Hello. Sorry about the delay. I've had some builders in and i've been quite the busy body. Now that it's here, i hope you enjoy
Chapter Thirteen: Making Things Better:
Adriana slowly stirred to the sound of shuffling. She sat up in her big lonesome bed and squinted through sleepy eyes. "Shannon?" Her words were slurred with slow pronunciation. "Where were you last night?"
Shannon completely blanked the question and said, "I can't believe what you did to Casey. So on top of everything else, you're a violent asshole too. Why did you have to do it? You know, she could go to the police if she wanted to."
Adriana sighing, pulled the bed cover back and patted the spot beside her, indicating that Shannon should sit. But her proposal was rejected and Shannon stood staring with folded arms.
"Look, i'm not fucking violent ok?"
Shannon scoffed at Adriana's tenuous claim, "I just lost control. I've never been that angry in my life."
"I was angry, but i didn't go smashing your face off the kitchen sink did i?" Adriana knew she'd done wrong, but at the time it was the only thing guaranteed to oust the fire that fuelled within her.
"I wasn't just going to let her get away with messing things up between us. You should be flattered that I went to such lengths for you." Adriana shot back. She had a habit of saying the absolute worst thing you could say at the worst moment in time. In the past, Shannon had found hilarity in this quality. But right now it wasn't funny. Still, Shannon managed to ignore it so that she could say the rest of her piece.
"You know, it's not just all of this. You don't talk to me about what's on your mind. Sometimes you withdraw yourself, and you're distant with me. And I can tell there's something bothering you, but when i ask and try to make sure you're alright, you completely shut down. You know a lot of personal things about me; things i've never told anybody else, ever...I know there's a lot you hold back from me, and as a result: I don't know what makes you you." Shannon pointed out.
"Maybe that's because i don't want to discuss it."
Shannon put her hands on her hips and began pacing back and forth. She knew this conversation was going to be like peddling up a steep hill, and that it was going to get more and more difficult. Adriana could see Shannon preparing herself for an argument.
"No Shannon. I'm not talking about this. I'm not."
"We've known each other seven months, and all i know is that you're breathtakingly beautiful, you're hilarious, fantastically sarcastic...Erm, you love McDonalds, and you live for house music. Of course there's more, but not nearly as much as i want to know. I know more about Bella, and i'm not sharing a bed with her."
Adriana held her hands up, palms facing away, to shut Shannon up.
"Alright. Ok. Let me see...My favorite colour is red. How about that?" This wasn't a good time for sarcasm, but as always, Adriana was trying to mask the seriousness of the situation with humour.
"Wow. Whoopeedoo," Shannon returning the same sarcasm, "It might sound cheesy, but i want to know the simple things, like about your family. I ask you about them and you clam up. Why don't you talk about them? What's the big fucking mystery?"
"I don't have a family to talk about! My mother overdosed when i was thirteen, and my father could be that old, homeless man, who sleeps in the park bushes, for all i know. Is that enough fro you? Now can we move on?"
Shannon felt guilty and ashamed at her discovery. She knew she'd hit a sensitive subject. Although Adriana remained impassive, Shannon knew that it must have been harsh growing up without parents, especially a mother. As she stood there, thinking about Adriana as an orphan, many things about Adriana's behavior became subject to a magnifying glass. The rare use of GHB, the effortless ability to suppress emotion, and her desire to sleep around with no emotional entanglements. Now Shannon understood why Adriana expressed love the way she did. She wanted nothing more than to go over, cuddle her and tell her that everything was going to be okay.
"I'm sorry." Said Shannon, compassionately.
"You see, this is exactly what i didn't want. I don't need your sympathy. It really wasn't that difficult." Adriana blatantly lied.
"I know that's not true and so do you."
"When are we gonna stop arguing and sort this out?" Shannon didn't say anything, but you could tell she was thinking. "Before i'd even met you, i'd already ruined any chance of us being serious. But i'm ready now and i think we should try again." Adriana said truthfully.
"If this is going to work, then you need to confide in me. I want to be your best friend, your lover and your confidant...I know you want to think that you can look after yourself, and you can. You've been proving that since thirteen-years-old. But, i'm here to show you how amazing it can feel when you don't have to."
Giving her attention to nothing but Shannon, Adriana really felt it. She really felt Shannon's love; that protective field she placed around her, the trust and unwavering loyalty. Adriana nodded, understanding the rules and regulations. Shannon then sat on the spot that Adriana had patted earlier.
