Homecoming

Chapter 9: Fortress

My reflection in the mirror was horrid. I was welcomed by a large bruise on my nose. There was also bruising around my eyes, colored with shades of blue and purple. A small cut on my nose bridge made me wince as I did my best to put gauze and surgical tape.

I learned that some wounds were visible and frequently superficial. Most often than not, my wounds were in places I couldn't quite see, and it lingered enough only to bother me sooner or later. I usually forgot about my wounds until it struck a sudden sharp pain that reminded me that I haven't fully healed just yet.

Last night was such a blur. I wasn't able to sleep since my nose bothered me every fifteen minutes. My heart also couldn't find its peace because of the fight with Oliver. As I recalled what happened, I know we said nasty stuff that we both didn't mean and probably did things that we didn't think through. It was clear that I wasn't in the right position to judge him for what he did because I also did something to hurt him.

Perhaps the last two months were such a whirlwind, and we weren't able to catch up. With our relationship being undefined, it made me want something permanent. Something that would eventually and probably help me move on for good.

I took two Tylenol pills while my phone rang loudly, vibrating on the bathroom sink. The screen suggested that it was an incoming call from Brad. What could he possibly want at seven in the morning? I picked up the call and put the phone on loudspeaker.

"Hey man, what's up?" I said. I licked my lips only to taste blood. I forgot about the cut on my lips. The wound reopened, causing a trickle of blood to come out. I wiped it with my fingers and ran the water, muffling the sounds that came from my phone.

"Great! You're up. So Erin and I are wondering if you want to have breakfast with us. We want to try this coffeehouse at Wilshire and just because Erin craved for waffles," Brad explained. Erin's faint voice was in the background, yelling something incoherent. "Oh. I totally forgot. Are you at Martin's place? You can invite him as well."

"Breakfast sounds great," I said. I turned the faucet off, observing if my lip still bled. "Also, I'm not at Martin's place. I went home last night." Erin's voice got louder, and I suspected that she took the phone from Brad.

"You went home? So what happened?" Erin asked. I stared at the phone and scrambled for a quick response, but Erin was way quicker and way more alert this morning. "You know what, you hold on to that thought, and you can tell me everything later. See you in fifteen!" Erin's cheerful voice blasted from my phone. The call was immediately dropped when Erin finished talking. Brad's voice was cut off when he was about to say something that got muffled in the line.

Just as the call disconnected, my phone beeped, notifying me of a new message. It was from an unknown number.

I had a great time last night. I hope you have a good day today. - Martin

For the first time in a while, I found myself smiling. After the spontaneous night we had, I hoped to hear from Martin again. Like, really hoped. He was a great guy and seemed interested to get to know me. I guess Erin's matchmaking skills paid off this time.

Without hesitation and with a newfound interest in this matchmaking gone right, I sent a message back.

Good morning. I'm glad to hear from you again.

I dug through my luggage and found something to wear. I settled with a white shirt and a pair of mangled blue jeans that appeared well-worn. I looked around my temporary space. I never bothered unpacking most of my stuff. It was a good thing, though, because a sleepless night resulted in a search for the next flight to New York. And the next thing I knew, I purchased a ticket for the earliest flight tomorrow.