Coffee and Cigarettes

"So, where to now?" Libby asked me as we waltzed out of the coffee shop. It was mid-September, and we had practically nothing to do.

I shrugged. "Let's go to your house. I need to be away from Blair for a little while, I think."

"And Bob?" Libby asked.

I groaned. "Him, too."

We walked the fifteen minutes to her house and she grabbed the key from her pocket before unlocking the front door and swinging it open. "Hello?" she called out to no one in particular. Libby's an only child, and her parents work in the same office building. They usually don't get home until around eight, and they both work weekends, too.

"Not home?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's only one," she shrugged. "Let's find something to do."

Libby lived in a very nice house, but it was massive for only three people. It wasn't a mansion or anything, but it was big enough for people to want to throw massive parties in it. It would probably work too, since Libby's parents both went on business trips a lot.

She and I walked down the hallway to her kitchen where she immediately grabbed a mug and a small bag of tea leaves. "Want some?" she asked. I shook my head.

"We just came from a coffee shop, genius. That's completely ridiculous. If you wanted chai, then you could've made it and saved two dollars."

She shrugged. "This is green tea. There's a difference. Chai isn't transparent, for one."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "You're really something else, Libby." I hopped up onto the kitchen counter and played with a wooden spoon for a few minutes as we waited for the water in the kettle to boil.

"Do you want to sleep over tonight?" Libby asked out of the blue. I pondered for a moment.

"I don't see why not. I'll call my mom."

Libby tossed me the phone (which I almost dropped) and started to dial my number.

Riiiing. Riiiiing.

"Hello?"
My dad.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hey, hun."
"Can I sleep over at Libby's tonight?" I asked.

"Sure, I don't see why not,"he responded. "I'll have Bob or Blair swing by and deliver the things that you need. Toothbrush, toothpaste, pyjamas, sleeping bag, pillow, change of clothes, right?"

"Uh, yes." I answered. "Make sure it's Bob. Bye, Dad."

We both hung up and I tossed the phone back to Libby. At least she can catch better than I can. As she poured herself a cup of tea, I played with the ends of my hair, examining the split ends with contempt. I think Libby finished her cup of tea in five seconds flat, because before I knew it, she was pouring herself another glass.

"Ease up on the tea, Libb," I laughed. She shook her head.

"Never."

I rolled my eyes and hopped off the counter. "I'm bored..." I sighed. "How much begging do you think I'd have to do to convince my parents to let me dye my hair?"

Libby snorted. "A lot?" she chuckled. "Your parents are super conservative."

"Yet I don't know why they don't snap at Blair for being such a slut," I sighed. "Not like they have any say in what she wears now that she's a legal adult."

"I don't mind your sister or your brother to be frank," Libby shrugged. "But then again, that's because I don't live with them."

I nodded. "If you did, you'd be ready to kill them at any given moment."

"Let's go watch a movie," Libby said out of the blue. "I vote we watch....THE LION KING!"

She screamed out the last part and I wasn't exactly ready for it, so I jumped about two feet in the air. Which sent her into a laughing fit, which made me go scarlet. "Whatever, let's watch it."

She let out a happy 'eee!' and ran over to the TV and popped in the VHS. Yes, old-school VHS's, we don't use crappy DVDs or anything like that when it comes to Disney classics, thank you very MUCH.

We sat back on the couch and sang along to every single song. At one point, we were both screaming, "Oh, I just can't wait to be KIIIIIING!" I think we may have disturbed some of her neighbours who were working outside in the garden (why, I'll never know, since gardening season had ended), because they screamed, "SHUT UP."

We just sang louder.

Unfortunately, we were unable to discover the true range of our amazing vocal capabilities because the doorbell rang. "That's Bob with all my crap," I said, rising from my seat on the couch. I skipped over to the door and swung it open. There stood my brother, his beanie on his head, scratching at his mini-beard with my backpack and sleeping bag in one hand.

"Here," he said, shoving them into my arms. "Come home when you're less moody." He turned on his heel and started to walk away. I set my stuff on the ground and ran up to Bob.

"Hey, I'm sorry, alright? I'm just not in a good mood today." I said hastily.

"You never are, Morgan," Bob sighed. "You're always mad. You hardly ever smile and you're always a bitch to Blair. She's our sister for Christ's sake! Your older sister, at that."

I groaned. "Bob, I don't need to hear this whole speech from you, I get it from Mom and Dad enough."

"Whatever," he said dismissively. "I'm going home. See you tomorrow, I guess."

"Yeah..." I said, staring at my shoes.

Bob glanced back at me and exhaled. "Morg..." he came over and wrapped me in a hug. "I love you, sis. I don't understand sisters and sibling rivalry when it comes to the same gender, but I'm here for you. Have fun with Libby tonight and smile...for me?"

The corners of my lips curved upward as I tightly hugged him back. "You're the best, Bob."

We let go and he patted me on the head. "Have fun tonight, squirt," he waved, getting back to the car. I waved and ran back into the house. Libby was still there, sitting and watching the Lion King.

"You missed Mufasa dying," she said tearfully, gripping the poor pillow that was clutched in her vice-like grip.

"That would explain the, uh--" I pointed to her running makeup which she hastily wiped away.

"It's the only movie that can make me cry," she said with a sad laugh. "So, that took a while. What took so long?"

"Bob and I just had a little talk," I shrugged. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"I won't," she grinned. I smacked her with another stray pillow that laid on the couch. She hit me right back with the one already in her hands, and that erupted into a pillow fight of epic proportions.

You know, I really shouldtry smiling more.

Maybe whenever I need to, I'll just think back to that pillow fight.

And how I completely dominated.