"You're a lot more than a bet to me Shannon. I'm not proud of what i did to Casey. She's like my younger sister, but she jeopardized all we had because she has some stupid little crush on me." Adriana revealed.
"What?" Said a stunned Shannon.
"Yep. She hates you because you got in first." Adriana rested her head on Shannon's shoulder.
"Poor Casey." Shannon sighed. She knew that being Casey must've sucked right now. "I just hope that she can get over you, because i am not done with you just yet."
"Oh really?" Said Adriana before she was pulled into a nice, slow, uncompetitive game of tonsil hockey.
Chapter Fourteen: Moving On:
As usual Le Boissons was crowded and Casey jumped out of her seat as she set eyes on Adriana and Shannon. She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact.
Adriana took her seat and Shannon approached Casey, "Hey Case. How are you?" Asked Shannon, concerned.
"Why do you care? This is your fault." Casey said, pointing at her battered and bruised jaw area. She was bitter. "Do you know how long I've known Adriana? She never would've touched me if it weren't for you. In fact, she would've killed anybody who hurt me. So why don't you go walk under a bus?"
Before Casey walked out, she caught a sorrowful glimpse of Adriana's eye.
"Why isn't anything in life ever simple?" Shannon whispered to herself.
"What did she say to you Shan?" Asked Bella.
"Well she hates me. It's official." For a second everyone around the table sat, silently thinking about something or another that was bugging them in their lives.
"I finished with Erika last night." Said Christy, awaiting some kind of derogatory comment from Adriana. But for once she was silent.
"It's about time, and now you're single we're going out and we're gonna find you someone who will treat you right." Shannon said while patting Christy on the back, "You guys, what are we gonna do about Casey?" Shannon asked, desperately wanting the advice.
"Well Adriana, you certainly did the wrong thing when you tried to cave her head in. But putting that aside, I think she'll come around. What can we do besides find her some one so that she stops obsessing over Adriana." Shiana replied.
"Being as gorgeous as me is a curse you know." Adriana joked, hoping to score a few smiles.
"That's it! Saturday we're going out and we're gonna find Casey and I some worthy women." Christy declared, raising her coffee mug. The others joined in on this toast.
Chapter Fifteen: Letting Go:
Adriana walked down her hallway and heard Shannon blowing her nose for about the millionth time. During the week leading to Saturday, Shannon had gotten a tickly throat and a runny nose; all the symptoms of an oncoming cold. Adriana popped her head around the bedroom door.
"That's it. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here." Adriana concluded, once seeing how off-colour Shannon looked.
"Adriana go. It's ok. I'll be alright." Shannon insisted selflessly.
"I'm gonna call Shiana and tell her I'm not going."
"You're going. There's no two ways about it." Shannon said, sounding as though she were talking through her nose. Adriana leaned her head back against the wall and took a good look at her ill girlfriend.
"But you're sick. I can't just leave you and plus, I wont enjoy myself if you're here all alone. What if something happens?" This was seriously worrying her.
"Nothing is gonna happen. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that."
Adriana still wasn't convinced and Shannon continued, "If it'll make you feel better, then I'll call you when you're there to let you know I'm ok. Put your cell on vibrate."
Seeing that Adriana wasn't a hundred percent, Shannon gave up trying to persuade and started demanding. "Tonight you're going to that club. Understand? The phone is right here and I'll call you."
"Ok. But I'm coming home early, and I'll call you every so often." Adriana went over to the dresser and took out her gold bracelet.
"Right, is there anything you need? Anything? Are you cold or too hot?"
Shannon laughed at Adriana's fusing.
"I'm a little cold." Shannon admitted.
"I'll get the electric blanket." Just then the doorbell rang. "Let me get that." Adriana opened the door and Shiana walked in looking excited about going to club Luscious. She could tell that Adriana was worried about something; she was rubbing the back of her neck.
"Where's Shannon?" She asked.
"She isn't coming. She's got a cold. I wasn't gonna come but she'd making me so..." Adriana let her words trail off, while stepping into her shoes. "Ready in a sec. Let me just get her a blanket and give her the medicine."
Shiana laughed at Adriana's maternal instincts.
"Here's the blanket and I found this in the kitchen." She turned the medicine box around and began reciting aloud. "Take twice a day, through the course of a week. Here's a teaspoon." While handing Shannon the three objects, she kissed her forehead tenderly. "You sure you're gonna be ok?"
Shannon smiled and nodded, "Alright, I'm gone. Bye." Adriana got to the door and ran back to Shannon, giving her one more peck on the cheek.
