In the Life of a Rose

December 31, 2019

In the Life of a Rose...

I heard the toilet flush and the sink run as I fixed my position on the couch before Chris came out of the bathroom. He sat down with a sigh and grabbed the popcorn, putting it between us. We had just finished Euphoria and I was astonished by Zendaya's performance. Her acting skills had improved significantly since Disney Channel.

"What show's next?" he asked, getting comfortable next to me. "I hope it's brighter than the last."

"I hope so too," I said, switching over to Netflix. "It's called The Witcher. Henry Cavill's in it."

"Oh! Brits!"

"They're all British," I stated. "Okay, ready?" He nodded as I pressed play and the thud and hum of the Netflix intro soothed my ears.

The show began with Henry in white hair, black veiny eyes, and big and buff per usual—which Chris scoffed at— fighting a monster that looked like a giant spider. The fight continued for a while and it looked like the main character was losing until he stabbed it with a large, silver sword.

The dead monster was then dragged by the man, who I knew was a Witcher from reading the synopsis, into an old town. We got a good look at the Witcher as he talked to a girl, and we saw his bright yellow eyes.

"What's wrong with his eyes?" Chris said. I think his tone would get popcorn thrown at him in a theater and I didn't want to clean up the mess if I did it. No, I'd make him clean it because he's at my house, talking during the show. Thankfully, I held my peace. "His wig looks terrible."

And so did Chris Hemsworth's bleached eyebrows.

"I know damn well those people didn't wear armor like that. It looks like a costume."

At least he's not wearing red, white, and blue.

"C'mon Thea, do we have to watch this?" he whined.

"Mmm," I shook my head, pausing the tv. "I guess I'll watch it on my own."

"Hmm?"

"Why don't we switch jobs since you want to critique when we're..." I looked at the time, "five minutes in?"

"I don't know, I think I'm restless after watching Euphoria for a long time," he said. "It's New Year's Eve, let's pop some champagne- I mean apple cider."

"Yes." I watched as he got up and turned on the kitchen lights to grab some champagne glasses in the transparent cupboards. He popped the bottle which made his dog, Dodger, lift his head. Chris didn't want to leave him alone so he brought him along and now, he was closer to me than Chris; literally.

I picked up the Boxer and ran my finger through his fur as I moved to the kitchen and leaned on the counter. Chris cupped his dog's head, whispering gushing words to him and rubbing his nose against his as Dodger panted.

"It's almost twelve," Chris said. He changed the tv to the news so we could watch the live New York broadcasting for New Year's.

I grabbed my glass and returned to the living room, setting it down on the coffee table. Chris had started to clean our Chinese takeout and I stayed standing to rock Dodger like a baby in my arms.

"Where'd you get him? He's so adorable."

"I actually rescued him," Chris said at the sink. "I was filming at an animal shelter and I saw him and just..."

"Fell in love?"

"Yeah," he nodded, turning off the faucet and drying his hands. "I knew he was coming home with me that day."

"You must be spoiled," I murmured into his ear.

"Especially if you're cradling him like that," Chris said. "He can walk. And swim."

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to set him down. "Maybe I'll get a dog someday."

"What kind of dog would you be interested in?" he asked. "Or maybe, you might have your eyes on a specific breed and come out of a shelter with another."

I lightly laughed and shook my head. "I don't know, yet."

"Alright, the countdown for the United States' West Coast," Anderson Cooper said on the news and I raised the volume. Chris and I began to shout the numbers along with the people on live television and when we hit one, we screamed and chugged our champagne. What made it even better was when my neighbors shot fireworks into the sky, booming the night with noise and lights.

"I'm sorry, Buddy," I whispered, covering Dodger's ears when he whimpered. "I'm sorry."

"Ah, 2020," Chris sighed as Anderson Cooper blessed us in the New Year. "This year is going to be great."

"Indeed it shall," I agreed as he refilled my glass and I drank again.