Setting the Stage

Chapter Seven

I woke up at six so I could take a shower before going to the studio with Del. I stumbled tiredly through the quiet and dark house to the bathroom door. Not only did I need to take a shower but I was about ready to pee my pants and the cool hard wood floor against my bare feet was not helping me hold it. I reached for the handle and jiggled it, but nothing happened. That is when I noticed light seeping through the bottom of it.

“Crap.” I said, pressing my knees together. The water was running and I knew he must be taking a shower and not just doing… I don’t know, whatever guys do in the bathroom. I bounced up and down on my feet, not sure what to do. I had to use the bathroom and I was about to die. “Del!” I yelled, pounding on the door several times. There was a muffled reply and I groaned. “Del!” I shouted again.

“What!?” Came a foggy voice, and I knew yelling at each other through the door wasn’t going to help.

“I have to go to the bathroom!” I crossed my arms over my chest, pressing my knees together and bending down slightly.

“What?” The voice said and I bit back on my tongue.

“I-HAVE-TO-GO-To-THE-BATHROOM!” I spoke as loudly as I could and drew the words out, hoping it would help. Instead, I got no reply. I pounded on the door again.

“What? I don’t know what you just said!” Why could I hear him? I groaned.

“Del, I have to pee!”

“Hold it!”

“I can’t! Dear god, just let me in so I can go to the bathroom!”

“What?”

“Del!” I heard the water shut off and then a few heavy footsteps. Then the door opened.

I darted forward, almost plowing Del over. I quickly shoved his back, before realizing it was bare and wet. My eyes flicked down and I sucked in. Thank God he was wearing a towel around his waist.

“There, are you happy now? This wouldn’t happen if you’d just come take a shower with me.” He smirked and I just shoved him.

“Get out!” I was bouncing up and down, doing the obvious little kid potty dance. I didn’t think I could hold it any longer.

“Fine, fine.” But he was being slow.

“Del, hurry!” I whined, starting to close the door on him.

“I’m out! God!” He called and I locked the door and practically ran to the toilet.

A few minutes later I peeked out of the bathroom. I moved to Del’s room which was closed. I knocked on it lightly. The door opened a crack and all I could see was his head. “What?” He said, obviously irritated.

“I was just checking to see if you were done in the bathroom. Because I can wait to take a shower.” I said quietly, not sure of his mood.

“Yes, I’m done. Why would I be in here if I wasn’t?”

“Okay, sorry.” I recoiled from him and went to my room to get clothes for the day. “Sheesh.” I mumbled under my breath as I past his room again. He was being ridiculous. I couldn’t help that I had to go to the bathroom. I sighed as I closed the bathroom door behind me and grabbed a fresh towel and hung it.

Twenty minutes later I was drying my hair with a blow dryer. My hair curled in, making the curly ringlets that were usually there. When I was done, I applied a little eyeliner and mascara, but since that was all the makeup I had brought, and really owned, it would just have to do. I shimmied into a pair of dark jeans and buttoned them. They weren’t tight on my legs and hung rather loosely. I pulled on a plain white t-shirt on before adding a dark blue cardigan and buttoning it in the middle. I didn’t have very nice clothes and I knew it, but I didn’t mind. It was who I was and what I had and could afford. I wouldn’t change myself for the world. And this was me, plain, simple, Ivalin.