ALICE
“Ordered Chinese. And don’t worry, it’s my treat.”
Lying down on the couch, I continued to stare at the house lizard on the ceiling, seemingly entertained by its feasting of flies. “Thank you.”
Harry walked towards me and patted my knee. “Up.”
I lazily lifted my left leg.
“Don’t make me sit on the other one, now.” He said. “Up.”
“But this is a really comfortable position.” I groaned. “Sit on the floor.”
He grimaced.
“Don’t give me that look, Fabio.” I griped. “Go find your own spot.”
“Just scoot over a bit and lift your feet.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeee—”
“Fine! Annoying little…”
He grinned as he relished his victory, basking himself with the momentary glory. I lifted both of my legs in defeat and he sat on the space below. Patting his knees, he said, “Put ‘em down here. Nice and slo—”
I plopped my legs right on his lap and he grunted. “Jeez. Careful. You almost hit the baby-maker.”
“Does it look like a give a damn?”
“Feisty. What’s gotten into you?”
I sighed, and my lower abdomen began to ache, the throbbing pain then radiating into my back. Menstrual cramps are irritating as fuck. Periods are the worst. Being a woman is the worst. Just kidding, what am I talking about? Of course I’m glad I’m not a guy. But it’d still be REALLY nice not to get my period. “It’s…it’s that time of the month again. Riding the crimson wave. Huzzah.” I laughed dryly.
“Ah.” He gave me a sympathetic look. “At least you get to go surfing.”
“You’re a dork.” I say and he laughed.
“Do you want me to rub your feet? It’ll make you feel better.”
“My feet are dirty. Bacteria infested.”
He chuckled. “All feet are dirty. They are our body’s connection to the earth.”
I snorted. “Thank you for that endearing wisdom quote, Confucius.”
He ignored my comment and said, “You do have antibacterial hand gel right?”
“Yes?”
“Let me give it a whirl then.” He smiled. Too lazy to argue back, I simply nodded and smacked my head on the armrest. The lizard on the ceiling was gone now. Too bad, I named it Lizzie (male house lizards have a dark, V-shaped line above their tales. Though females have the same line, theirs aren’t as prominent or dark as it is in males, so the lizard on the wall, after rigorous observation, was definitely female). Lizzie had probably finished her feast and left. Or the feast probably finished her.
Then, ever so gently, Harry held my right foot and massaged the heel. “Alice?”
“Yeah?”
“If ever the Global Statesman or The Union Daily gets wiped out, where will you go and what will you do next?”
“I don’t know.” I said, and it was true. “I’ve never really put much thought into it. Unlike you, I haven’t established a fixed, detailed plan for my future yet. I guess I’m not that...driven anymore." I sighed. "But if you really want an answer, I’ll probably find myself a career in—um—mass communication. Something I’m passionate about. Use my degree, you know? That's all I've got.”
He nodded his head slowly, as if digesting my words in a reflective manner. “You should try New York then. It is the forefront of brimming opportunities. This place is dying. The economy’s downcast. Rotten. Millennial businessmen won’t invest money in a crappy city that’s making profits out of people’s miseries and weaknesses. When The Union Daily falls down, everything will follow.”
“Yeah, but, leaving isn’t that easy for me. I love this place. Sure the companies are making a hell of a lot of money out of exploitation. But, this city’s been my home for four years now. And it’s been a great home. I couldn’t just leave it all behind.” I confessed, suddenly feeling like a coward. But the funny thing is, I’ve never told that to anyone before, not even Fry or my parents. Harry was the first. And him being the first to know was weird. “New York City is great, I mean, it’s the Capital of the World right? But—OW!”
His cheeks flushed. “Too hard?”
“Easy with the toe popping.” I grumbled. “Jesus.”
“I’m sorry.” He said apologetically and rubbed my ankle. “You were saying?”
“Nevermind that. I forgot what I was supposed to say.”
“It’s okay. Maybe it was meant to be forgotten.”
“No. I was simply disrupted by the sudden infliction of hospitalizing pain on my toe.” He laughed and I scowled. “It’s not funny, Harry. My toe could have popped out of its socket or something.”
“But it didn’t.” He said. “Maybe…maybe I was meant to do that to prevent you from saying something that can alter your fate.”
