The Touch of Hades

Done finally!

I groaned before collapsing on my couch. Packing and unpacking have never been my forte. I absolutely dreaded packing and I detested unpacking more. But I had to do it, every single time that I do that inhumane thing, I always have to change my location coupled with the fact my best friend Madison, would be coming soon to check out my new place. I have to at least look nice on the first day she'd be visiting.

I turned over to my right and found my phone lying on the bed. In my attempt to fetch it, when my hand grazed something, removing the cold leathered gloves I had on… that I have always worn after that night, till this very day.

I shrieked in fright.

'Don't panic' I tell myself even when I know, my panic was already building up.

'Don't panic!' I tell myself again in fright, afraid of what I might do. I just got here so I can't mess this place up again. And I don't exactly have the digits in my account to squander moving from one house to the other.

I hissed when I felt my palm starting to itch. I know that feeling, I need to touch something.

I carefully reached out for the glove with my other hand, and carefully started to slide my hand into it.

"Girl! This place is huge!" I heard someone call from downstairs as they started to make their way upstairs. The voice had made me panic so I accidentally let go of the glove which was now on the floor.

"This has got to be your room!" The feminine voice called. I could hear it more vividly which could only mean she was already at my door. As she inched closer into my room, I battled with using my other hand to put the glove back on, while the other, which was gloveless, fought the urge to touch something.

Immediately the door opened, I successfully dragged the glove down my palm. And I turned to face a blonde girl who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Hi, Madison." I smiled awkwardly. Luckily she didn't notice anything weird, instead she just rushed in and started giving herself a tour around my room.

'Sure, Madi. You can totally come in…' I muttered sarcastically.

Madi has always been an enthusiast, little things excite her. While I've been the opposite, unbothered and have little to no interest in stuff. We were very different in every possible way, but we were alike in situations that lead from our upbringing to our adult years.

Madi and I are orphans that were lucky enough to earn a scholarship and were the very best in our set. During high school, a wealthy family found favor in my eyes so they took me in, and gave me the life I now have and that was sort of how I met Madi, in college. We had similar predicaments.

She is everything I am not, and I am everything she can never be. Let's start with socializing.

A good instance to begin with, she assumes that being friends with your polar opposite should be fun.

Madi suddenly got bored of going through my stuff. I was pretty sure they were exactly what she expected I owned, but she was curious nevertheless and she knew now was a good time to go through my things, because I'd never let her do so on a normal day.

Madi stopped poking around and finally sat down next to me.

"Your house is foresees! There's nothing exciting to see here" She turns to me and held me on my shoulder

"Space…" I reminded her and she quickly backed off.

'Geez' she mutters as she inched away. "I wonder how you are going to get a husband when you don't even like being touched."

"I won't." I affirmed nonchalantly.

Madison opened her mouth to say something but she held back momentarily.

"Don't say that. You know how the universe works don't you, you only attract what you deny."

I looked up to the heavens and said out loud. "I very much am against matrimony, Lord!."

Madison stared at me in shock before shaking herself up with a laugh. "God, you are so dramatic."

She got up from the bed and came to squat in front of me.

"I have a strong feeling this chapter of your life and mine is about to get interesting, we should celebrate!"

"Sure." I mumbled "Let me check what I have in my refrigerator…" I let out. As I attempted to stand up, I felt Madison try to push me back down which made me jerk back down on the bed, stopping her from touching me. Not that it would do any harm, the harm usually comes when I do the touching. But I can't take any chances.

"Chil, hear me out. I want us to attend this small gathering… Well it's a party at the downside club… A small one with not a lot of people"

"No, Madison." I immediately declined.

"Chill man, you didn't even hear me out."

"I don't have to."

"Can you listen, what are you so afraid of? I know you don't like socializing or people in general but you can at least just come with me. You never want to go out. It makes me feel like you are hiding something, keeping something from me. What are you so afraid of?" Madison questioned. She stared deeply into my eyes and I hate it when she does it. Because I have to look away, and when I do… She'd know I am indeed keeping a secret.

"Madi…" I groaned

"Please just this once… And for an hour please."

"It's not about going out with you. It's about me. How uncomfortable it makes me and how bad stuff always happens whenever I try to socialize."

"Well not all the time…"

"Oh Madi, you know I hate it when you do that. It is either I happen to be in a very disrespectful situation; like the time we went for your cousin's surprise engagement to his soon to be wife. I tagged along because I know your cousin and while proposing, he stumbled and fell letting go of the ring. And while I was clinking glasses with you, the ring dropped on my finger. Not just any, my fourth finger. I knew the humiliation I faced. I'm still annoyed about that. To make things worse your cousin thought that was the work of fate. He obsessed over me for quite some time, you know this. I can go on and on, in similar situations like that one. If it's not that then I will surely find myself in a different or more tedious situation. With my rotten luck it would be one of my favorite scenarios where someone tries to make me feel inferior to them and you know I don't back down from an argument. I end up telling the fuckers; 'well I understand, not everyone is open-minded like me' and then shocker! they hate me. I am a spiteful soul I can't be doing-"

"Okay- okay… I get it. It's fine. I just wanted to go out with my friend for one night. But I understand… I really do." Madi says and then stands up from where she was squatting, and then moved away from where I was.

I scratched my forehead with my index and middle finger, with both hands. I always do it when I am tensed.

"I'll go get the drinks." Madi suddenly spoke wearing a fake smile as she starts to make her way towards the door.

"Even if I wanted to tag along, I don't have outfits for clubbing." I spoke up.

Madison suddenly turns to me, looking really happy, her humorous eyes glittered as they stare at me. Realizing she was maybe being too much, she cleared her throat and said, regain her carefree posture.

"Well, I brought something… So uhm if you still insist on going even when I said it's okay if you don't want to, sure we can do that."

"Get out of here, dummy" I cracked up and she started to weasel her way out shouting 'I'm going to get my bag!' as she runs to the living room.