Close Your Eyes to See

“Come on, its funny Edie!” John held up a cat card that sang happy birthday in a slew of meows as the two of them stood in the Target aisle, looking at different birthday cards for Eric.

“You can't be serious, John?” She shook her head as she continued to pick up and read each card that caught her eye.

“You like cats, Edie. How could you not like this card?”

John and Edie had been spending the past few days together, planning everything for Eric's birthday weekend. Both of them agreed that it should be special for him. They planned a party that would be happening later that night and John decided to take them and a bunch of friends to the lake tomorrow.

Edie tried so hard to get out of the lake day tomorrow, but John wouldn't allow it. Edie hasn't worn a bathing suit in years, she didn't know what she was going to do about tomorrow.

“I have to find something for the dude, I am running out of time.” He trailed behind Edie down the card aisle as she took her eyes away from the card she was reading to give a skeptical look at John.

“The party is tonight, John. Are you always this last minute?” She poked at him before putting the card that was in her hand back in its slot on the wall.

“Only with important stuff.”

John was getting used to having Edie around, he really enjoyed her company. He never would have predicted that he could hang out with her and it wasn't awkward. All of this planning for Eric's birthday really gave him the opportunity to get to know her. She was really bossy when she wanted to be, mostly because she wanted to be right about almost everything. John found it cute.

She was very particular and wanted to make sure that every little detail about everything she did was perfect – she didn't want anything to go wrong. She never liked to talk about her family, although he did learn that she had a step brother who was older than her.

John watched as Edie kept her eyes on the cards in front of her, seeming to be really serious about picking out the right card. She wore a long blush colored maxi skirt that reached the floor, a white knit sweater slouching off her torso and a floral printed bow in her hair. She always looked so put together no matter what the occasion was. She dressed modestly and never revealed too much skin – John always found himself telling Ali to change because she looked inappropriate.

John had barely talked to his girlfriend since she left a few days ago – he had been busy with planning Halvo's party and Ali must be busy with her family.

“You are probably going to end up getting him a gift card, aren't you?” Edie found the card she wanted and grabbed the envelope for it before placing it into the basket she was carrying, glancing at John who was standing next to her.

“Probably”, he shrugged, “I was thinking Applebee's or Outback Steak House.” He followed Edie down the aisle as they made their way towards the checkout with everything that Edie needed to buy.

John didn't know why he was spending so much time with Edie. She was normally out at Eric's working on the mural that she never let him see. He just seemed to hang out with her because she was always around while Eric and Beth were gone.

Edie was unlike anybody else that he had ever meant. For the most part, she had her own opinion on everything and had a different sense of humor that he didn't see in many girls in this Arizona town.

Every once and while, though, John got the feeling that Edie was an incredibly lonely person. He remembered his girlfriend saying that Edie had never had a boyfriend before and John found himself asking why, she was a good person. Sure, it took her a while to warm up to people – but who wasn't like that?

As Edie paid, John stood behind her and paid for a gift card to Applebee's separately while getting the look of disapproval from Edie.

“What? He can go to happy hour now and get some hot wings.” John shrugged at her and gave the money to the cashier before the two were out the door, heading back to John's truck.

“What are you going to wear tonight?” John asked as the two got into his truck and began heading back to Edie's apartment to drop her off.

“I don't know, I think I will wear a dress or something. I know it is just a party, but I don't get to dress up often. At least the way I want to.” She said with a sigh as she stared out the window.

“What do you mean?”

“I have to dress up a lot to go to family functions and I can never wear anything I want. I have to look like a fucking business woman or something. The outfits are never comfortable.”

Edie didn't get to start wearing what she wanted until she moved out. She was a little doll her mom would dress up everyday, Edie always had to look presentable. Her mother would spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on clothes for Edie to show off her family's wealth and take away any independence she may have had.

When Edie moved out, she sold most of the clothes for cash and got enough to pay rent and get her apartment furnished. She was sure her mom still thought she had all of those clothes.

“Wow, I can't imagine what it must be like to live in your family,” John started, “my parents let me breathe and live my life. Sure, they gave me a curfew and stuff but they never controlled me in any way like that. Did you ever rebel?” Edie turned to look and John and nodded her head,

“I dyed my hair pink once. Hot pink. It lasted about two days before my mom made me dye it back. I was fifteen and wanted to rebel against this fish bowl life I had lived in. When my mom saw it, she flipped and threatened to shave it all off while I slept. Pink wasn't my color.”

John didn't know how Edie managed to come out perfectly fine after having parents like she had. They seemed to always be down her throat about everything she did, even now. Edie was twenty one years old and they were still trying to make decisions for her. If John's parents were like that, he would have dipped out a long time ago.

Maybe that is why Edie was so closed off from people? Were her parents to blame for it? John didn't know.

As he pulled into Edie's apartment complex and cut the engine, Edie grabbed her stuff for the party later and looked at John, smiling.

“Well, thank you for coming with me today. I'll see you tonight?” She knew John was excited to party tonight and honestly, so was Edie. She wanted to unwind and have fun with her best friend for his birthday.

“Sure, I'll pick you up at eight.” Edie turned her head to the side at John's remark and shook her head at him immediately,

“I can drive John, its fine. Its not that far. I will just meet you there.”

“Nah, I'll stop by and get you. Its on the way. Besides, when you get completely shit faced – I can drive you home. It avoids the awkward moment when I have to take the car keys from your drunken self.” Edie's mouth opened at John's prediction of getting completely wasted tonight.

“You are already going to be at Eric's house, why would-”

“I have to stop by my apartment and grab some clothes to wear. Edie, just accept the ride, its cool.” Edie's face flashed a bit red at how stubborn she was being again. John was getting used to Edie refusing help from people.

“Okay fine, see you at eight.” Edie got out of the car and shut the door, retrieving to her apartment while John drove away with a huge smile on his face, feeling completely accomplished.

- - - - - - -

Edie was in the process of starting her makeup for the night when she heard the knock at her apartment door. Her face was bare, the clothes from earlier today still on her body. She set down her foundation she had just picked up and walked out of her bedroom to see who was at the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see John standing there.

“John,” she glanced at the clock from the kitchen, “you are a half hour early.” She opened the door as he stepped inside, her eyes avoiding his. She didn't have any makeup on, she probably thought she looked hideous. She did after all.

“I got bored waiting at the apartment so I came over here to watch some tv and wait for you to get ready.”

Edie observed John's outfit. He was wearing a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a tucked in blue dress shirt that was buttoned to the top with a dorky bow tie placed in the middle of his neck. Black boots covered his feet.

“You know, you didn't have to dress up.” Edie said as John made himself comfortable on her couch with her remote in hand.

“I felt like it.” Originally, John was planning on wearing a tshirt and jeans, but then Edie said she was going to dress up and he didn't want her to feel left out or whatever. He could tell that Edie was hardly ever comfortable at parties so he wanted to do his best to make sure she had fun tonight.

“Okay, well I am going to finish getting ready now.” She excused herself and retrieved to her bedroom, feeling awkward that John was just hanging out in her apartment. Eric was the only other person who ever did this.

As John sat on the couch, there was a small smile on his face. Edie had said that Eric was so annoying to her that she was forced to be his friend. That is exactly what John was trying to do. He was always going to show up early and probably even unannounced sometimes. He was going to bug her with dumb stuff. He wanted to be her friend. There was something about Edie that kept him feeling okay.