I lifted my head and looked at him. He was smiling rather mischievously, his eyes crinkling. “You find wisdom in the littlest of things. Like a spontaneous explosion. How do you do that?” I say.
“Just like I told you before, when you’re an observer you learn brilliance even from the simplest objects,” he grinned. “of today.”
I shook my head and threw it back on the armrest. “You’re making my butt bleed.”
He rubbed my knee. “Are you okay?”
“No. It hurts. Everything hurts.” I groaned as the cramps resurfaced. My uterus is literally exploding. “I want to scream. I think I’m dying. This is what DEATH must feel like.”
He lifted my feet, stood up, and placed it back on the couch. I looked at him as he grabbed his duffle bag from the floor and unzipped the front pocket.
“I don’t want to be a stereotype but, here,” he took out a Hershey bar and placed it on my stomach, making me giggle. “Chocolate to calm the nerves. Take it as an early Christmas present from me to you.” He singsonged.
“Thanks.” I gingerly said and sat up. “Should I eat it now or...?”
“If it would make you feel better.”
“Chocolate makes everything better.” I said and he nodded his head.
“I agree with that statement one hundred percent.”
There was a loud knock on the door and Harry guessed it was the delivery guy. He was right. After paying for our food, he placed the paper bag on the coffee table and handed me my oyster pail. "Dinner is served."
I squirted some hand sanitizer on my hand and tossed it to him. "I'm so glad we chose Chinese over pizza. Chinese food is food for the soul."
“Did they get your order right?” He said as he opened his container, brandishing a look of utter discontent.
“Mei fun noodles with…” I parted the noodles with my chopstick. “Pork and…shrimp. Yup, they got it. How’s yours?”
“I ordered chicken Lo mein and they gave me—” he raised his pail for me to see.
I clucked my tongue. "Tough luck. Are those crab rangoons?”
He nodded. “Unbelievable.”
“Will you eat it?”
“I have no choice. Why?”
“Just asking.”
He smirked. “Do you want some?”
“No—yes—maybe.”
“A girl with an appetite.” He mused. “I like that.”
I filled my mouth with noodles and pretend to be unruffled as he continued to stare at me in the most attractive way yet.
.
9:00.
“Thanks, Alice.” He said as I gave him three of my extra blankets, one of them was my favorite green fleece.
“It tends to get chilly at night so you better wrap up.” I said and he smiled at me. “Well, goodnight."
He took his laptop from the coffee table and placed it on his lap. “Goodnight.”
“Do you want the lights on?”
“Oh, don’t worry, this’ll only take a sec. I’m just going to check my emails.” He said and I nod.
“Okay. Goodnight, Harry.”
“Night, Alice.”
I nod at him again and he smirked at me. I internally curse as I walk towards my bedroom, then closing the door behind me. Houdini was already asleep, looking very peaceful, which instantaneously made me yawn. I strip off my clothes and lazily change into my pajamas.
“Get outta here you rascal.” I said as I pushed him off the middle of the bed. It felt like I was pushing a huge boulder instead of a beagle. Damn, what does this dog eat?
Soon realizing I haven’t brushed my teeth yet, I inwardly groaned and forced myself out the comfort of my bed sheets. It was really dark outside. I staggered around the small space to the bathroom and blindly twisted the doorknob.
When I opened it, I see Harry facing the mirror, brushing his teeth. He had tight boxers on, with nothing to cover his bareness on top. I covered my eyes because let’s face it, I’m an awkward penguin—an easily frightened by almost naked men penguin.
“Alice.” I hear him say, and I look down.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect…I didn’t…sorry.” I stammered and closed the door. Leaning against the doorframe, I cursed under my breath and bathed in misery.
I hear the bathroom door squeak open. I turn around and see his tall silhouette standing by the door. Illuminated by the bathroom's light, I realize that he was already pajama-cladded. Thank God.
I slinked towards the bathroom, keeping my head down.
“You didn’t have to leave, you know.” He said once I reached the inside.
"You were...nevermind.” I said, embarrassed.
"I was what?" He was clearly enjoying this.
"Just lock the door next time. It will be...beneficial for the both of us."
He chuckled at my response and I closed the door behind me, flushed. As I turned on the faucet, I notice a pink toothbrush right beside my yellow one.
* * * *
this chapter sucked ass
i still hope you guys enjoyed reading it
thank you for 3.2k reads!
- piper