"Have fun. But not too much!"
"Do you always mother her like that?" Shiana teased.
"Shut up. I'm going aren't I?" Shiana chuckled at Adriana's embarrassment.
"Don't get all embarrassed. I think it's cute."
"She's sick. What do you want me to do? I shouldn't even be leaving her"
Adriana then locked the door and back and set off on their merry little way.
Adriana and Shiana hopped in the cab and Shiana felt her phone vibrating.
"Talk to me." She said, looking in the mirror to check her makeup.
"Shi, I'm not really feeling up to tonight. I don't want to have to sit with the married couple all night." Casey said. Shiana looked at Adriana, thinking that she could hear the conversation.
"Shannon's not coming, so you gotta come Case." Hearing Casey's name, Adriana began waving her hands around, because it would've suited her fine if Casey wasn't there.
"No. I'll stay home. I just want a quiet night in." No amount of begging was going to change her mind. Shiana saw this.
"Alright babe. See you soon." Shiana shook her head, feeling sorry for Casey, and then looked at Adriana. "Great. She feels she can't hang out with us because of what's happened." She said after zipping her phone in her bag. "You have to understand how Casey's feeling. All this time, she's had this thing for you, and she's had to watch you cart all these different women in and out of your bed. That alone must've been hard, and then all of a sudden you're more or less living with Shannon. I'm just saying, I understand why she had her little outburst."
"Well, she should've spoken up and told me how she felt."
"And if she did, would you have given her a chance?"
"Probably not, because I didn't want anybody and I she knew that. But if she'd told me how she felt, I would've been less in her face about my women." She explained, bored of discussing Casey.
"All she did was fall for you, and now she feels like we're not there for her. She doesn't deserve it. Remember when you would show up at her apartment and surprise her with red and white roses for absolutely no reason? I mean, you can't say that you didn't lead her on just a little."
"What I did to her was wrong and next time I see her, I'll apologize. But right now I'm with Shannon and she needs to come to terms with that." Adriana said. She was getting sick of discussing this and couldn't wait until they arrived.
"Man, Shannon must be able to work miracles because a few months back, having girlfriend was like having a virus to you."
"Well things change. Ok, maybe I did lead her on just a little, but that can't be helped now. My life consists of you guys and Shannon. You're both important. But when I'm with her, I feel like a better person; like she accepts me even though I can be a dick sometimes. Casey tried to take that away from me, and I'm not having it." Adriana looked at her watch. "I gotta call Shannon in a few minutes."
They pulled up outside of club Luscious, paid the cab driver and went in. Straight away, they were spotted by friends and joined them.
Once they got settled, they were like a panel of judges, giving each woman that they saw, a mark out of ten. Christy nudged Adriana. "What about her, the one with the pink and white shirt on? Wait, I keep forgetting, you can't be looking at other women."
"Yeah right. I'm never gonna stop looking at women. But as for her...I'd say maybe a seven, plus she has good dress sense. I'm going outside to make a quick call. Back in a few..."
Outside was drafty, as the chill hit Adriana's skin, just as it had the first night she'd met Shannon. She smiled, thinking of this and let the phone ring.
"Baby, is everything ok? You feeling alright?" Asked Adriana, pleased to be hearing Shannon's voice, even if it was through a stuffy nose.
"I'm glad that you think about me so much, but please stop worrying. I'm about to get in the bath, and after that I think I'm going to hit the sheets. So don't be alarmed if I don't answer the phone. Alright, enjoy your night honey. Love you."
"Well enjoy bathing in my luxurious bathtub. Bye."
After pressing the hang up button, Adriana headed back into the club.
Shannon watched the water flow into the bathtub as she pulled the nightdress up over her head. She was looking forward to having a long soak and sweating away her cold. Testing the water, she dipped her toes in. It was a little too hot but nothing she couldn't cope with, so she happily jumped in.
"Shannon okay?" Asked Bella.
"Yeah. I'm just overreacting." Adriana began looking around in search for Christy, before asking. "Where's the red head?" Nicole pointed towards the crowd and they all looked to see Christy dancing with the lady Adriana had identified as a seven.
Back over at Adriana's, Shannon sat with bubbles all around her and closed her eyes; enjoying the tranquility. There was a calm silence until the rattling of the front door being unlocked disturbed it. Shannon wasn't sure if the door had been opened, but once she heard it slam she shouted,"So, because you couldn't call me you decided to come home?" She chuckled to herself, closed her eyes and assumed that Adriana couldn't hear her. Everything remained quiet until the bathroom door swung open. "It's only 11.15." Said Shannon, turning around to see Casey with half empty bottle of vodka in hand and the keys to the house in the other.
