Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 15

I can't believe she did that. This was our thing when we used to be kids, throwing items at one another, especially our footwear; they would be too dirty and disgusting to touch.

I smirk at her, that same devilish smirk of hers she sometimes gives me as I stride towards her, eyes fixated on her face. "You didn't," I taunt but I know she indeed did.

Whereas grumpiness and ire are etched on Ellie's features, on mine are etched amusement and mischievousness – or at least, I think.

"Now," I start and bend to pick the slipper, "does that belong to you?"

"Don't start, Tracy. I'm not in the mood." She hisses.

"I know, you're never in the mood in the morning. Almost like you've been having your period 24 hour-seven all your life." That's a true statement. Ellie is known to be very intolerable in the morning, the littlest thing suffices to make her mood stray on the ugly side.

"Give the damn slipper back, you stupid troll!" Verbally abusive can be best used to describe Ellie at her wakening.

"Okay," I throw it right back at her but as her grouchiness is blinding her right now and replacing her brain, she doesn't even attempt to move as the slipper flies straight to her forehead.

"The hell!" She shrieks and rubs her forehead. My best friend – who is not really my best friend in the morning – seems to be even more angered than she already was.

Her pink face in this moment reminds me of the times I would piss her off when we were kids. She'd be violent to the point where we stopped talking for a while. Oh well, I would defend myself the best I could and throw slaps and hit right back. We were never girly girls. One of the main things that brought us close in the first place.

"Screw that," she hisses as she stops taking care of her forehead, "come there, Graham."

I run before she can make a move and sprint out towards the other end of the counter. We are at both ends, eyeing each other like preys, just like we would when we'd be chasing one another. She would always make the first step, attempting to catch me. I soon find out that things haven't changed when she leaves her side of the counter to try to catch me. She fails.

I take that opportunity to race out the kitchen and enter the living room. I stand behind the TV and know that it's my best protection right now somehow. We just replaced it, surely Ellie is not going to take the risk of having it broken on the floor again. But I think I might have really awakened the beast in her because with a loud groan, again she makes the first move. In my haste to elude her, I almost knock over the TV as I sharply turn around, aiming for the back door.

I laugh as I hear Ellie behind me. I missed this. I missed this carefreeness I haven't had for a year – rather two, to be precise. Stupid arduous senior year and stupid strenuous freshman year of college. I am glad to have my best friend back, glad to have come back to my real hometown, and glad to feel like a 9-year-old kid again. The puerile side never dies.

I think that's why I opted for a tempestuous morning instead of a calm one. I knew it would get Ellie extremely mad and I needed that. We'll probably end up being angry at each other like always, but I know we'll be able to sort it out in a matter of hours. Honestly, I don't mind if we fight, I want to have some fun.

Violently, I push the back door open with my shoulder as I twist the doorknob. I trip over my bare feet and almost land face-first on the grass. An unpleasant shiver runs through my body as my soles come into contact with the freshly-cut grass. Again. Jeez, how many times does that lawn get mowed a week?

"Ouch! Ouch!" I scream as I run on the tip of my toes.

Ellie's feet are scrunching the grass behind me, one foot bare and another in a slipper. I protect myself behind her gardening table, careful not to break any pot. Ellie runs towards me, slapping her palms on the wood, eyes burning into mine.