Grown Gups

Chapter One

Deema

"You have the right to remain silent. If you do say anything, what you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult with a lawyer and have that lawyer present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you if you so desire." The officer pauses and sighs as he helps me into the back of the car, "Do you understand?"

I nod. After a few minutes of driving and cursing myself for ruining everything again, I ask the officer a simple question, "Don't I get a phone call?"

"When we get to the station, yes." He answers kindly. I didn't deserve any kindness, but I suppose I appreciate him being so polite, considering that I was being arrested.

I know who I am going to call- not my mother, nor my father, but someone who actually cares for my well being.

"Hey Oona," I whisper into the phone.

"Deema?" She inquires.

I sigh, "Yeah. It's me... I need your help."

I can practically see her sighing as well, "With what?"

"I'm at the police station..." I say, full of disappointment and anger toward myself.

"Again?" Oona snaps. She takes a quick breath, "Jesus Christ, Deema, how much is bail?"

"3 thousand..."

Oona takes another deep breath, "I shouldn't help you..."

"I know, but-"

She quickly interrupts me, "I don't have that kind of money, you ruined almost every aspect of my life, and I specifically told you to get out of my life... so no... I am not helping you. You wasted a phone call." She hangs up.

I put the phone down and take a seat on the ground. I rest my head on the wall and squeeze my eyes shut, as if to keep in the tears.

I sit there, behind bars, listening to the distant sound of music from the officer's break room, for hours, until an officer steps into the room. He pulls keys from his belt and opens the door. I look up to him, "You're letting me go?"

He nods, "Someone paid your bail."

I don't bother to ask who. I'm just glad to be out, I rush out into the front room where my eyes meet Oona's, "Let's go..." she says quietly.

Her dark purple hair is pulled into a loose pony tail and her dark chocolate eyes are just as beautiful as they've ever been. I follow her silently.

I look to her as we walk out, "Thank y-"

"No," she scolds, "Shut up Deema. Just shut up."

I do as I am told and sit in the passenger seat of her car. I expect her to take me home, but she takes me to her apartment- which used to be our apartment. It was much more clean that it had ever been while I was living there. She offers me to sit on the carpet of the empty front room. I once again do as I am told.

"I hate you, Deema," she scolds, "I hate you more than I've hated anyone ever," she walks into her kitchen, "I've never considered murder before, but I was really tempted to murder you." She comes o ut of the kitchen with two glasses of juice and hands one to me. I graciously accept, "I've been coming to terms with that anger, even realizing that a lot of what I'm angry at you for has nothi by to do with you. But a lot of it still does. Because when I say I hate you, it is not because I dislike you, but it is because you are the scumnof the earth and I would rather become a low-cost prostitute than spend one hour with you. But God damnit, Deema! I'm in love with you."

I look up to her in shock, "You never actually said that you love me..."

"Yeah, but you told me you loved me plenty. And maybe if I just said it once or twice we'd still be together. Maybe you wouldn't have run off with Goby!" Tears bubble in her eyes.

"I didn't run off with Goby, Oona. And I didn't leave you because I thought you didn't love me. I left because I was bad for you, Goby just let me stay with him. I didn't mean for me and him to..." I pause and stand up so that my eyes met hers, "I hate that you love me, because you should love someone better and I hate that I love you, because that means that I can't just leave... forever... I always come back. Because I can't stop myself."

"This isn't healthy, Deema." Oona says quietly.

"No. It's not."

"Where did we go wrong?" Oona says, seemiing to beg for an answer

I look to the floor, "Maybe we were never meant to be in the first place..."

"No, Deema, I mean where did all go wrong?" Tears stream down Oona's face, "What happen to the kids we used to be? What happened to the bubble guppies?"

I knew the answer, but the most simple answer makes me want to fall to my knees and ball until my eyes fall out.