Numb
04
I was jolted from my unnaturally sound slumber when a phone went off dangerously close to my head. I shot up, realizing it wasn’t mine, and kicked Travis lightly so he would wake up and stop the ringing. When he didn’t budge, I took the phone off of the table and threw it onto his stomach, making him lurch.
“Was that necessary?” he asked not bothering to open his eyes.
“Considering it woke me up, and not you, yes,” I said switching my position in the chair, “What time is it, anyway?”
“Eleven,” he said making my eyes snap open.
“Shit, I have to be at Chili’s in an hour to meet Katie,” I said jumping up, “Do you have any idea where my keys are?”
“None at all, I didn’t see you with them last night,” he said making me stomp my foot out of frustration, “Want me to drive you home, and then I’ll come back and find your keys?”
“I’d love you forever,” I said watching him stand up, “Thanks, Travis.”
He muttered a reply, pulling on his Vans, and unclipped his keys, motioning for me to follow him. I fumbled my phone out of the back pocket, turning it back on, and sent Katie a text letting her know I would need a ride. I climbed into Travis’ already hot car, and rolled the window down as soon as the car was started.
“Do you mind me asking what went on between you and John last night?” he asked stopping at a red light, “Right after you arrived, I saw him walk into the kitchen looking pissed off, and then taking 3 shots in a row.”
“We had a disagreement the night he got back into town, and it’s been strained since,” I said shrugging, “Stephen tried kicking me out, but John let me stay. He kept saying something about me making the right choices for one night.”
“And I know you did since Terrence and I watched you closely,” he said shooting me a look, “Why do you it, Lane?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said looking out the window and seeing my building come into view, “Thanks for the ride.”
I hopped out, even before the car was at a full stop, and made a b-line for my front door. I hopped up the steps, and pulled up the mat where I kept the key, before sliding it into the lock and closing it behind me. I walked to the bathroom, knowing I didn’t have time to shower, and turned on some warm water so I could wash my face.
Once my face was clean, I put on my makeup to disguise my sunken in eyes, and applied a fresh coat of deodorant to my underarms. I ran a brush through my unruly hair, and pulled it up, letting my bangs fall and frame my face. I threw all of my clothes into the almost full hamper, making a note to do laundry later, and walked into my room to find clothes.
Jean shorts and a purple v-neck were one of the few clean items I had left, so I pulled them on, just in time to hear a knock at my door. I bustled across the floor, hoping my flip-flops were by the door, and opened it to reveal a smiling Katie.
“You ready?” she asked not bothering to comment on my messy appearance.
“As ready as I’ll be this morning,” I said causing the pair of us to laugh, “Thanks again for giving me a ride, Travis is on the search for my keys as we speak.”
“Again, Delaney?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice, “This crazy partying needs to stop, you’re going to-.”
“Don’t you dare say die,” I said snapping my head to hers, “And it wasn’t even a crazy party! I just hid my keys, or put them down when I played a game, so I wouldn’t drive home drunk. I just drank last night, nothing else. You should be proud!”
She pursed her lips, not quite expecting my outburst, and nodded while not taking her eyes off of the road. A sigh escaped my lips, followed closely by an apology and she nodded, sending me a sympathetic smile. The rest of the ride was awkward, and the veil didn’t get lifted until after we were seated at the restaurant and had ordered our drinks.
“I saw John again,” I said causing her to look up from the menu.
“When?” she asked closing it carefully.
“Last night at Garza’s house,” I said crossing my legs, “Stephen tried kicking me out, telling me I wasn’t wanted around there, and John said to let me stay so I could stay off drugs for a night. “
“And did you?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t do those drugs in someone else’s house, by myself might I add, when I basically promised someone I wouldn’t,” I said pausing as the waitress appeared, “Plus, Terrence and Travis stayed by my side all night.”
The waitress took our order quickly, gathering up our menus, and Katie sucked on her bottom lip, thinking of the right way to say what was on her mind.
“Don’t you think it’s time to tell him what happened last year?” she said making me look down, “John cares about you, so much, and I know everything he’s doing is to help save you. He may seem like he’s being a dick at times, but he just wants what is best for you. You love him just as much as he loves you, but you’re being stupid and not letting him in.”
“I just don’t want to hurt him,” I said looking down, “I know he’ll beat himself up over it if I tell him, and I don’t want him to get depressed. I want to let him in, so fucking bad, but I can’t bring myself to. And if I am ready, he’s usually halfway across the country living his dream. I don’t want to take that away.”
“Just think about telling him, for me?” she said placing her elbows on the table.
“If I can actually get him to speak to me, I will,” I said with a nod, “Now, where exactly were you last night, missy? I didn’t see you or your man.”
“Brian took me out to dinner for our anniversary,” she said smiling, “We were going to stop by, but decided a quiet night in was better.”
“Awh, how cute,” I said making her cheeks flush, “Do you fancy going shopping after this? I want some new clothes.”
“I could use a new outfit, or two,” she said with a smile, “I just have to be home by 5, Brian’s coming over.”
I nodded, thanking the waitress as she sat down our plates, and the two of us dug in. Our meal was short, and we drove across town to the mall, where we spent the rest of the afternoon doing more window shopping than anything else. She dropped me off at home around 4:30, and I noticed my car in its assigned spot, meaning Travis had dropped it off. I smiled, fishing my key from my pocket, and pushed the door open, not even noticing the figures sitting on my couch.
