The Way I Am

Aviva looked at the clock. Shit she was late. This was not what she needed on the second day of her new job. First she had broken the strap on her new handbag; she knew Skylar would be mad. Then her mother had called to find out how she was settling in to the western suburbs, and now she could not find her left shoe. At 23 Aviva had just moved three hours away from her parents to start her new job. She had left behind her childhood house, her parents and their three dogs back on their small property in the mountains.

Aviva made her way out the front door. She wrested with her hand bag, found her keys ad locked the door behind her. She began to make her way down the stairs. She cursed out aloud. Why was her apartment on the top floor? It made no sense to her why she agreed to move on the fifth floor. Aviva quicken her pace, she really late now. She got to the last landing just as she heard a loud CRACK.

"Oh shit". She looked at her feet. Her left heel had snapped of in her haste. "This is just what I need". Aviva pulled her heel off and awarkadly made her way towards the front door of the apartment buildings. She looked at her watch; she had no time to replace her shoes. She was already late. She hobbled to her car parked on the kerb, got in and started it. She was about to take off her phone started to ring. Shit. She reached for her bag in the left front side passenger seat and fish inside to find her phone.

Aviva found it and looked at the caller ID. It was Samantha. Looking at her watch again, Aviva hit the answer button. "Hello?" no answer. "Hello?" Aviva heard a noise in the background and then Sam's voice came through the phone. "Hi Viv how are you?" Aviva smiled "I’m good Sammy but I’m late for work can I call you later?" Sam answered "I’ll be quick I promise. I just want to know what you are doing tonight." Aviva racked her brains "nothing much" there was a paused and then Sam answered "good you have to come over for a girl's night in. pizza, ice cream and movies. I’m not taking no for an answer" Aviva sighed "Sure Sammy I’ll be there. See you around seven?' "Seven sounds great. Bye"

Aviva hung up her phone. She looked at the clock again. Damn. Now she was thirty seven minutes late to the second day of her new job. Aviva put her foot on the accelerator and took off down the street.

It was seven thirty and Aviva made her way down the lawn outside Sam’s house. Aviva sighed she has stopped off at the local K Mart and brought a new pair of shoes. Sam's house was a ten minute drive from Aviva’s apartments but she had come straight from work so she didn’t have time to change her shoes. Aviva had been thinking on the way over if Sam wanted pizza then there was something really bothering her friend. She rang the doorbell and heard a dog bellowing from the inside. "Blade, down girl". Sam opened the door.

Her blonde hair was in a bun at the back of her head. Some loose strands fell in her eyes. She wore a red and black checked dress and black flats. Her heart pendent was missing. Aviva sighed that was not good sign. Terry had given her that pendent and Aviva had never seen Sam without it. Sam greeted her with a smile and moved aside to let her in. Aviva entered the house and hugged Sam on the way in.

Aviva took her shoes off at the door. Sam left her by the door and walked in to the house. Her blue heeler blade, close behind her. Aviva sighed and followed her friend into the lounge room. Something was different about the room. Sam’s photos were all pulled down. There was a new telly and the walls were freshly painted and the carpet has been steamed cleaned. It’s been eight months since Terry died and Sam still had not placed his photos back on the wall. Aviva sighed and sat down next to her friend.

Sam looked pale. Her eyes were swollen. Aviva put her head down, she must have been crying again. She looked at Sam again but her friend could not meet her eyes. Aviva thoughts moved to her older cousin. His life had been cut short. Terry had told her once that Sam was the love of his life. Terry had been Sam's longest relationship. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes.

Aviva broke the silence "So what movie is it tonight?" Sam was looking at her feet. After a few moments she raised her head and looked at Aviva. "I was thinking of having a Disney movie night." Aviva giggled and said "You mean like, The Lion King, Aladdin and Tron?" Sam meant Aviva's eyes and said "Yeah". After a moment the two girls began to giggle.

Aviva punched the air. "OK let’s do this." she looked at the coffee table in the middle of the room. There was a stack of DVD's she had not noticed when she came in. She reached for the stack picked up the first three and looked back at Sam. "So what's first?" Sam took the DVD's from Aviva's hands and spread them out across her lap.

Aviva looked at the titles as Sam laid them on her lap. There were five in total. Tron, Tron Legacy, the Hunchback of Nortedamn, the Lion King and Snow White. Aviva picked up Tron. She held it out to Sam "What is this?" Sam frowned and then laughed at Aviva. "That's Tron. It's the first film from 1982". Aviva rolled her eyes; trust Sam to give her a Disney history lesson. She looked at the DVD again and then mental counted the years.

She jumped up from her seat and exclaimed "You mean to tell me that they made a sequel twenty eight years after the first?" Aviva had seen Tron legacy with Skylar at the cinemas. Sam nodded. "Ok this one it is." Sam got to her feet and plucked the DVD from Aviva's hands. Aviva shrugged and sat back down on the lounge. She wondered how Sam had time to find all these DVD's.

Sam turned on the T.V and put the disk in the player and leaped for the lounge. She landed with a thud right next to Aviva. Sam was so closed to Aviva that she could smell her perfume. She recognised it. It was Live. The same that she used. Sam pressed the play button and sat back on the lounge.

Aviva frowned. She leant forward and looked at Sam. "Hey you forgot to order the pizza." she said. Sam smiled, "No Problem, we can order it online." Sam paused the DVD just as the opening credits began. "I'll just get my laptop." Sam exited the lounge room. Aviva's heart sank. Her smell was gone! After a few minutes Sam returned with her white Mac in hand.

She sat back down and looked at Aviva. "So what will it be?" Aviva shrugged. "You pick" Sam rolled her eyes playfully and went on to the dominoes website. Aviva stared at the wall and said "Meat lovers for me please". Sam smiled "eww, ok then. What source?" Aviva looked at the screen. "Hmmm, Tomato. And let's get a cola to share". Sam started to click away.

Sam giggled again. Aviva continued to look at the screen. "You're getting all cheese on a BBQ base and you said eww to me?" Sam shoved her. "HEY! I was just teasing." Aviva smiled. "When don’t you?" Sam Replied "Good point." Sam finished placing there order and pressed the confirm button. Sam looked at Aviva. "Now we wait" she closed the laptop lid and placed it on the coffee table.

Sam resumed the movie and leant into the back of the lounge. Aviva looked at her friend. She knew why Sam had ordered that particular pizza. It was Terry's choice every time. Aviva sighed and stared blankly at the Telly. How her friend must be hurting. She looked at the Calendar. October 3. They would have already been married for a couple of months by now. They had set the wedding day in August. Sam must be really upset and need the company.

Aviva was broken from her thoughts by Sam asking her a question. Sam has paused the movie and was looking at Aviva. She repeated her question "Well the pizzas shouldn't take too long. Ready to watch?" Aviva nodded. "Press Play please!" Sam shook her head and pressed the play button once more.

Sam placed her head on Aviva's shoulder and Aviva watched as some guy name Flynn was transported to the game grid. She sighed how long did this movie go for?