I woke up the next morning in a cold sweat with a skull-splitting headache. As I wiped at my forehead, my dream - no, nightmare - from last night replayed in my head. I was alone in the darkness, left to wander aimlessly for some way out. Sickness appeared before me, ten times bigger than me, and gave me an evil grin. She laughed maniacally like they do in those old cartoons and started reciting bits and pieces from yesterday's conversation. She chanted them over and over again, and I tried to scream at her to shut up, but my voice just wasn't loud enough. I tried to plug my ears, I tried running away, I tried curling up into myself, but nothing worked. She was like a broken record.

So after getting myself all cleaned up and dressed for the day, I was unpleasantly surprised to hear my door being pounded on. I gripped painfully at my throbbing head and flung the door open, already knowing who would knock so obnoxiously. Tenna shoved Mr. Spooky in my face and made him squeak to say 'hello.' I backed away and let her in, seeing as how she wouldn't go away even if I dragged her down the hall and pushed her down the stairs.

"Good morning, Devi!"

She went over to my window and pulled back my ugly curtains and yanked the blinds up. I had gotten over my window and hiding issues a couple years ago. It still bothered me to have them open, but I knew I'd just have to close them after she left. Now I just want to keep myself from seeing the outside world. It's hideous anyway.

"What are you doing here, Tenna?"

"Well that's not a nice way to greet your best friend. I just wanted to come over and check up on you!"

"I don't need checking up on, Tenna. I leave now, you know."

She completely ignored me and began her obsessive tour of my apartment. She checks my kitchen for food and clean dishes, my mail to make sure I haven't been ignoring my bills or anything stupid, my room to make sure I keep it semi-clean, and my laundry to make sure it's... shit.

"Devi, why did you let your laundry pile up like this!"

I knew I forgot to do something yesterday when I went out. I usually drop my basket of clothes off and start a load at the Laundromat before I go grocery shopping. I do all of my outsidely-type-stuff every two weeks. Just because I got over my fears didn't mean I wanted to be social and part of the world again. I only go out when I'm forced.

"This will never do. Honestly, Devi, you're a grown woman. Can't you do your own laundry?"

"Why yes, Tenna, I think I can. I only have been for the past twelve years or so."

"Then what is this?"

She dropped my overflowing laundry basket on the floor and pointed at it like I was too stupid to know what she was talking about. I narrowed my eyes and grit my teeth, doing everything I could to keep myself from exploding on her. Despite the fact that she means well, she's like an overbearing mother that smothers her child. If I wanted to back in an environment like that, I'd move back in with my parents. I sighed in defeat and marched over to grab my basket. She was gonna drag me out by any means necessary anyway, so I might as well go easily.

I trotted down the stairs, not bothering to wait for her. She would follow me and make sure I actually did what I was supposed to. I looked back for a brief moment and saw her walking, a stupid smile on her face and she was squeaking Mr. Spooky while humming some random tune. I really didn't get her at all sometimes.

We made it outside and crossed the street to the Laundromat, entering the rundown building and going to the nearest available machine. I separated my clothes and fished out some change for the first load. As the washer ran, I set my basket on top of it, and turned to her with my hands on my hips.

"Happy now?"

She nodded vigorously and clapped before coming over to grab my arm.

"Now you're going to come with me while that's going."

I didn't even get a chance to refuse before she drug me outside. She led me around, refusing to let go of my arm, and took me to the end of the street. There was some shitty restaurant that she loved and before I knew it, we were already inside and being seated.

"Tenna, what are we doing? I don't have enough money to go out like this."

"Relax, breakfast is on me and Mr. Spooky."

Admitting defeat, I slumped back in my seat and looked over my menu. This place had a lot of things that sounded good, but tasted like warm throw up. So I kept it simple and safe, ordering some toast, water, and an egg. I wasn't that hungry anyway. But, of course, Tenna ordered their most expensive item. Some chicken fried steak, pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hashbrown combo. She always used the excuse that she ordered for herself and Mr. Spooky, but he never ate anything.

