since i saw vienna [wlw]

𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 | 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦

A/N: hello there! this is my first story i've written so if it's not everything you would have expected it to be i'm very sorry about that! anyways, please enjoy this story and let me know what you think in the comments >:)

     I hear the crash of the thunder outside of the shitty apartment my parents have paid for half of my life. The 6 years I've spent in this building echo off of the walls that are covered by chipping off grey paint. The sheets have different shades of dirt and grime on top of the flowered patterns that match comforters and pillowcases. 

     This stupid bed, this stupid apartment, of course, it's been 6 years since I originally moved here, I thought as I rubbed the sleep out of my sunken eyes. I reluctantly rolled over and sat up to move out of bed as a rush of dizziness followed, causing me to lay back down. I grab my phone that was shoved onto the bedside table that was stuffed with various cups and bowls, the mountain growing little by little every week.

     I pressed my thumb to the round home button as my phone flashed a bright white light, buzzing to life. Crap, of course, mom has been trying to call. I looked at the time of each call and counted up to thirty missed calls, all just a few minutes apart. 5:17 pm. Slept in again, no wonder she called so many times. I clicked on the upcoming call from mom and was greeted with a loud sigh, "Finally, you answered me. I have been trying to call you for hours, did you know that? I can't believe you would be selfish enough to-" She muted herself quickly, probably talking to my dad who usually sits in the background of every call.

     "Mom? Why did you call me?" I asked through the silence that came through on her end of the phone. She took a few more seconds to respond to my question, most likely still talking dad. "I'm calling to wish you a happy birthday, why else? Did you forget about your own birthday again? Goddammit Titania, that's the third time in a row, y'know?" Mom spat into the phone, not being able to call me without insulting me in one way or another. "Sorry mom, I was asleep. I didn't realize what day it was," I muttered quickly in regards to her comment. Mom sighed into the phone, "It's fine. Would you like to come over for dinner today to celebrate? We would be having steak if you did." I sighed as I was thinking about an excuse to not see them today. "I can't mom, I have work in an hour and I need to start getting ready," lying right through my teeth, as usual. I could almost see my mom's eye-rolling through the silence that followed my response.

     "Fine, it's good that you finally got a job. Bye," she said quickly before hanging up the phone. God, how does she fall for that constantly, I thought to myself before seeing Gene wake up from beside me, "Babe, was that your mom again? I thought you blocked her?" He said sitting up and wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, "Yeah, wishing me a happy birthday like every week, her dementia has gotten worse," he looked at me with sad eyes. Gene kissed my neck before sitting up and standing in the doorway, "Waffle house?"

-------------------------------------

     I paid for our meals and walked out of the building together, He can't work so I pay for most everything we do. "Babe, why do you see me every day?" Gene questions looking genuinely curious. "I-I don't-" I stuttered before looking back into the passenger seat and seeing him gone. Looking up through the front window of the car I finally see it. The fire, weaving its way through the windows and doorways that is, or was, Gene's cheap two-story house, the cute bomber jacket you've had since sixth form. I see you, Gene, standing inside the garage that your car used to stay in. The gasoline can shake from your burning hand, slowly engulfed in the bright orange flames. Your voice was so hoarse, so pain-stricken and lonely sounding as it faded from screams into silence.

     I sat in the driver's seat gripping the handle as my knuckles turn white. Sirens play behind as I watch the flame get distinguished slowly, an arm shakes me out of my hazy state and I look around me. Still, in the parking lot of the waffle house that was abandoned years ago, someone handing me the money I left on the counter to pay for the food that never existed. Gene, where was he? He was just here- I thought quickly to myself, "Ma'am, are you okay?" The person in front of me was still shaking my arm. I closed my eyes shut tightly and felt myself pass out, falling onto my steering wheel.

     Waking up again was horrible, just this time, I wasn't anywhere near home.  The white walls really clashed with my disgusting body that reeked of sweat and tears. Mom sat by the bed looking rather annoyed with Gene at the end of the bed. He looked up at me and looked as though he had been crying. "I've been here before," I managed to spit out, startling my mom. "Oh honey, you're okay!" She yelled out before leaning over to hug me, Gene leaving the room with me and mom in there alone. "Wait, where is Gene going?" Mom looking at me worriedly as I asked her about him. She sat there and backed away from me, putting her face in her hands and sobbing silently, I sat and watched her cry as I fell back asleep.

     Days went by as I stayed in the hospital, days slowly turning to weeks. Mom would come every other day or so to check in on me and Gene as we laid in my bed and watched YouTube videos. We would laugh and laugh at the stupid kid-friendly videos that played on the hospital provided IPad. "What are you watching honey?" Mom asked quietly as we calmed our laughter, "I don't even fucking know, some Play-Doh video or something!" My laughter picked up again and mom chuckled to herself. We talked for about 20 minutes before she left to go talk to my nurse Ms. Ismay. Mom held her hand to her mouth and her arm around her waist as Ms. Ismay rubbed her back. Mom came back into the room,

    "Tia, you can come home with us today if you'd like." Using that stupid nickname she knew I hated, I agreed to come home. Mom handed me a brand new phone with some pre-installed apps on it, messages, YouTube, email, standard apps. I looked beside me to tell Gene something but, of course, he wasn't there. He must've driven his car, I thought to myself. I pressed the app store icon and searched for dating apps. 

     Making my own account on the app, I put my name, hobbies, and interests. Finally, the app asked me what gender to show on my feed, male or female. I hesitated as I pressed female, though I have been playing with the idea of my sexuality for months. As I added pictures of myself, I configured my account, shutting my phone off afterward.

     A day or so went by without any messages from the app besides a welcome message. Mom had let me go back to my apartment once she found out that I ate a lot of the food in the fridge. I laid in bed drifting in and out of sleep until my phone lit up. A notification showed from the dating app, Hey cutie, your bed looks very lonely, mind if I lay with you?  The cringy pick-up line made me chuckle before I worked up the motivation to respond. of course, there will always be room as long as you keep me warm < 3, sending the message, I could feel Gene's gaze on me as he watched me scroll through her profile. Vienna, she's blonde, has green eyes, she wears a lot of harsh bright makeup and a lot of dark clothes. 

     Scrolling on her account more a new message popped up, coincidentally, from her. Where are you from? I'm from New Orleans myself. I read the message and my head slumped. America. Of course, another person who lives thousands of miles away that I will break my heart over. I typed back, rather upset, I'm from Brighton in England, watching her icon pop up and down, indicating that she was typing. Vienna typed, A girl who lives thousands of miles away, what a fun mystery to explore ;), I read the message and didn't want to respond yet, knowing I will respond weirdly.

     Vienna typed again, Let's chat more, I'd like to get to know you, Miss Titania, and soon enough my phone died and my eyes drifted shut.

adorned with patches of places you've been, is nothing on my khaki coat that I got from a roadside when I was sixteen