Ordinary

Where?

It has been 2 days since then and I still haven't chosen where I should take Xavier, maybe somewhere meaningful or maybe somewhere fun? I wouldn't know either way.

It's a cold spring, a spring filled with raindrops and winds. For me, the drops of water were warm as they hit my face, the winds were warm as they passed me and I was generally warm overall, this spring. Where should I take Xavier in this cold warmth?

Today was a Friday, the Friday I was supposed to plan for us. I'm not used to planning days out for people, for friends. I don't remember doing this for Lola.

Probably because Lola did everything for herself and I would just tag along, that sounds bad but it wasn't, it didn't feel bad, it was still fun in the end, I'd put in some effort, somewhere along the line. Our usual day out would be Starbucks, followed by a trip to the mall, followed by a walk in the park. Her favourite shops were Forever21, HM and this 'vintage' store (which didn't look very vintage to me). I didn't mind her picking the stores we visited, I got to understand her personal style well. Saddely, I lost mine, I lost mine while finding someone else's.

******

Maybe, I should take Xavier to the mall, so I can find my style again. Actually, doesn't that sound like a date? That definitely sounds like a date to me... Do you think he would mind? Would he like that sort of thing? Wouldn't he just stand around, awkwardly, like most guys do, as the girl tries to find something beautiful for herself? I shouldn't.

I could take him to the park that I love so much, or is it Lola that loved that park so much? Gurgon Park. Me and Lola would sit on the swings and barely swing at all, I would listen as she talks about that funny thing that happened to her that day. I would listen and listen and listen.

I could take him to... I should take him to the cinema. I like the cinema. I went their with my mother and father all the time as a little girl, it was a time I held precious, I still hold precious. My mother and father wouldn't argue, wouldn't fight, wouldn't stop as soon as I walked into the room, they would just sit silently and stare at the large magical box that would make all our problems dissapear, even if it was for an hour or 2. I was always given the chance to choose the movie, knowing me I would've chosen a Disney movie every time.

"This Saturday, let's go to the cinema." I say, happily.
"That took some time." He laughed.
"I didn't think you'd say anything for a moment, just pretend it never happened at all." He laughed, again.
"I'm not that mean, am I?" I lean against his locker, closing it shut, leaving him holding his books in his hands, unable to put them away.
We laugh. I move out the way letting him put his books into his locker.

"Oh and, not to be sudden..." I say, before I leave.
"Yeah." He replies.
"Get a haircut." I say, sticking out my tongue, so it wouldn't hurt his feelings too bad.
He looks at me confused, but nods, none the less.

******

I lay on my couch, which is so comfortable, words cannot describe.
My butt almost sliding off the edge of the couch, slouching like no man has ever slouched before, I think to myself, how did I live with myself? How could I live with the me, that lived life with a girl like Lola?

I obsessed over her, now I don't know why? I still have fond memories of her, obviously, we were best friends, but to be fair she was the only best friend I had, or the only one that I bothered to find. I can't compare her to anyone. I can't remember the friends before her, I was young, I was probably friends with everyone.

******

I decided to get some photo albums out and have a look. My mum keeps a lot of them in the top shelf of her wardrobe. The rest of them my father has. I search the albums for my younger days, the kindergarten days and after that. I find some of me, ones of me as a baby, naked. Isn't that creepy, though? I always found that creepy. Okay, found the right age : 5.

Aw, I was a cute toddler, yes I was. Am I baby talking myself right now? Anyway, I notice I did have a couple of friends back in the day, a whole clique if I do say so myself. A cute little girl with black hair and paint all over her face, even a feather in her hair, now that I look closely, they all have blurry little name-tags, this little brown-eyed angel was called Kandice.

In between me and Kandice, was the only boy of the clique, James who had his little hands over our shoulders, what a player, he is very cute either way with his brown hair that was all glued to one side with the thickest hair gel I have ever seen on a child. He reminded me of the guys from our school. Yes, all the guys look the same in our school. Pretty upsetting, to say the least.

On the left side of me was another little girl, ginger hair and the pretty green eyes of the fields near my home. This little girl was holding up a picture of what I'm assuming, is a unicorn or a pegasus like creature, anyway, she is cute, even if she is not a talented artist. Her name was Ruby?

I never did talk to Ruby during break, instead, I went to see Xavier. What a good friend I am.

All of a sudden there is a knock at the door. My mom shouldn't be back for another 2 hours, she would of messaged me if she was planning to come back early, I check my phone, nothing. I was warned by my mother to not open the door to strangers, so I pretended I wasn't home by turning off the lights. I hear muffled talking behind the door. I decide the person can't be all that dangerous talking to themselves. Honestly, I was a little curious.

******

What I forgot at that moment in time is that, curiosity killed the cat. And, crazy people talk to themselves aloud, normal people talk to themselves inside their heads. I opened the door, holding a remote control as a weapon, up high. I probably looked just as crazy as the psychopath outside.

Ruby?
"Hey, girl." She smiles
"How to you know where I live?" I ask.
"Not gonna invite me in, no?" Ruby glares at me, then my living room.
"Okay, come in." I say.
She waltzes in, arms flapping by her sides, as she slips off her shoes and slouches onto the sofa.
She looks at the table for a moment, looking at the many photo albums splattered across the little coffee table.
I rush to the scene and gather all the photo albums my arms can carry, leaving only one or so on the table, rushing up the stairs to drop them off into the box labelled 'Photo albums' and shoving it all back into my mothers top shelf of the wardrobe.

Back down the stairs, I find Ruby glaring at me, again
"How did you know I lived here?" I ask, once more.
"My friend Jackson reminded me." She smiled.
It all made sense in my mind, like puzzle pieces sticking together.
"How could he of remembered my house after all this time?" I said, proving a point.
"Your mums are still close remember. You have bad memory. Did you not remember me, either?" She asked, dissapointed, already knowing the answer to her own question.
"Is that why you call me your friend?" I ask, curiously.
"No, that's something else." She says.
"Then, why is it?" I say.
"I'm guessing we haven't talked since kindergarten." I laugh.
"Well, it's a long story, are you prepared to listen?" She asks.
"My mum comes back from work in 2 hours." I say.
"No-one tells a story for that long." She laughs.

******

Tomorrow is coming but it's not here yet. Until then.

-Veronica Jones.