Fuel to the Fire

Her silence was something beyond the normal. Eliza wasn’t the type to seclude herself unless she had a reason. She didn't feel like getting out of her bed for days. All she wanted was to be home in the safety of her own home. She was uncomfortable in this house.

Eliza blew out a puff of air that she had been holding in for a while. Every morning she would sit on the house and smoke while talking to Brighton. He was now ranting to her.

“You cant just mope around in the guest room all day, at least do something, go somewhere. Come on, you told me you made a friend, go hang out with her.” Brighton said with a smile on his face.

“I did make a friend and what do you know its Pat’s girlfriend. If I hang out with Nikki, I'm going to have to hang out with them, don't want to do that. Plus, a week ago I made a complete crazy psycho ass of myself. Face down was playing on the speakers.” the phone grew silent on the other side.

Brighton knew all about Eliza’s past. He was one of the few people that she had confided in about the subject. “Damn, this is the first I'm hearing about this? You must have forgotten to tell me when you were talking about other unimportant stuff. What happened? You’re fine right?”

“Well, i’ll start at the beginning. I was walking around Tempe and saw this girl that looked cool to chill with and then we went to a party and it was the same party that I told John that I didn't want to go to. Then we all realized the same things. Face down started playing while John was talking but I yelled him to turn it off three times and then walked to where the music was playing and just broke down, of course upstairs in private. I’m sure I owe someone some money for damage.” Eliza said with another sigh.

Smoke filled the air around the twenty one year old. She didn't know what was going on in her life, Eliza saw herself going nowhere. Her mind was still filled with thoughts saying how she was still young and would find her way eventually, honestly she didn't know when eventually would come and that was the problem.

“I don't know what I’m going to do with my life. I feel completely useless Brighton. It seems as if my own mother doesn't even love me and that should say something.” Eliza was blunt, she had no emotion in her voice. She’d been drained for a long time.

It was silent on the other side of the phone, so silent that Eliza had thought that her best friend had hung up on her. Her fingers tapped lightly on her thigh as she waited.

Seconds later she heard his soft voice. “Please don't hurt yourself, I mean it Channing.”

There was a loud knock on the door that made the black haired girl jump slightly. Eliza told Brighton that she wouldn't and that she call him later. With that, she crushed her cigarette and rushed inside to the door.

Dakota Kingsley stood on the other side of the door with a large smile upon her face. She looked at the girl up and down while rolling her eyes. “Gary told me that you’d been in here almost all week. How about just the two of us hang out, no pestering John or anyone else?”

Eliza was hesitant about the offer she was given. Did she want to leave the room she was in, like hell she did. It was killing her that she had nowhere to go or see. Her hands ushered Dakota to enter. “You know, that’d be awesome. I just need to change clothes and then we can be out of here.”

The two girls smiled as Eliza grabbed some clothes and took them into the bathroom. In a matter of minutes she came out in an entirely different wardrobe. They both looked like they were ready to be walking around in the warm heat.

“So, what should we do? I mean you were the one to come and get me.” Eliza said with a small smile on her face. She was more like Dakota and she could already tell.

“Guess I should have thought this out more. Oh, I’ve got an idea and I know exactly where we could go. You’d like it. Its time you make some more friends.” Dakota pulled out her phone with a large smile on her face.

Putting on her vans, Eliza and Dakota walked out of the Nickelsen house and into the heat. “Aren't you hot in that? I’m burning up over here in just some shorts and a tank.”

“Well I think when you have lived in this place your whole life you don't really see it as hot, at least that's me.” Dakota shrugged with a smile on her face. “We’re just going to get some coffee, is that okay? We can do something afterward, I just don't know what yet.”

“Thats all good, is it going to be the two of us or some more people? Also, do you mind if i smoke? I’m sorry.” Eliza asked as they walked into Dakota’s red vehicle.

The older redhead waved her hand as if it were nothing as she used her other hand to put in a new cd in the player. “Thats completely fine, bad habits die hard, and as long as you share. Kenny hates when I smoke but its sort of a reliever, you know?”

As long as I could remember I dreamed in black and white. As I grew up and the sun went down I never felt more alright. My mother she used to tell me...Son you better get to church. It's a dark dark world and there's evil out there and you know it's only getting worse.Never been much for weddings or anniversaries but I go to a funeral if I'm invited any day of the week. Some people say that I sound strange some say that I'm not right but I find beauty in this world every single night.

