Finishing the dishes, deciding to just wash them in the cold water instead of wasting more to get it hotter, I dried my hands off on a towel and started to clear the kitchen, seeing as it was still in the same predicament it had been in that morning. Everything had to be re-organised in the cupboards and they had to be cleaned too. It was going to be a long day with all this. Trying to decide what to tackle first, I reasoned to myself that the cupboards would be best, since I could always wash the counters after. Spices were attacked first and I found myself throwing out half the bottles, considering they were empty. At the back there was a piece of paper, folded and stained with what looked like paprika that had been rubbed into it. Picking it up, it crinkled in my hands and I wondered vaguely if it might turn into dust.
Deciding to investigate into it later, I pushed it by the newly washed dishes and continued on. Once that was done and it was all washed, I put everything back and moved onto the next one, completely forgetting about the old piece of paper. Once everything was done, I washed off the counters and continued to make sure everything was put away and clean. By the time I was done, it was 1:00 in the afternoon and I found myself standing in the middle of the kitchen, rubbing my forehead with the back of my hand. Wandering into the living room, I plopped myself onto the couch and turned on the stereo, turning up the music so it was pounding through the floorboards.
Not caring what the neighbours thought, knowing they wouldn't do anything about it anyway, I listened to the music continue on at the high volume and nodded my head in time to the beat, drowning myself in it. I couldn't do it when Serenity was home because she liked the peace and quiet more than anything. Her daughter was the same way added to the fact that she also liked to read and background music didn't help. Staring at the clock, I saw that there was about another hour or so before I had to go over there and make sure that Rain was doing okay with watching them, after all, they could be a handful. Apparently Amelia was heading over there too and I had to talk to her about our project, since she would be moving within the next month. A grimace formed on my lips as I remembered the conversation we'd had about her moving. We'd been friend since grade eight and now that she was moving, I knew I wouldn't see her very often, if at all.
Pulling myself up off the couch, I grabbed my shoes from the front and went to the living room, sitting down on the couch once again. After tying them up, I sat there impatiently for a moment, tapping my fingers on my knee as I waited for the song to end, knowing if I didn't it would keep running through my head. Finally, I turned off the stereo and headed out, making sure to lock the door behind me and that I had the key safely in my pocket. Shivering, I tried to pull my sweatshirt closer around me, but it did nothing and when it eventually started to downpour, I slung the hood over my head and kept trudging along, cursing the sky for letting all the water come down.
The walk there seemed longer than before as water soaked through my shoes as I stepped through deeper and deeper puddles, whether it seemed that way because last time I was thinking a lot or got preoccupied with something, I wasn't sure. It didn't take long for me to notice the mustang following me, the headlight blurring from the pelting rain. Concluding that they must think I'm a boy since the sweatshirt was rather baggy and the hood blocked any view of who I was. Ignoring them, I continued to walk and was coming up on an intersection when they passed me and with common sense on my side, I knew they'd try to cut me off. As soon as their car stopped a ways in front of me, blocking my path, I realized this was so and turned to run, not waiting around. Footsteps splashed behind me and I probably guessed they had the car coming around to try and corner me again. Cutting across the street, I hooked a left and ran smack dab into somebody, pushing myself back. I tried to run again, but they had a lock on my upper arm. I thought when Soc's jumped you, they weren't suppose to be this smart.
"Where ya goin grease?" The one said and I felt him twist my wrist, letting out a cry as he did so. Yanking myself away I went to run again but ran into someone else, who soon had me pushed up against the wall of the building behind us, punching me in the stomach once, causing me to have the wind knocked out of me. They sure were taking there sweet time in beating me up if that's what they wanted.
"What should we do with this one? He seems kinda quiet." One questioned, a nervous edge to his voice as if he didn't want to really be there. I'd never gotten jumped before, so I wasn't sure what exactly went on, although I'm sure everybody can make up something they guess could happen, but I could guess that they didn't usually get to talk about. Maybe if I stayed still and didn't say anything they'd leave me alone. The splashing and pitter patters of raindrops on both the sidewalk and onto water seemed to both comfort me and unnerve me.
"You're a little far out of your territory, don't ya think?" I said, mentally reprimanding myself for speaking. Almost on reflex, one of them slugged me in the cheek and I fell to the side, the hood staying plastered to my head.
"Shut your mouth greaser." A kick in the stomach caused me to groan and grab my stomach. Whether it was because of my more feminine voice they had recognised or maybe the way I was acting, one yanked off my hood, roughly, revealing my face.
"Shit, it's a girl!" He exclaimed and they beat it out of there. No one was around, so I didn't see why they would. Either way, I was relieved they had left. There was no extensive injuries, so I figured they must've been going on the easy side. Standing up, I put my feet one in front of the other and continued on my way to Rain's, where I would find everyone I needed to. Nothing was really hurting me enough to cause me to want to stop or even think about what had just happened. A minor lapse in judgement is what I would call it later.
Not bothering to knock on the door, since I knew they would know I was coming, I stumbled inside and managed to get as much water as humanely possible inside with me.
"Close the door for Christ's sake!" Rain exclaimed as she came over, handing me a towel to dry off. I had completely forgotten to put my hood back up and now my whole head was soaked through to my scalp. Rubbing and ringing out the water as best I could, I pulled off my sweater, hung it up, threw off my shoes, and took a deep breath before walking into the living room. Amelia was on the couch waiting, sitting there like usual, looking over the pages on the table. Sitting down beside her as quickly as I could, we left small talk for after, considering that we needed to get all this stuff done for school and everything else.
First, we went over the last project we were suppose to do together for the end of the semester. It was huge, and something it would be very hard for me to do on my own. We had split up the whole thing, so Amelia could get her part done before she went. With a passing feeling of guilt, I remembered that my half of the project was half done, lying on my desk collecting dust. She handed me the thick wad of paper, and told me that it was all done, and all I had to do was proof-read it and make sure it tied in good enough with everything else. The rest would be left up to me.
"That's it." She said, her eyes passing over to the box in the corner. "And that's some of your stuff I kept over the years, I figured you would want it back." My attention didn't even flit over to it nor did my mind even let it enter my thought train.
"Yeah, I guess…" My voice drifted off, I knew she had to go soon and I wasn't sure how to say goodbye to her.
"How's life goin' anyway?" Amelia said, trying to lighten the mood. The rain outside occupied the silence space, along with the laughter drifting down from upstairs.
"There's really no point in using such common terms. I know you have to leave soon." I said, wincing at how blunt and formal it sounded. Hurt flashed in her eyes before she turned to the clock and stood.
"Yeah, you're right." Standing up with her, I walked her to the door and watched, not saying anything as she put on her shoes. I can't remember a time when we'd been in each others presence and it had been this sullen.
"You'll call me right? Once you get settled in?" I asked as she put on her coat, pausing to answer me.
"Of course, you can tell me how we did on the project and how everybody's doing." It sounded a little desperate than anything.
"Yeah, I will." We didn't have to say goodbye, we'd still talk and I guess that was enough for us.
"Bye."
"Bye." And then she was gone. Rain walked in from the kitchen and caught me staring at the door, tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to fall.
"It'll be alright. You'll still talk, it'll be like old times." Despite the reassuring words, I knew they were empty. Nothing would be as it was before. It was like when my father left, I don't know when he is coming back, or if he ever will, and I don't even know where he is. There were many differences between the two, since I would talk with Amelia and I knew where she was going, but all the same.
It would never be like old times.