She started going off about this or that, but I really wasn't paying attention. I just gave her an empty stare, knowing full well that she'd buy it. I tuned back in when our food came and almost hurled when I saw her plate. Everything she had looked like it had been deep fried in three week old fat. My egg didn't look the best and my toast was slightly burnt, but at least it was edible. I had to avert my eyes while she dug into to her "meal." I poked at my egg, taking small bites at a time and drank my water. I eventually settled for slopping my egg on my toast and eating it like a sandwich. I just wanted to not have to look at it anymore.

Tenna continued to talk, still not noticing my lack of attention. Her mouth was full and food was spilling out and I had to put a napkin over my mouth to keep my own food from regurgitating. I kept my eyes on my lap and tried to concentrate on the rest of my day. After I did laundry, I had to get back to the house and paint. My new job was less stressful than working for Nerve, but I still had deadlines. They gave me busy work and small projects, at my request, of course, but little work meant little pay. I wasn't making big bucks before either, but it was twice what I'm making now. I guess the only reason the money even matters is because I've been considering moving.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Tenna slamming her fist on the table and screaming my name. I looked up, not surprised to see that grumpy and irritated look on her face. She always got that way when I ignored her.

"Jeez, Devi, you weren't even listening to me."

"Sorry, but I've heard all of your random chatter before. It doesn't interest me."

"Man, you've become such a cold person. How come you were being so nice to that boy yesterday, but you treat me like crap?"

"Boy?"

"Yeah, that little kid with the red shirt with the smiley face on it. You didn't yell at him. You didn't ignore him. You even told him 'thank you.' I never get that kind of politeness."

"How did you know about him?"

"What, was he a secret or something? I saw him outside your door. I was gonna come bug you last night, but my dinner was burning and I was hungry."

I shook my head. She's one of the only people I know that can leave her apartment with the stove on and come back to find it not burnt down. Honestly.

"Well he was just some strange kid. My grocery bag ripped on the way home and he offered to carry my things. I had no reason to be mean."

"I didn't know you needed a reason."

I glared at her again, but she smiled a goofy smile and folded her hands and rested her chin on them. I could never tell what she was thinking when she made that face, so I sighed and rested my head on the table.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Come on, your laundry is probably done by now."

"What about the bill?"

"Don't worry about it."

She stood up, slapped a twenty dollar bill on the table, and grabbed my hand. She jogged down the street back towards the Laundromat, but it wasn't long before our waitress poked her head outside and yelled after us. Apparently a twenty didn't cover everything. But Tenna was in mood to listen so we just kept going.

I finished my laundry soon after and we walked back to my apartment. She wanted to stay and hang out for a bit, but I told her I had work to do. She didn't care, though, so I had to force her out. I told her about my deadline and yada-yada and she finally left. I shut and locked my door only to turn around to see Sickness.

"So... did you have fun?"

Feeling rather exhausted, I sighed and walked past her.

"No. If you don't mind, I have laundry to put away and a painting to finish."

"She knows, doesn't she?"

"Knows about what?"

"Squee."

"His name is Todd. Yeah, she mentioned him. Why, are you gonna tell me that Tenna is crazy, too? I'd actually believe that."

"No, she's sane. Strange, yes, but completely sane."

"Pfft."

I walked off and shut myself in my room, trying to occupy my mind with other things as I put my stuff away. I heard Sickness tap on the door, but I certainly wasn't going to open it. She laughed and said something or other before she did her disappearing act again.

"She recognizes him. She's too stupid to be a pawn in this, but even she knows that he's crazy."

I kicked the door, already knowing that she vanished. What the Hell was she going on about now? Tenna doesn't know Todd. I never introduced her to Johnny, so how could she know his neighbor? Honestly, these mind games made my headache even worse. I shoved the rest of my clothes to the side and got my painting out. A deadline was still a deadline, after all.

"A/N: Hooray for minor plot development? I just kind of wanted to bring Tenna into the story, seeing as how she is still Devi's best friend. Anyway, the first two or three chapters are updated regularly, and then I kind of start going downhill. So my warning from the prologue still stands. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are loved always."