Above the Trees

“I can’t believe you’re actually making me do this, Millie,” I sigh as I put a round silver stud in the third piercing hole in my right ear at my vanity in my bedroom.

“Oh, c’mon, Ellie! I went to the Nine Inch Nails concert with you and Jeff!” Millie whines. She slides off my bed and comes over behind me. “By the way, how has that thing been?”

I turn around to face my best friend, my long ringlets whipping through the air. I give her a puzzled look. “What ‘thing’?” Right when I responded, I realized what she was talking about. I felt a twinge of sadness in my heart.

Millie puts her hands on her hips dramatically and gives me an unimpressed look. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m talking about your relationship with Jeff. I mean, you were in love with the guy, told him how you felt, and then he totally shot you down! You know, that ‘thing’?”

“Wow, thanks for reminding me…” I murmur, looking down at my chrome false nails.

“You’re the one who still talks to him like nothing is going on. And he still talks about that bitch, Heather.”

“Heather is not a bitch, Millie. You know that. She shot him down too, remember? He got hurt just as much as me. He’s just a guy—he’s oblivious.” I shake my head, brushing it off.

“That’s not as excuse. You two have been best friends since Kindergarten and ‘claims’ to know you better than ‘most people’.” I give her a flat look. “But you know…” A devious smile spreads across her face. “I do know five boys who aren’t oblivious.”

I perk up. “Oh?” And then I realize who she is talking about. “Oh…” I think for a moment and then a smile spreads across my face. “I guess you’re sort of right. Hook me up with a member of One Direction and I’ll be happy, m’kay? He’ll treat me right.”

Millie begins to glow at the thought of me actually liking her favorite band. She walks over to her bag and pulls out a poster of them and comes back to my side. “Pick your favorite,” she commands, holding up the poster.

I observe the five European boys; my eyes travel over their faces, clothes and bodies. “They’re all so cute,” I admit, eyes wide. “Who’s that?” I point to the one on the end.

“That’s Harry Styles,” she answers, wiggling her hips with glee.

“He has weird hair,” I laugh. “But who’s that?” I point to the first one on the left from the middle.

“Oh, that’s Zayn!” Millie answers proudly.

“He’s hot.” I look up at her. “What ethnicity is he? He’s so tan and… gorgeous!”

“He’s Pakistani. But seriously, wipe that drool off your face,” she giggles.

“I’m sorry! I have a thing for Middle Eastern boys, you know that. They’re so fucking sexy.” I run my fingers down my cheeks at the thought.

“Well, I’m just glad you’re taking an interest in them. But I’m just letting you know, they will destroy your life and you’ll be left in shambles. I’m serious. I hate them so fucking much for what they have done to me but I can’t help but love them at the same time. It’s a problem!”

“So, it’s like ‘Bieber Fever’?” I ask, confused.

“Ellie! You know I don’t like it when you bring up Bieber!” Millie whines. “But anyway, it’s sometimes called the One Direction Infection.”

“Ew, that sounds kind of gross,” I point out, wrinkling my nose up at the sound of those words.

“Yes, yes, that’s why it isn’t used that often. But I’m just warning you. Life with One Direction is a beautiful thing but it can get ugly sometimes.” He eyes darken but then she snaps back into her happy self.

“This is a lot to take in.”

“I know, hun, but so was that Nine Inch Nails concert.” She smiles.

“Oh, you know that was totally fun! I finally got to mosh to ‘March of the Pigs’! It meant so much to me.” I sniffle playfully.

Millie then checks the clock. She gasps. “We’re going to be late for the meet and greet.” She slides the poster back in her messenger bag. She picks it up and I hear a small clunking noise.

“Wait! We forgot to take our meds!” I point out. I run into my bathroom and pull out my pill box from the medicine cabinet. I fill two Dixie cups full of water and grab two empty ones. I enter my bedroom once more and I hand Millie her water and empty cup. Millie pours her meds into the empty Dixie cup and I do the same with my Lithium and Buspar. We hold the pill cups in our right hands, wrap our arms around like a couple does at their wedding with that first bite of cake, and we drop our meds into our mouths. We gulp them down with the water.

“Alright, let’s do this!” I exclaim as slide my booties on. Millie and I walk out of my apartment, arm and arm.