Lead me to Heaven

Sneaking Out

Sandra and Shoshana left Valerie’s apartment in a grim mood. Neither of them liked arguing with a friend and they had nowhere to go at 11pm, but staying up there hadn’t been an option. Not after the way the girl had treated them both.

 “So, where do you live?” Sandy asked after they had walked a couple of blocks to the nearest avenue, to avoid the darkness of the desolated side streets. “I live about a mile from Gakko... on the other direction,” she explained. “but I’m supposed to be at my dad’s tonight and he won’t be home until later. It’s really near from here. Don’t worry,” she assured.

 With that, both girls started walking through the dark streets, looking in every direction in case someone creepy looking appeared. Fortunately, they arrived at Shoshana’s father’s apartment twenty minutes later safe and sound.

 “Would you like to come up and call your house or something?” Shoshana offered as she waved the security guard, who got up and came to open the door for her. “I’m OK. I have a cellphone,” she explained with a smile. “Besides, I promised my mom I’d stay at Val’s tonight and if she knew I ran out of her house in the middle of the night she’d probably get a heart attack,” Sandy joked, making Shoshana chuckle.

 “Just for a little while?” She suddenly pleaded. “I don’t like being home alone.” Sandy nodded and entered the building after her.

 The apartment was spacious and decorated with expensive pictures and furniture. It even had a service area with a room meant for a maid that was the one Shoshana’s father had assigned to her during her visits.

 “What are you going to do now?” Shoshana asked  slightly worried. “I mean, I’d invite you to stay over, but my dad doesn’t allow me to invite people, so you’re gonna have to go before he comes,” she explained feeling guilty about it, but Sandy smiled reassuringly.

 “Don’t worry. I’ll go to William’s. He lives near my house and is probably still awake.” Shoshana didn’t look convinced, so Sandy kept talking. “I’ve known him since we were five. I don’t think he’ll mind letting me stay in his place tonight. Besides, he owes me,” she said with a satisfied smile. “Fine, but send me a text when you get there, so I don’t worry,” she demanded in a warm voice.

 “My cell can’t text. I’m sorry. It’s too old,” Sandy confessed clearly embarrassed. Cellphones capable of sending text messages had just started appearing in the market only six months prior and were really expensive. Even Shoshana’s phone, which had that function and was relatively new, didn’t have a color display. “Oh. In that case don’t worry.”

 They were in a small kitchen full of expensive appliances and decorated in black and white only. In a corner, there was a huge fish tank and Shoshana approached it with a smile. For a while, she stood there watching the five goldfish sleep at the bottom of the tank, then she turned to Sandy.

 “I used to have a fish bowl at home when I was young. My dad gave them to me for my fifth birthday.” She explained. “I had two fishes. One was a Black Moor called moonlight –yeah, I know that doesn’t make sense, but I was little at the time!-“ “I think it was a nice name,” Sandy said with a smile, as she also used to have goldfishes when she was little.

“Thanks,” Shoshana said with a bright smile. “The other was a goldfish, but I don’t remember it’s name anymore.” “I like fish,” Sandy said taking a closer look at the tank. “I have a fish tank at home as well, but I have tropical fishes.” Shoshana seemed interested and surprised. “What kind of tropical fish?” “You know... a couple of platy, some neon tetra, a guppy, a tiger barb, a Siamese fighter, a molly... oh, and my favorites, a baby discus and two angel fish.”