Vampire Bride

Chapter 4: Part One

Charlie

The impact from me crashing into the wall makes the drywall sound as if it's cracking from the force. With hands flailing in the air scrambling all the papers, one piece somehow remains stuck to my cheek, which slowly falls off and lands in my lap after a few seconds of barely hanging on.

My dazed and confused voice answers the phone without knowing who it is since my eyes are watery from the bright light of the screen. "Hello."

"Charlie, where the hell are you? I was banging on your door for like fifteen minutes. I'm on my way to the police station to file a missing persons report." It isn't the concern or anger in Juliet's voice that makes me cringe, it's the sheer loudness of her voice shocking my eardrums, causing them to ring.

"Juliet, calm down, I fell asleep at the office. What time is it?" I rub at my eyes, trying to wipe away the blurry vision in order to see the clock myself, but it's just easier to ask.

"It's past nine. What are you doing at the office anyways? I thought this weekend you intentionally gave yourself off."

"I did, I just had a rough night last night and work puts my mind at ease. What's the emergency anyways?" The slur of my slow paced words would make anyone believe that I was drinking instead of working. Well, sleeping.

"Rough night, huh? Not to mention, what kind of weirdo gets relaxed by work?" Juliet says jokingly even though she just insulted me.

"Not what you think, Juliet, and work is very relaxing. My job doesn't involve whiny preteens, remember? Now what's so important that you're freaking out about?"

"Wow, you really did forget. The big party planner that turns into Hitler, who demands perfection along with following a precise timeline, forgot about her promise. Tomorrow is Harlow's birthday party. We were supposed to talk over plans tonight."

"Oh shit!" Sheer dread engulfs every inch of me at the realization that I forgot one of my friends' birthdays. I've known about this surprise party for over a month and somehow it only took a visit from a true weirdo to make me forget.

"Please, tell me you made reservations at least." Juliet might have been lighthearted moments prior, but now...now she's more than serious.

"Of course I made reservations. I called the same day you told me about the party. I just forgot that it's tomorrow. Trust me, I'll have everything done and decorated by five o'clock tomorrow night. No need to discuss anything."

"Are you sure? We don't need to decorate.It can be the first casual party that you coordinate," Juliet offers.

"Very funny, but I don't do casual. I'm going to clean up here and go home. If it'll make you feel better I'll even set my alarm to wake me up extra early." Which I'll probably need, but decide not to share with her for the sake of not arguing.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Juliet blurts out before she hangs up without anything further to say.

If I felt pressured before, I definitely feel pressured now. Needing to make this party more than spectacular weighs my heart down to where I'm on the verge of hyperventilating. Somehow doing friends parties are more stressful than doing strangers parties and the crazy part is those strangers are the ones who pay me to do exceptional. Instantly, my fingers get busy by stacking all the loose papers that are scattered on the desk as well as the floor into a neat pile. Times like these would really help out to have everything electronically saved, but I'm old-fashioned and love the feel of a ballpoint pen in my hand.

Immediately, I arrive home to scavenge through all the closets for decorations. Thoughts of keeping the boxes and boxes of supplies at the office crosses my mind, but for some reason I find it easier to keep them at my house. Digging in each box only to end up tossing most of it aside, unable to use it, I gather only a few things that can be utilized.