Twisted Symphony

The sheets didn’t smell like my own because they weren’t. I had been neatly tucked in with a soft blue blanket, but there was no one lying next to me. I opened my eyes to a lightly freckled brunet with a cheap cup of coffee and the eyes of a serious hangover. My eyes darted around the room in an effort to confirm that I was in Johnnie’s Dorm room.

“Relax. He’s in the shower.” He laughed, I sat up in his bed and stretched my arms out and rolled my shoulders. I looked down just to make sure that my tank-top was well adjusted. “Damn.” He quickly glanced before turning towards the bathroom. “Bro, your girl’s up.” I listened as the shower went off.

“Gabrielle.” I stood up and held out my hand.

“Brian.” He shook it and slipped on his aviators. “I gotta get this hangover under control and we’re out of Advil. You need anything?”

“I’m good. Thanks.” I smiled.

“See you around.” He nodded before touching the doorknob. “Oh, and sorry.” He shrugged.

“What for?” I looked up, but he was already gone.

“Hey, get a good sleep?” Johnnie was in gray shorts and a light blue t-shirt, his hair still damp from the shower.

“Yeah. Um, why did Brian just apologize to me?” I pulled my hair up into a ponytail.

“Your sweatshirt.” He nodded.

“Yeah, have you seen it?” I gave the room a quick once over.

“It’s sort of gone.”

“What?” I hid the urgency in my voice. Adam had bought that sweatshirt with the matching pants for my birthday last year.

“Well, Brian sort of stumbled in around two and puked on it. That and a handful of my stuff. I couldn’t save it, Gabrielle…It was totaled.” He looked at a spot on the floor that gave off the faint smell of bleach.

“What-” I began.

“Don’t want to talk about it.” He cringed.

“Okay.” I held up my hands in defeat.

“But I’ll buy you a new sweatshirt. Promise.”

“It’s just a sweatshirt.” I shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.” I really liked that sweatshirt.

“You have to go back sometime.” He squeezed my shoulder. “We have to talk to her.”

“Now?”

“If we do it now; Worse case scenario you can get your stuff, but I have to talk to her. Then we can just enjoy these next couple of weeks.”

“Let’s do it.” I nodded and grasped his hand.

The walk across the lobby felt like a whole century. I focused so vividly on getting one foot in front of the other, barley contemplating what I was going to say when I got there. I figured Johnnie knew what he was doing, but still. I felt totally unprepared, and I had no idea why.

“What are you doing here?” Kayla turned off her blow dryer and narrowed her eyes at me.

“It’s still my room too.” I took in the sight in front of me. My bedspread had be thrown on the floor, and my bed half stripped of its sheets. The contents of my dresser had been dumped on the floor.

“Well obviously, you’re not welcome here.” A smirk spread across her face. “Or did I not make that clear?” She glanced at the floors on my side of the room. It was a disaster.

“Can we talk?” Johnnie took a step forward.

“Don’t try to fucking Dr. Phil me, Johnnie.” She stepped forward defensively.

“Come on, Kayla.” He touched her shoulder, gently urging her. Of course she listened to him.

“What? You want to confess your undying love for her in front of me too? Because I’m pretty sure I could live without that.” She sat at the edge of her bed, and I smoothed out my sheets as much as I could.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” He looked straight at her, no break. “I shouldn’t have messed with you all the time that I did, and I’m sorry for that. I know we all have choices, and I made some shitty ones, taking advantage of you the way that I did.” I watched as her lips began to tremble. “And you deserve better.”

“I didn’t want better. I want you.” Her voice broke. “I put up with all your bullshit, and she gets this- this guy that I’ve been waiting for forever to actually show up.” Tears threatened to fall down her fair cheeks.

“I’m sorry I didn’t treat you better.” He put his hands in his lap.

“Tell me why?” She wiped the tears from her now flushed cheeks.

“You’ve known me since I was a little kid. I don’t know what to tell you.” He searched for something better to say.

“Exactly! I’ve known you for years! I’ve always been there! You were supposed to end up with me! Not some random pretty bitch from Illinois!” Her voice began to rise.

“Kayla?!” I nearly shouted.

“It’s true!” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Kayla I-” Johnnie began.

“I hope you break her heart.” Spite flooded her voice. “No.” She smiled, leaning in to touch Johnnie’s cheek. “I hope she breaks yours.” She kissed him on the cheek and walk towards the bathroom with her blow-dryer in hand. “What’s yours is mine.” She looked at me, motioning towards the room as a whole. “But you already know that.”