“Good Charlotte? This is my favorite song from Good Morning Revival.” Eliza said as she turned up the volume and rolled down her window. The two sang the song together as they made there way to get coffee.

Fifteen minutes later the two girls had arrived and were laughing as they entered the shop. They looked around for a couple of seconds before a girl replied.

“Over here Dakota!” Dakota waved with one hand to the girl in the booth and the three walked over to place their orders.

“Hey, Mae what time is Nikki’s shift over? Isn't it at one or something?” Dakota said looking at the clock to her right on the shop wall.

The mysterious dirty blond brunette shrugged her shoulders and said it would be soon, but she didn't know exactly when. It took a second and then the girl smiled at Eliza. “Hello, I don't think we’ve met yet, my name is Billie Mae. You can call me Mae, most people do.”

“Billy Mays! Oh my gosh, I love your name. From now on that is what I’m going to call you.” Eliza said with a huge grin on her face. She loved his commercials and was sad to hear that he had died.

Shaking her head, Billie Mae’s smile matched the one that Eliza was giving her. “Interesting, I’ve never heard that one before.”

All three girls laughed at the statement that was made, they were laughing so hard that some of the people around them were looking at them oddly. The bell rang and they all looked to see Nikki walking over to them.

“Sorry that I'm a little late, business is busy today. How long have you guys been waiting on me?” Nikki asked as she used a hair tie to pull up her hair. Dakota had told her not too long and Nikki walked over to the counter to place order. “Hey, Eliza.”

“How do you know Eliza, Nik?” Dakota asked her younger brunette friend.

From the front of the counter someone had told her that her latte was ready. She put her finger up as if to pause, walked up to get her drink, and came back with a smile.

“If you must know, a week or so ago she came into where I work, we talked, she asked if we could do something and then we went to John’s party.” Eliza was glad for the fact that Nicole had not told her of what else happened at that party.

“Oh yeah I remember. Kenny, Gary, Mae, and I went on a double date that night and John didn't want to be alone so he decided to throw a party with some friends.” Eliza was also glad that her new friends had not seen her at her lowest.

The four then began to talk about their lives and hobbies. Eliza was now beginning to feel comfortable with the three girls.

She had learned that Nikki was in college and only worked so that she could move out of her parents house. She had also learned that they had another friend named Rochelle in the group and was Jared’s girlfriend but couldn't be here because she works all the time.

“Charlie, who is Charlie?” the curiosity was getting to Eliza. A few of the girls had been talking about her and it seemed alright for her to ask.

“Charlotte Webster, John’s girlfriend. She’s in New York right now trying to make her dreams of being a fashion designer real.” Eliza’s grey green obs widened slightly as she heard the new information.

John had been flirting with her when he had a girlfriend. She thought that maybe she was overlooking some thing, maybe she had just thought that he was flirting with her, but she knew in the back of her mind that he had indeed flirted with her at one point in time.

“He has a girlfriend and hes been flirting with me.” Eliza had thought she had just been talking to herself but apparently she had not. All the girls were now staring at her intently.

“What do you mean John has been flirting with you?” Dakota asked skeptically. The look in her eyes was something that no one could describe. It was a mixture between a few emotions.

She didn't say anything for a few seconds, she just kept looking past the other three girls. There was a wave of tension at the table. Eliza put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m fine, really. Um, you know I’ve got some work to do, so I’ll see you guys later? El do you think you could get a ride with Mae or something?”

Eliza nodded her head as she saw Dakota leave her half full drink and get into her car. The black haired girl looked at her new friends and saw that they weren't making eye contact with her either. She was becoming confused by every one's actions. “Whats wrong with her?”

Billie looked at Eliza with sad eyes but didn't say a word. Nicole was the first one to speak up.

“John may be my boyfriends best friend, but that doesn't mean that hes my best friend. I mean I love John but sometimes he does things that he shouldn't do.” Nikki then began to chuckle and roll her eyes playfully, trying to ease herself. “Just ignore him, he’s an ass.”

The black haired girl nodded her head as Nikki looked at her watch saying that she had to leave and go back to work. It was only Billie and Eliza at the table now. Billie’s smirk was enough that she didn't have to say anything. “Lets go do something spontaneous.”