Chad
I woke up Wednesday morning to sacred silence, the pale winter sun peeking through my window. I sat up in my warm bed and threw back my down comforter, quickly wrapping it around myself again.
"I hate winter. I hate it, I hate it…" I muttered over and over again, dragging the comforter along with me as I went to the kitchenette for a glass of purified water.
And I leaned on the counter, drinking my water, in lonely silence, in my pristine white little apartment. I guess it really didn't matter how small my living quarters were, it was never full enough.
The highlight of my day was actually when Sonny came to visit that night.
"Hey, Sonny, come on in," I greeted as she smiled at me. She peeled off her gloves and her giant coat, laying them neatly over the back of my sofa.
"Hey, Chad!" she replied brightly, giving me a quite unexpected hug. "How was your day?"
"Uh, um, you know…good." My hands found their way into my pants pockets. Wrong, today had been dead boring. I motioned for her to sit at the bar as I stepped into the kitchenette to make some hot chocolate. "How was your day?"
She quickly launched into an intricate account of her day and I was soon sorry I had asked. "Well, first of all, I had to call Nico and Grady so I could meet them somewhere to hang out, because I haven't seen them since like, Friday and I still have no idea what to get them for Christmas. And then I had to track down Zora, who evidently is in Hawaii with her family, so she'll get whatever I'm giving her a few days late. And I looked up all of Tawni's favorite stores, but a tube of Cocoa Moco Cocoa lipstick is like, $60, which is a crazy price for lipstick. I mean, maybe not for a whole set, but for one tube? And…"
After about thirty seconds of her fast-talking I basically just zoned out, sipping my chocolate and nodding when she paused.
You notice funny things about people when you zone out. For example, right now I was noticing how pink Sonny's lips were, and how weird her chin looked, and the way you could see all her teeth when she smiled.
"Chad? Chad? Are you even listening to me?" she asked indignantly. I grinned.
"Not really."
"Chad this isn't funny! I've lived here for awhile now and I have no idea what my friends want for Christmas!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sonny." I looked down at my empty mug awkwardly and then at the clock on the wall. It was 9:46.
She followed my gaze. "Oh my gosh!" She shot up and rushed to get her mug into the sink, practically running for the door.
I followed her to the door again as she threw up her fur-trimmed hood and bug-eye sunglasses, gloves tucked in her jacket pocket. "Sonny, it's late…you might be too tired to drive back home."
"Chad, I was supposed to be home a half hour ago! My mom will be so worried." She gave me a quick hug and opened the door before I could beat her to it. "Thanks for your hospitality…bye, Chad!"
I watched her go, leaving me by myself again, and I closed the door. Uncool.
---
I was frightfully more aware of the little sounds of night. I wasn't scared, no. But I could clearly hear the couple in the room below me, talking in low voices to each other before going to sleep. Once those noises ceased, I heard pounding footsteps and shrieking giggles from the room above me. I assumed Janna was having a sleepover.
You know, I hadn't really been the nicest to her. Maybe I would go say hello?
---
I knocked on her door, and heard silence on the other side, soon greeted by an incredulous, "Chad? Hey, what are you doing here?" Janna smiled at me brightly and the girls in the background looked up, stunned, immediately turning to each other and frantically stroking their hair. "Oh, are we being too loud? I'm sorry…"
"No, no…it's fine. Just wanted to come say hi." She gaped at me in disbelief. "So…are you gonna invite me in, or…"
"Oh, right. Sorry. My mistake," she quickly apologized, allowing me into her apartment. Skirts and colored skinny jeans were strewn all over the place, over the sofa and coffee table. "This is Jess and Melissa." The girls rushed over to their friend's side smiling at me and I smiled back awkwardly. "We were just about to watch Benny and Joon. You can join if you'd like!"
"Uh…alright." The two other girls bit their lips to try and hide their excitement.
---
Had I known that Johnny Depp was in it, I would not have agreed to stay for the movie. I don't approve of stars that people consider to be more attractive than myself. I mean, anyone could just sit in a tree with a weird hat and polka-dot tie and stare at a passing car. I bet if I climbed up in some bug-infested tree, I'd look ten times more "angelic" than Depp.