“Was that necessary?” he asked not bothering to open his eyes.
“Considering it woke me up, and not you, yes,” I said switching my position in the chair, “What time is it, anyway?”
“Eleven,” he said making my eyes snap open.
“Shit, I have to be at Chili’s in an hour to meet Katie,” I said jumping up, “Do you have any idea where my keys are?”
“None at all, I didn’t see you with them last night,” he said making me stomp my foot out of frustration, “Want me to drive you home, and then I’ll come back and find your keys?”
“I’d love you forever,” I said watching him stand up, “Thanks, Travis.”
He muttered a reply, pulling on his Vans, and unclipped his keys, motioning for me to follow him. I fumbled my phone out of the back pocket, turning it back on, and sent Katie a text letting her know I would need a ride. I climbed into Travis’ already hot car, and rolled the window down as soon as the car was started.
“Do you mind me asking what went on between you and John last night?” he asked stopping at a red light, “Right after you arrived, I saw him walk into the kitchen looking pissed off, and then taking 3 shots in a row.”
“We had a disagreement the night he got back into town, and it’s been strained since,” I said shrugging, “Stephen tried kicking me out, but John let me stay. He kept saying something about me making the right choices for one night.”
“And I know you did since Terrence and I watched you closely,” he said shooting me a look, “Why do you it, Lane?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said looking out the window and seeing my building come into view, “Thanks for the ride.”
I hopped out, even before the car was at a full stop, and made a b-line for my front door. I hopped up the steps, and pulled up the mat where I kept the key, before sliding it into the lock and closing it behind me. I walked to the bathroom, knowing I didn’t have time to shower, and turned on some warm water so I could wash my face.
Once my face was clean, I put on my makeup to disguise my sunken in eyes, and applied a fresh coat of deodorant to my underarms. I ran a brush through my unruly hair, and pulled it up, letting my bangs fall and frame my face. I threw all of my clothes into the almost full hamper, making a note to do laundry later, and walked into my room to find clothes.
Jean shorts and a purple v-neck were one of the few clean items I had left, so I pulled them on, just in time to hear a knock at my door. I bustled across the floor, hoping my flip-flops were by the door, and opened it to reveal a smiling Katie.
“You ready?” she asked not bothering to comment on my messy appearance.
“As ready as I’ll be this morning,” I said causing the pair of us to laugh, “Thanks again for giving me a ride, Travis is on the search for my keys as we speak.”
“Again, Delaney?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice, “This crazy partying needs to stop, you’re going to-.”
“Don’t you dare say die,” I said snapping my head to hers, “And it wasn’t even a crazy party! I just hid my keys, or put them down when I played a game, so I wouldn’t drive home drunk. I just drank last night, nothing else. You should be proud!”
She pursed her lips, not quite expecting my outburst, and nodded while not taking her eyes off of the road. A sigh escaped my lips, followed closely by an apology and she nodded, sending me a sympathetic smile. The rest of the ride was awkward, and the veil didn’t get lifted until after we were seated at the restaurant and had ordered our drinks.
“I saw John again,” I said causing her to look up from the menu.
“When?” she asked closing it carefully.
“Last night at Garza’s house,” I said crossing my legs, “Stephen tried kicking me out, telling me I wasn’t wanted around there, and John said to let me stay so I could stay off drugs for a night. “
“And did you?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t do those drugs in someone else’s house, by myself might I add, when I basically promised someone I wouldn’t,” I said pausing as the waitress appeared, “Plus, Terrence and Travis stayed by my side all night.”
The waitress took our order quickly, gathering up our menus, and Katie sucked on her bottom lip, thinking of the right way to say what was on her mind.
“Don’t you think it’s time to tell him what happened last year?” she said making me look down, “John cares about you, so much, and I know everything he’s doing is to help save you. He may seem like he’s being a dick at times, but he just wants what is best for you. You love him just as much as he loves you, but you’re being stupid and not letting him in.”
“I just don’t want to hurt him,” I said looking down, “I know he’ll beat himself up over it if I tell him, and I don’t want him to get depressed. I want to let him in, so fucking bad, but I can’t bring myself to. And if I am ready, he’s usually halfway across the country living his dream. I don’t want to take that away.”
“Just think about telling him, for me?” she said placing her elbows on the table.
“If I can actually get him to speak to me, I will,” I said with a nod, “Now, where exactly were you last night, missy? I didn’t see you or your man.”
“Brian took me out to dinner for our anniversary,” she said smiling, “We were going to stop by, but decided a quiet night in was better.”
“Awh, how cute,” I said making her cheeks flush, “Do you fancy going shopping after this? I want some new clothes.”
“I could use a new outfit, or two,” she said with a smile, “I just have to be home by 5, Brian’s coming over.”
I nodded, thanking the waitress as she sat down our plates, and the two of us dug in. Our meal was short, and we drove across town to the mall, where we spent the rest of the afternoon doing more window shopping than anything else. She dropped me off at home around 4:30, and I noticed my car in its assigned spot, meaning Travis had dropped it off. I smiled, fishing my key from my pocket, and pushed the door open, not even noticing the figures sitting on my couch.