Chapter 13

Crunch sounds of leaves filled the air. The sole of my boots pressed the dry leaves into the sidewalk step after step. Fall had always been my favorite time of year. It'd always had that soothing effect. Life could-.

"Fighting? Do I need to remind you you're on probation!"

Ah. Thoughts. I was interrupted by my thoughts. The one thing the mind could produce and no one else would know the exact contents of.

My head snapped to the other side of the road at some strange sounds. Sounds which I later discovered were from a couple full on making out, hands and everything.

"For fuck's sake." I muttered under my breath.

My nose scrunched up involuntarily before my eyes rolled skywards. This was a street. This was the public. No one wanted to see blondie and brunette suck each other.

Turning away, I took a seat on a bench that was perched on the sidewalk. It hurt. It hurt to see people happy. Relationships moving forward. Everything going on good with people while my life remained a stagnant mess. Taking in the fresh, mid-November air, I asked my self the much awaited and anticipated question. "Which way forward?"

Normally, it'd have been easy to forget all of my problems by chugging down one, or even two, bottles of refined alcohol. All of my problems but this one. If I did get drunk, high, I'd still be in the same situation by morning and worse, I'll have a pretty slap of hangover as souvenir.

Snuggling deeper into my shirt, I shoved my hand into my pocket and got on my feet. Winter was fast approaching, if it hadn't already come. It was a phenomenon that it hadn't started snowing yet in Philly but ah! Since when did I develop such severe interests in the weather and all their forecasting shit? Since when I was trying my hardest and very best to not think about the occurrences of the past hour.

"Damn." I bit my lower lip.

I just reminded myself of the very thought I was trying to forget. You see, my head was pretty messed up. Anyone, including me, would think I was the one who took the beating I gave Alison.

"Shit."

Again with that thought. I had reminded myself of it again. Pretty messed up, isn't my head?

Taking harsh breaths and still doubting my brain's capacity, I continued to Jenna's condo. She must have been with him, Edward.

With Jenna's excitement about his arrival and the condom package I was convinced to buy, you could only imagine what was happening at her apartment now. Standing at her door and reconsidering my decision of actually coming to visit and interrupting whatever they could be doing, I anticipated a response after ringing the doorbell.

After several seconds of shuffling, the door finally creaked open. It revealed, to my surprise, a fully clothed Jenna.

With as much intensity as a mother would her child, Jenna's eyes watched me. "Back so soon?"

Silence.

"Why aren't you at work, Roxy?"

Silence.

Jenna's eyes narrowed at my silence. Not in the mood for standing in front of doors and being questioned by friends, I went into her condo unit.

My eyes did a sweep of her apartment. It was inevitable not to realize what had transpired before my arrival. Cocking my head, my eyes went to her.

Jenna's face did by far the best imitation of ketchup as she scrambled around, gathering all the clothes together.

"Ed's in the shower. He wanted to shower before you came over." Her eyes went to her room and then me. "What's your problem? You can't just come into people's homes like that."

Falling on the sofa across from her, I got comfortable. "Yours truly," the tip of my index finger went to my chest, "got her ass sacked."

Jenna's eyes narrowed before suddenly going through severe expansivity. "What?"

"I fought with Alison, Wilson got mad and literally obliterated me."

"What?" she asked for the second time and her jaw decided to join in on the expansivity fun too. "Let me get this straight," she paused, "you fought at work and now you're without a job?"

Slouching further into the couch, my eyes remained on her with the same expression. "I don't know about the last part yet but yes. I did fight with Alison."

As soon as the last syllable escaped my lips, Jenna landed beside me. "Tell me everything."

After giving her the raw, unfiltered gist, Jenna looked mad, like red hot mad. "You did all that?"

"Yeah...?"

"Why? Have you gone crazy?"

I stared at her with the blankest expression my facial muscles could pull off. This wasn't the reaction I expected or hoped for. "Well-."

"She's a human being- is exactly what I would have said if I was mad and some strange spirit had possessed me."

I blinked, twice.

Jenna's hands, the next second, went round me in a tight embrace. "I am so proud of you for teaching that bleach blonde a lesson."

My lips twitched before resting in a smiling position. I shook my head a bit.

"I doubt Wilson would be this amused though."

"Oh," I rolled my eyes, "you don't even know the half of it."

"He fired you."

"That," I crossed my legs, "I'm not quite sure of yet."

With raised brows, she eyed me. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he got a call about his wife fainting or something so him calling me out on my shit has been postponed till further notice."

"You've really hit the jackpot with this one, huh?"

"And it was all worth it." The smile on my face couldn't have been wider. "Also, no work tomorrow. I pray his wife never recovers at this point."

"Roxy!"

"What?" I paused as the corner of my eyes caught sight of blue. Turning, my lips tugged upwards even more, if it were possible.

"Take a picture. They say it lasts longer." His smile was perfect. Just like him.

I charged towards him but my feet suddenly halted at Jenna's voice.

"Pox. Avoid contact."

Standing a few feet away from Ed, my eyes did a quick but rigorous assessment and when I was sure that the conclusion of him being all types of pox free was accurate, I turned to Jenna. Ed was already staring at her. "She's got the pox."

"Really?" Ed turned to me.

"Really?" I asked the same question but mine came out quite sarcastically for some reason.

"Yeah. The pox of fighting at work and getting fired."

I groaned. "We do not know that yet."

"Oh trust me, I do."

"Don't let her bother you." Ed pulled my hand so I went to his chest. My hands went round him and he rested his head in my hair. "I missed you."

"I missed you," I smiled. "And fuck. You smell so good."

"Hey," I heard a scratchy voice, "he's my boyfriend."

Putting my hands up in surrender, I turned back to Ed. "So any new superhero adventures?"

"For fuck's sake."

Chuckling, I raised the bottle of whiskey on Jenna's counter. "Whiskey?"

"Well, try not to eat each other out while I'm away, hmm?"

"You're going out?" Ed's eyes were already focused on her.

"I need to get a few things," she pecked him on the lips, "I'll be back in a few."

Jenna smacked my butt and was soon on her way out. I made sure to glare at her receding figure.

"How's life been treating you?"

My smile faltered at his question. I went for another shot. "Fairly good. I mean I might wake up tonight just to jump off a bridge but no, I'm good." I looked up with a smile. "Fairly good."

"Everything alright?"

Huffing, I licked my lips.

"Eric?"

I hissed. "For my mental health, it'll be better if his name stays out of our conversation."

Smiling, he refilled my shot cup and then his.

"I'll get you."

"Pardon?" I asked mid-drink.

"If you ever jump, I'll swim till I get you."

"You'll drown." I chuckled.

"It'll be worth it."

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-C