Us Against the World

27. Deck the Walls

"I did it," I tell myself, staring down at the scribbles on my newly printed calendar. I feel like a villain surveying their child-like model of the city that they want to corrupt, except my city is a white sheet of paper full of red notes and highlighted numbers.

The clock strikes eight and my alarm begins to sing. It's a horrible singer, though, just like I am, but it keeps me on my toes and forces me to stop being lazy with my chores.

"Damn, where did she go?" I mutter, silencing the cawing of the chicken. "To Spencer's, maybe? Nah, he lives too far away for her to walk there."

The house is too quiet for my comfort and it makes me feel like there's someone hiding in one of the bedrooms, waiting for the right moment to strike. Luckily, the eerie silence is ruptured swiftly by the soft hum of my ringtone. My red Sharpie clatters on the ground as I lunge to answer the call.

"You sound out of breath," Ezra's voice teases me. "Were you working out?"

"Only in my dreams," I mutter. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to talk to my girlfriend. Is that a crime?"

"Ha-ha." I roll my eyes endearingly. "How are you? Aren't you still at work?"

"I am, but there's not much left for me to do," he replies. "Everyone except Marcello has gone home for the night. We're thinking about grabbing some drinks afterward. Want to join us?"

"Nah, I'm fine," I say, wiping my forehead. Damn, who turned the heater up? "The last time I got drunk, I almost ended up in a brothel. I'm not taking my chances again."

"Marcello and I will be with you this time," Ezra laughs. "But okay. What are you up to?"

"Uh..." I stare at my calendar, realizing in the moment that I have no idea what I wrote. It looks like the alphabet of a mythical language. "I was booking some doctor's appointments."

"Really? What changed your mind?"

"Chandini," I say simply. "Speaking of, do you happen to know where she is? We...er...we got into an argument and she stormed out of the house."

"Sounds like me when I was younger," Ezra says dryly. "But no, I haven't seen her. Do you want me to look?"

"No, it's fine." I glance at the time. "She should be coming back soon. She's never been a fan of the dark."

"I don't know many people who are. What was the fight about?"

"My health," I answer while picking up the mess that I've made. "Long story short, I realized that I was being unfair by not taking care of myself. It'll put me in debt, but the least I can do is appease Chandini and go to the doctor."

"You should be going for your own benefit, not because your sister threatened you," Ezra scolds me like he's an old, hardened man and I can't help but chuckle. "What? I'm serious! Your health isn't something to joke about!"

"Are you going to lecture me too?" I inquire playfully. "Because if you are, I'm going to hang up."

"No! No, I won't," he concedes defeat to my threat. "Look, I have to go real quick - God knows what Marcello is doing outside - I'll call you later, alright? Maybe we can plan another date to go on?"

"Oh! Can we go to the park next time?" I ask. "I heard there's a new track and I want to see what it looks like."

"Sure." I can feel Ezra smiling as he speaks. "I love you."

"I...I love you too." Taken off guard, my response is staggering and slow. He laughs and tells me goodbye, hanging up with a click, but my phone remains by my ear until the alarm rings again, causing me to jerk back on the couch and hit my knee on the table.