my girl

chapter 22

"Here this one is yours and I'll take this" she handed me a hand crafted bracelet, it was her thing to make little charms like this and gift them to me. I always loved whenever she gave me something because I knew they came from her heart and everything was genuine. She put the bracelet on my hand and looked up at me, "you're so adorable" she muttered words that I would never grow tired of hearing.

I blushed and tried not to look at her, she knew everything about me. My body language was never something I could hide from her, she was special and I loved her, I've never loved anyone before but I knew just by a feeling that this was it, this was love. She got up and led me to the part of the tree where we etched out our names in the bark. "Layla+Jade" I traced my hand over the perfectly carved markings, it was her idea to put them there  she said it would symbolize our growth together. The tree has been here for as long as anyone can remember therefore our love for each other would remain here with it.

We smiled at each other, this is it. I'm safe here, with her.

My dream shifted from the sun shaded scene of my childhood treehouse to that moment I would give anything to forget. I was in her room, I went to check on her..she didn't come to school that day so I decided to just drop by.
She was wrapped up in bed with someone else. The way she looked at me was with pure hatred and spite, I couldn't understand why she would do this to me, why she would deliberately hurt me. She knew I would come check on her, I always did whenever she didn't come to school. She got up wrapped in the sheet and started screaming at me to get out telling me it was my fault and I made her do it, I didn't know how it could possibly be my fault.. I tried my hardest I really did, I made sure to do everything right, the best way I knew how. She moved closer and grabbed my shoulders almost pushing me outside of her house

I jerked out of my sleep to see a silent Alex leaning on the car window, she seemed to be in deep thought. We were in front of my apartment and I wondered how long we've been here. "Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked her, "I didn't see a need to" she responded shifting her gaze from outside towards me. I sat there for a moment trying to assess my dream, dreams like these weren't very frequent but whenever they came I dreaded the reality they brought back.

"Nightmare?" I heard Alex ask me, how would she know? do I talk in my sleep? oh my god what if I screamed something and she heard?. Sensing my body language she silenced my internal turmoil. "You were flinching in your sleep"

"So you were watching me?" I asked mostly to see if I could catch a glimpse of embarrassment but I got nothing.

"I was, mostly" she said with the slightest bit of emotion, typical.

I huffed at her and grabbed my shoes before I opened the car door and got out, walking bare foot on the cold concrete. She looked surprised at my sudden action, which was understandable I look crazy walking with my shoes in my hand, a damp uniform and i'm pretty sure my hair and makeup was a complete mess. Great, just what I needed right now.

I heard the car door slam signaling that Alex had gotten out..but why? I was home she's already done her part so she can leave, or maybe she wishes to add to my turmoil. I stopped at my door and looked back to see her right behind me, "You can leave" I almost whispered but I know she heard.

"Why would I? you're obviously not okay?"

I felt literal butterflies in my stomach. So she'd be staying with me for a while then? thank God I cleaned my apartment on impulse, it would've been more than embarrassing to have her over when it looked a complete mess. But Alex would be coming into my apartment..Alex is coming into my apartment..Alex wants to come into my apartment.. no matter how many times I recited it in my head it still didn't seem real. I looked back to see if she was actually there, if I had imagined this entire thing but sure enough she was standing right there..hands in pockets staring at the ground. Okay so it's real.

I turned the keys in the door and it opened with a slight push. I stepped inside first pulling what I'd like to call an Alex, I didn't look back to see if she was okay or invited her in I just walked straight to my bedroom. Hearing the door close I figured she got the hint.

The clothes were the first to come off, I threw the shoes in a corner, I'll burn those later. I hopped in the shower turning the heat all the way up, if it felt like it was scolding me then it was good. I scrubbed myself carefully and got a good look at my feet, they looked sore and battered like i've been walking the full lengths of Nazareth. I groaned and pushed my head back suddenly remembering that Alex was still in my apartment, was she just out there by herself looking around?

I turned off the tap and came out of the bathroom. I heard something..laughs? was Alex laughing?  I threw on a pair of panties and a silk short night gown to go out and see what she was doing and there I was greeted with the most perfect sight. Alex was leaned up on the floor at the foot of my couch playing with Storm. They were slouched together, Storm seemed to gravitate towards her quite well..that's when I heard it and saw it for myself, she let out a pure and genuine laugh. The most beautiful and love filled sound i've ever heard. She saw me at the doorway looking at them but she didn't hide her joy from me, instead she smiled and gestured for me to join them.

"I didn't know you had a dog" she mentioned as I sat in the couch above her, my legs rubbing on her shoulder.

"Well now you know, I've had her for quite some time now. Her name's Storm by the way" I added. She looked pleased at the name almost giving me approval

"I have a dog too, his name's Jet" is this Alex sharing information with me?? I wasn't used to this side of her at all, she seemed so vulnerable. "How long have you had him?" I asked and she responded letting me know that he was about a year old. I didn't know what else to say to her and quite frankly I didn't want to say anything, she looked so content and at peace I didn't want to disturb that. I put on a little kids cartoon and I caught Alex smiling at me, "what? they're really good" I joked with her and we both laughed. The cartoon was in the middle of solving the mystery of the powder princess' sword when my phone rang out disturbing everyone. There really could be only one person calling me, my mom.

I had to pick up, especially since it was so late and I hadn't called her. Alex looked at me, then at my phone as if contemplating something..her cheerful face fell sad and she put her head down playing with Storms paws, I sensed this was weird but didn't think much of it and picked up the phone anyways.

"Hi mom" I smiled at her through the screen, at the mention of it being my mom a certain someone's expression slightly lightened. "How are you..you didn't call" she sounded a bit sad, "I'm fine and i'm really sorry, I just got home. Traffic today was hell" I groaned and got up from the couch to the kitchen, for a cup of water.

"You really need to get a car, I don't want you out alone at night taking public transportation you know it's not safe." I knew she was right but I just couldn't afford one right now. "I know mom I'll look into it" I said taking a sip of my water. "Speaking of looking into it have you looked into getting those home cooked meals?" she asked me for the millionth time.
"I have groceries, I'll start cooking this weekend" I was almost in the clear when suddenly a noise came from the background that I couldn't play off as the puppy.

"Jade?? Jade is someone there?" I felt my skin go pale and the water stopped at my throat. She's going to start asking all these unnecessary questions that I'm really not ready to answer. I decided to just tell her, this isn't high school where I had to hide information. "Uh yeah just a friend from work" I hoped to silence her but she kept prying. "Who is it? I wish to see" this is giving me flashbacks to when my mom used to embarrass me so much.

"She's fine mom, i'm sure she's got other stuff to do" I side eyed Alex whose full attention was now on me. "No she's not fine" Alex got up and took the phone from me before I could react. She started speaking to my mom, almost a full blown conversation as if they've been friends for years. Alex managed to sway her for another five minutes before she hung up.

"I think she likes me"