Walls

Lydia mentally slapped herself once again for not bringing back up as she waited behind the dumpsters for her uncle to get here. She was grossed out by the nastified trash and was trying to keep her stomach from bringing any food she had eaten back up. She drew in a sharp breath as she heard the voice she dreaded to hear. “I smell her she came out the back exit.” David said in a sharp whisper to his companion. “We need this girl. She’s got something significant and it’s just crucial that we have her.”

Lydia grimaced at their conversation, or perhaps it was caused by the molding bread that was nearby her, but remained calm and collected as they passed by her. She held her breath as they started searching the area, darn they were good at guessing her hiding spots. She checked her mental blocks, nope a-ok. Her phone suddenly vibrated, which would be fine since it was in her pocket, but for their vampiric hearing it was loud enough.

“Over there.” The guy who’s name Lydia still didn’t know called out pointing in the direction she was in. She mentally cursed again, she was having one heck of a bad day. She did a quick tuck roll as they approached and ran for it, again. She needed some skill or something to fight back with this running crap was time consuming and wearing her down.

Lydia ran into the store again and decided that the feminine products would be a good place to be. She flipped her phone open to see who had blown her cover. He uncle was caught up at the moment and would be a few more minutes. She was so annoyed. She needed something pro-active. She crouched low reading the mental signals around. It was hilarious the things people worried about. Pimples, and if he really liked her for her, and what movie to watch for the night, and if those blacks really matched. If only those were her biggest worries.

Then she caught a small conversation.

“Andy, my man, what’s shaking?” David’s cheery voice was heard.

“Oh not much.” Andy played along causally.

“What brings you to here tonight, man? We have got to get together sometime soon.” David continued.

“Oh just meeting D for coffee and picking up a few things, actually getting a little something for this girl.” Andy smiled at the last part.

“A girl huh? Oh that one from that show right, man it’s been to long since I’ve been to a show of yours. You guys are great. But well you always play at bad times. Speaking of boss wasn’t happy you missed the last meeting for a show.” David rambled on. Lydia processed the conversation. Her jaw dropped.. Andy, her Andy was in cohorts with these guys, worse yet was he one of them a vampire or whatnot. She was crushed he couldn’t be she would have been able to tell. But it all seemed to point to it. She was stunned. Almost to a non-functioning point but a vibration in her pocket brought her out of her stupor.
Her uncle signified they were in the parking lot. She quickly and quietly as possible escaped the aisles and dashed out the front of the store immediately spotting the car. She jumped in the back, and sighed with relief. Her uncle quickly debriefed her and she recounted the events of the evening leaving out Derek and Andy. After a few minutes of question answering there was silence for the rest of the trip as Lydia processed all she had learned and a single tear dripped down her face.

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Lydia sat silently in her dark apartment for the past hour. The only noise was the soft playing of her music keeping her company. Anyone observing her would have guessed she was in a catatonic state. She had her phone next to her yet ignored every single call. Three calls and two texts wondering why she had missed class from Ally. A text from Clarissa, and then there were three texts from Andy and one missed call. Lydia sat there listlessly as the phone’s jingle played again, glancing making sure it wasn’t her uncle, because if she ignored his calls he would know why and worry, seeing Andy on the ID she looked away again staring at the wall. She didn’t even hear the click of her door unlocking.

“Oh my—what’s wrong baby?” Ally scurried over to Lydia threw her arms around her bestest and held on tight, waiting for a response, but not really expecting one. Lydia remained silent still staring straight ahead. Then the tears started. She leaned into her friend and let them flow, silently crying on her friend’s shoulder. After a good 20 minutes the tears stopped Lydia rubbed her eyes and tried to wipe away the running makeup. Ally smiled at her friend and handed her a handful of tissues.

“So who do I have to beat up for making you cry?” Ally questioned pounding one fist into the other threateningly.

This caused Lydia to giggle, “ I knew there was a reason you were my best friend, you can always make me laugh. Even when you break into my house.”

The girls hugged again and Ally jumped up, “So since you’ve been sitting here for only God knows how long being a recluse… I am taking you to dinner, a girl’s got to eat! So Panera it is!”

Lydia stiffened, she wasn’t ready to go out, what if she saw one of the people that was after her, or worse, Andy or one of his friends. “Uh- as generous as that is, how about we eat in? I uh have, uh, ramen?”

Ally took a scrutinizing glance at her friend, but relented. “Ok but I get to cook, and we’re watching a movie and having catch up time.”

Lydia nodded sitting back down as Ally went to work making the beautiful noodles for supper. After they were completed Ally sat down on the sofa next to Lydia popped in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the girls watched silently at first while stuffing their faces full of noodles. That’s when Lydia’s phone rang again. She did a mental sigh knowing it wasn’t Ally since she was already here, so most likely it was Andy. And it was. She didn’t have any desire to answer it so she ignored it again. Ally being her nosy self pried , “So that’s it huh? Boy troubles?”

“Not exactly,” Lydia sighed, “but sort of…”

“Baby doll, you’ve been so secretive about so many aspects of your life, let me in here, I can help a least a bit, boys are difficult at times, but I can tell this guy digs you, so what happened between you two?” Ally stated with all sincerity.

Lydia heaved a sigh and without meaning to spilled everything. Even the parts she had kept so secretly hidden for so many years of knowing Ally. By the end of her long explanation there was tears and lots of hugging again. Ally just held her friend close and nodded taking in all that was being said.