My Best Friend, Forever

Chapter 3

Once I reached my house, I rested Ivy against a large oak tree, and then I sat and pondered, panting because I was out of breath. I looked up at the window leading to the living room, its light shining some light on us two. Nina would never let me take Ivy in, she never seemed to like her even after all the years I've known her. She's very certain about who she lets in our house. Ivy couldn't be alone out here in the cold storm, and I am the best friend she could ask for. Anyone would be lucky to be my best friend.

Lightning cracked above us and I had to get inside soon. I carried Ivy alongside the house and around, where the back door was. My backdoor led to the long case of concrete stairs leading to the basement. I quietly opened the door, it hasn't been opened in years so the creaking noise it made was almost loud enough to draw attention. I closed the door behind me.

The old light flickered above us, and I squinted trying to see the bottom of the staircase.

"We're almost there, Ivy, I have somewhere you can stay before I convince my sister to let you come upstairs," I whispered.

Slowly and carefully we went down, step by step, and Ivy was silent. I don't blame her for being so quiet, I'm not mad at her. Quiet is what we need, before Nina finds us.

We reached the bottom and we were engulfed and almost consumed by the darkness. I dragged my hand against the wall until I found the light switch, and I turned it on. The basement was mostly just boxes, storage, and spiderwebs. But on the side of the large empty-spaced room was a mattress. There was no sheet or blanket on it, but it was way more comfortable than that coffin, so Ivy wouldn't mind.

"Finally you can rest in peace," I whispered to her as I laid her down on the cold mattress.

I heard footsteps upstairs, it's Nina. I could hear her pacing, probably worrying about where I am. She doesn't know that I'm right below her.

I looked over at Ivy, laying lifeless on the mattress. Her eyes were open and staring right through me.

"I know it's cold down here, I'm sorry," I apologized. "You will be safe here. I don't know why you were in that coffin for so long." I said to her.

I was answered with silence, and the wind blowing violently outside sent me chills.

"Okay, I understand, you are tired. I will let you sleep and settle in. It won't be like this all the time, you won't have to stay in the basement. I just have to talk to Nina," I explained my scrambled thoughts and I grew tired. I was exhausted.

I shut the light off and trailed outside through the back door. I walked alongside the house, still barefoot and covered in rain and mud. I opened the front door and walked in, and Nina was on the couch looking up at me, horrified.

"You're so dirty... I'm concerned for you," tears were in Nina's eyes.

I answered her with silence, looking down at my unruly appearance.

"I'm gonna get a shower set up for you." She said softly and I knew she would be mad about the mess I brought in with me, sticky mud and water on her perfectly polished floors. But she didn't say anything now.

"You can go in now." She said after she set some things up in the bathroom for me.

I walked past her to the bathroom filling with hot steam from the hot water running. It soothed me already. Fresh, clean towels were laid on the edge of the porcelain sink and dry, clean clothes for me. I stripped out of my dirty dress and left it a pile on the tiled floor. I stepped in the shower and flinched at the contact, the beautiful contrast from cold, sticky and uncomfortable being out in that storm, bringing Ivy home, to the soothing hot water.

I watched as the water turned from clear to dark brown. The mud was washing off of me and I felt a lot better.

I brushed my hair back with my fingers as I thought of the storm passing by. There was something so haunting about tonight in particular, something I couldn't comprehend. I was relieved to have Ivy here, at home with me. She's not all alone in that box, six feet under ground as the rain poured on top of her. She's safe now. She's with me. And the thought comforted me so much.

"You are going to make me look like such a clown after this makeover, seriously, I can't go out like this," I laughed as she dabbed the small brush in the fine powder to obtain its shimmery color.

Ivy pushed her black hair to the side and just sat back, taking in my whole appearance. "Okay, okay, relax, it's just makeup! It will come off." She giggled.

Ivy was doing my makeup for the party we were going to in an hour. I have never worn makeup before, but Ivy is the most fashionable, stylish, talented female I know and she happens to be my best friend. I was never girly, I never wore dresses, I never did my hair or makeup and she brought out the feminine side in me.

"And...all done!" She finally said after fixing and re-doing my makeup for the fifth time.

I looked in the mirror to see my beautiful face, the look suited me and I didn't look as bad as I thought I would. Ivy hugged me and smiled. "We're ready for this night!"

Looking at Ivy, I appreciated her so much. She didn't need a drop of makeup because everything about her was flawless. Almost too perfect. Sometimes I was jealous of her, I envied how she didn't need to wear makeup to be attractive, I envied how she could talk to any boy and the conversation would end with a date reservation or hook-up. I could never be as perfect as my dear friend Ivy, but I still admired her day by day.

"Kenna." I heard Nina knocking on the door lightly. "Are you okay in there?"

"Yes.. I'll be out in a minute." I said over the running water, then continued to stare down at the running water streaming down my skin.

Once I finished up in the shower, I met Nina out in the living room. I could see the mess I made while just standing there, tracking mud and water on the ground was already cleaned up.

It was silent as we both sat on the couches in the living room. Nina broke the silence.

"I am going to be going on a business trip for the next week. I should've told you sooner but with all of the tension going on in the house I just.. look, will you be able to handle yourself while I'm gone?"

"Nina I am not a child. Of course I'm gonna be fine!" I assured her. I haven't been alone, actually alone for a long time. Nina has been there to take care of me.

"There is enough food for the house, I went food shopping earlier. I'm gonna leave some money for emergencies too. This business trip is very important for the company I'm working for. The research we're doing is an amazing.." I started to trail off and Nina's words disappeared from my conscious mind.

All I could think about is how I'm going to be alone for the next week. I still go to school since it is my last year, that is all I really have to do. School was dreadful, though, when it just became me going, and not me and Ivy.