little stalker today for some reason.”

“Sure. Just hurry,” she whispered.

I ended the call and Lee turned to me with a worried expression.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I’m not sure yet, but she wants us to come over.”

We had just pulled into the driveway of my house, but I quickly put the car in reverse and backed out again. Lee looked extremely worried.

“You like her don’t you?” I questioned.

He glanced over from his seat before looking back out of his window.

“Yeah.”

Smiling slightly, I drove to Jennifer’s place.

“Don’t tell her yet,” he said as we pulled into her apartment complex. “I want to tell her myself when she’s feeling a little better and when there isn’t anyone else around.”

“Of course. We’re all entitled to a few secrets.” Like Oli.

Lee smiled as he began to open his door. “Thanks. You’re a good friend. I can see why people like you so much.”

“Thanks, Lee. Now let’s go see what’s wrong.”

Jennifer was sitting in front of her apartment when we got there. Her eyes were puffy and she had a tissue in her hand.

“What happened?” I asked.

“It’s my roommate. She’s sick, like really sick.”

“She’ll get better though, right?” Lee said somewhat awkwardly.

She shook her head vigorously and wiped at her eyes.

“She has cancer.”

I was taken aback. Losing your best friend right before your eyes couldn’t be any small problem. No more words were spoken; Lee and I just joined her on the floor. We sat on either side of her and Jennifer leaned her head on Lee’s shoulder. If the situation wasn’t so serious I would have taunted them for their cuteness.

“Do you guys want to meet her? I could see if she’s up to it. She’s been wondering about my new friends lately,” Jennifer said quietly.

I looked at Lee and nodded my acceptance as he did the same. We followed her into the front room and sat on the couch that she motioned to. She went through a hall for a few minutes leaving me and Lee to talk for a while.

“I didn’t know that it would be this bad,” I commented.

He mumbled an agreement. “I don’t like that she has to go through something like this.”

“That’s really sweet, you know. You haven’t even known her for very long and you’re already trying to protect her from things. You’re a good guy, Lee.”

“Thanks for that, I really appreciate it,” he said with a smile. “So what’s going on between you and Oli? Matt, Bear I mean, said that you were going to talk to him.”

“It’s kind of complicated, but I did talk to him. We’re okay now.” Okay seems like a bit of an understatement.

I shook my head a bit to quiet my thoughts when Jennifer walked into the room with another girl in tow. I smiled as she walked into the room cautiously.

“Hi,” I greeted with a wave.

The girl sent a friendly smile my way. “I’m Venita.”

“Angel. That’s Lee.”

I got up from my place on the couch and pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry you have to go through this.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I pulled away and let Lee shake her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Venita. If Jennifer is your friend then you must be a great girl.”

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“If you guys ever need anything,” I trailed off as we all stood near my car.

“I know,” Jennifer said with a smile.

“We’ll see you around.”

I waved as I climbed into the car with Lee. The two girls walked inside as we left the complex.

“That was something intense,” I said.

“Agreed.”

The rest of the drive back was silent. I drove to his hotel first and I looked at Lee curiously as he began to laugh. We were sitting in front of his room and he was about to get out of the car.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oli’s waving at you like a madman,” he said with a laugh.

I glanced up and, sure enough, there was Oli grinning ear to ear with his arm waving through the air wildly. My eyes widened at the sight and I wondered if he was high off of something.

“He can’t be sober,” I muttered.

Lee chuckled. “You’d be surprised.”

“You mean he acts like this without being high on anything?” I asked in shock.

“Oh yeah. That boy is a weird one.”

I laughed. “I’ve got to agree with you on that one. Well, I’ll see you guys around. Bye.”

He waved and climbed out of the car before jogging into his shared room with Oli. I cracked up as a hand, presumably Lee’s, slapped Oli in the back of his head causing it to ricochet off of the window. I chocked back another laugh as I finally made my way back home.

When I walked into the house it was silent so I figured that Sarah would be in bed. Because of this, when I flipped the lights on and saw her sitting on the couch I shrieked and turned the light back off as if it would do anything.

“What the hell?” she exclaimed as she got up and turned the lights back on.

“I could say the same to you! What were you doing sitting here in the dark like a vampire? You creepy weirdo.”

She just rolled her eyes. “Quit trying to quote Dane Cook.”

“Whatever. My statement still stands.”

“I was waiting for you. Where the fuck were you? We all came back and you two were gone. Everyone tried calling both of you and you wouldn’t answer your phones. Excuse me for being worried.”

“Jesus, Sarah, I’m an adult. If I want to leave all day then I will. You’re not my mother.”

“I know I’m not your mother, she died.”

She didn’t realize exactly what she had said until my glare set in cold and hard.

“Thanks for that. If you really have to know, Jennifer’s roommate has cancer and I was being a nice friend and visiting her with Lee. Are you happy now?” I spat.

She tried to apologize but I just placed a hand up motioning for her to just be quiet. I stormed to my room and packed a small bag of clothes and other necessities before walking back out.

“Where are you going?” Sarah asked as she trailed along behind me.

“Out. I can’t stay here right now.”

I walked out of the front door, slamming it behind me as I walked to my car and threw my duffel bag into the passenger seat. I checked into a Holiday Inn that was conveniently located near a bar and left my car there before walking to the bar.

Sometime in the midst of my drinking, I managed to call Oli and tell him where I was. Suddenly he appeared next to me.

“Hello,” I slurred.

He groaned as I leaned against him. “Damn it, Angel. I’m bringing you home.”

I pushed against him weakly. “No. I’m not going back tonight. Just bring me back to my hotel.”

I started to fall asleep, so with a deep sigh he lifted me up bridal style and carried me outside. He placed me in the passenger seat of the rental car before jogging over to the driver’s side.

“First of all, why are you staying at a hotel?”

“Because,” I hiccupped, “I feel like it.”

Oli sighed and placed his head against the steering wheel.

“Where are you staying?”

I told him my room number and how to get to the hotel before falling into the deep abyss that people like to call sleep.

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*Oli*

I glanced over at Angel’s sleeping form in annoyance. As much as Iloved liked her, she could be a major pain in the ass sometimes. I drove to the place that she said she was staying at and carried her inside. After slipping the room key from her pocket, I opened the door and placed her in the bed. I shook my head before slipping off my jeans and climbing in after her.