Between the Empty Spaces

Chapter 1

"Don't you know how to knock, Diane?" I glared at her. This habit of hers doesn't annoy me, but now it does, plus her perfume-spraying galore.

"Knock, knock," she hit her knuckles against my open door, smirking.

"You do it before you come in, not after!"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Why does it matter? I've seen you naked before, you've seen me naked. I've walked in on you and your boyfriend," she rambles on. "No big deal."

"That's the point of knocking. So you don't see those," I replied to her while trying to hide something behind her back.

Sometimes I cannot reason with her, not because there isn't anything more to rebut, but because it is impossible to win against her colorful mind. She will always have something smart to say. I love her dearly, but her attitude sometimes exhausts me. Perhaps that is why we get along so much, she is assertive and I am a pathetic pushover. Maybe, I need to learn from her.

"Okay," she answered dismissively. I doubt that of course. "Anyway, here!" She holds out a purple velvet dress that runs down under the knee with short sleeves and a low dip neckline. It is lovely, but quite daring for my taste. I will probably look shit in it, but her efforts. God!

"What were you thinking with those inappropriate jeans? You are pregnant, Yumi. These need to go for good, or for at least until you have given birth," she grabs it away as if they can potentially harm me.

I purse my lips like a child receiving a present from Santa. Suddenly, I felt a strong urge to cry with the sweet gesture of hers. These hormones are killing me! One moment I am infuriated then emotional. I must find an OBGYN clinic as soon as possible.

"Where did you get it? That's my size!" I walk closer to her and hug her. She models for a brand part-time, and her size is small while mine is medium. She intentionally has this ready for me, unpredictable bitch.

Am I keen on physical interactions? No. Do I cry easily? No, I don't cry with these kinds of things. Hell, I didn't even cry when the two of us watched The Notebook while she bawled her eyes out.

"The boutique we visited last time of course. Where else? Good thing I don't listen to you, dummy. Wear it now!"

She sits down comfortably on my bed, clearly not going to leave until she sees the dress on me, so I put it on and present myself in front of my fairy godmother. She clasps her hands together in awe and obviously pleased with her choice of clothing. I, too, admire myself. I would not have the confidence and even the chance to wear these kinds of clothes if it wasn't for her.

"I told you that suits you so well. I don't get why you insist on saying that dresses aren't your thing. Evidently, it does. You can pass as their model, too, you know" she complimented. "Good thing I bought it and in the right size."

Last week, we both went to the brand she's modeling for a photo shoot. She called me saying she needed help, but it turned out to be an excuse so she could buy some dresses for me. She even wanted to pay for them, but I declined as I don't think I do them justice like her. It is such a waste of money. She ended up upset as I escaped from her and went home first while she was having her autumn photo shoot.

"Thank you so much for this, for everything really," my eyes water and run to embrace her for the nth time today. This has got to be the last episode of my sentimental explosion for the week.

"You saved me from death, Yumi. I'll forever be thankful."

Her face softened upon the recollection of her dark days, and I was miraculously with her during those times. That was also the time I have proven that the happiest people on Earth are the saddest. No matter how they mask it, it eventually breaks and consumes them.

She cleared her throat. "So," she tries averting the topic, "stay here while I go get my makeup and my curl iron. You need to be impeccable, not that you are not, but we both know the crying you did today isn't too helpful."

Of course, she doesn't disappoint as she comes back with her make-up kit that doesn't resemble a kit at all. It is a humongous expandable box that you would see professional make-up artists use. You can really never predict her, sometimes she overstates and sometimes she understates. All up to her mood, I guess.

My mini-make up glam session half an hour later with a nude make-up style, slightly sultry lips and mermaid curls, I am all set for the dinner with Greg. He sent me a message that he is outside and waiting for me in his car. Before leaving, I go to Diane's room to say goodbye. She is sitting on her desk, legs crossed over it, a book on her hand and a gold face mask on her face. She seems to be enjoying her time.

"He's waiting for me outside," I informed her.

She quickly looked up from the book and at me. "He is really rude, isn't he? Too heavy balls to come in and say hi?" She doesn't hide her annoyance with him and I acknowledge it.

I wrinkled my nose and smiled to lessen her irritation with him. She stood up and walked me out the door like a mother handing her daughter to her prom date.

"Hope he's got those heavy balls to take care of you and my buddy right here." She poked my not-so-noticeable bump.

"I hope so too. See you later." I leaned forward and lightly touched my cheek with hers.

"Call me when you need me."

"I will." I wish I didn't have to call her because of something bad. This morning made me the happiest I have ever been, and I hope this night will turn out to be one of the best moments in my life.

I wave goodbye and head towards the parked blue sedan on our driveway and get in. I remembered one time when I thought he was going to open the door for me, he said that I had two capable hands to open the freaking door. Others would think of it as a red flag, but what he said was true. Since then, I never let him do things for me.

"Hi," I greeted him cheerfully, and then pecked him on the cheek. We haven't seen each other for two weeks as he is out of town in a business construction building he is assigned to.

"Hey. You look stunning," he replied half-heartedly.

It's not me and my overflowing hormones, right? He is acting quite off and I can't just shrug it off no matter how I intentionally repress it.

"Are you okay? Are we okay?" I asked worriedly. "Have you been getting enough rest lately? You seem drained."

"Just busy at work."

He ignites his car and makes his way out to the curb without speaking which is very unusual of him. Most of the time, he would pester me about my gym appointments if I met with his gym instructor and if I lost the weight he had been insisting for the longest time. He is a health buff which is understandable as his mom is a health worker. He must have gotten it from her. Unfortunately, I don't agree with him. I am healthy and beautiful with my size and I don't think changing it just because he wants a Victoria supermodel for a girlfriend would encourage me to do so.

"Where are we going?" I try to break the silence when it becomes too deafening. "Are we meeting your family like we planned last month?"

His expression doesn't give me a good feeling. He has been gloomy ever since I entered his car.

"Yumiko, we need to talk. I know that we have been together for a very long time, but-"

He stops talking when the driveway becomes a bit busy with cars coming in from different sides and the noise from the beeping cars wouldn't let him speak.

My heart started beating triple times. My mind suddenly becomes a void, a blank, a canvas of nothingness. I can see his mouth moving again, but no sound is coming out of it. It is as if I'm being dragged away from the real world.

Suddenly, my breathing becomes irregular; it becomes harder to take in air.

Then blackness.