Casey shook the keys in Shannon's face, as if trying to prove a point. Shannon hadn't been able to smell anything thanks to her cold, not even the lavender bubble bath, but she could smell the alcohol emanating off of Casey, it was so strong.
"You're drunk...Casey could you go wait in the lounge `til I get out?" Casey was not in a negotiable mood and her thinking was far from rational.
"What? You don't want me in here? I thought we could have our own little party in here, just the two of us. Look I even bought us a bottle of Vodka. Besides, you don't have anything that I haven't seen before. Oh...wait, maybe you do. Oh yeah, that's right, because you have that something special don't you?" Casey gave a patronizing laugh.
"Casey, please just go home. You're drunk and I really don't feel up to this." Shannon begged.
Casey walked over to the toilet seat and got comfy. Shannon sighed.
"Why are you here?"
"Because you need to know what you've done. You need to know that you ruined my relationship with Adriana. We did everything together. When we first met in care, she would take good care of me. We hung out together all the time. We were best friends.
Shannon listened intently, because this was one of those rare chances where she could learn a little about Adriana's past.
"I had a real crush on her. I felt lucky to know this amazing, beautiful, smart, wonderful person, and she was my best friend. We would've killed for each other." Slowly but surely, Shannon was beginning to understand why Casey felt so neglected. "Then came along the night where some friends of ours were playing truth or dare. So Adriana and I joined them. Everybody in that place knew how I felt about her except her, and they dared us to kiss. Of course I leapt on her. I just melted there and then. It was like I was entranced by her every move. I remember pulling out of the kiss and just gazing at her. She seemed overwhelmed by my zest and told me that I was a really good kisser. That same night she crawled into my bed and she was my first female lover. But somehow things never went any further. I was clearly in love with her, but I already knew how she felt about relationships. I just could never tell her."
Shannon watched Casey fight her tears and shaking as a result. Casey was becoming increasingly unstable on her feet. Shannon was undoubtedly worried. Here she was trapped in the bathroom with a drunk Casey, who had a heavy glass bottle in hand. "Now Adriana hates me because of you Shannon!" Yelled Casey, throwing the bottle of vodka at the tiled wall. Shannon ducked and hoped the shattering glass wouldn't cut her.
Casey's ill conceived thoughts combined with alcohol were a dangerous compound. Swaying like a drunken idiot, she stumbled over to the bathtub, startling Shannon. She put her hands around Shannon's neck, attempting to push her under water. It was a struggle for them both. Casey continued to bitch and moan while forcing Shannon's head below water level. Her words were now just hazy echoes to Shannon as the water populated her ears. Casey's bitter and hurt face was now just a red, misty fuzz, from underwater and Shannon's lungs were losing the war. She'd tried to rise, but lost her footing in the slippery bath. "I-can't-breathe." Shannon tried to say in between gulps of water. In another attempt to break free she rose to the surface, desperately inhaling as much air as possible; only to be pushed back down. She could se that pale red had taken colour of the water and knew that she was bleeding from somewhere. There was no pain, only suffocation and choking. Never had oxygen been such a commodity. Casey continued her ramblings, not that Shannon took the time to hear any of it. Her nails dug Casey's wrists as she was pushed deeper under. Time was running out and Shannon was losing consciousness. Black was the only colour she could interpret.
Adriana took out her house keys. "Christy's going to be one happy lady when she wakes up next to that hottie in the morning." Said Nicole.
"Yep. Well if anything should happen with them, I hope she treats Chris better than Erika did." Bella added. Adriana put her key in the door, only to find that just a simple push would open it.
"Shit you guys. It's open." Straight away her priority was getting to Shannon.
"What?" Bella asked, worried.
"Shannon!" Adriana Called out.
Hearing Adriana's voice, Casey jumped, which inevitably led to Shannon being able to rise above water. She gasped, knowing that her life was at stake. Casey knew that she didn't have much time and pondered whether to turn back or run with the baton. Running with the baton would entail: squeezing the life out of Shannon and have Adriana want to do the same to her. Turning back would involve releasing Shannon's neck, and still having Adriana hate her. Running with the baton seemed like the best decision as Casey strangled Shannon using as much force as she possibly could.
"Everything is fine in here. Nothing's been taken!" Shouted Nicole from the lounge.
Bella and Adriana checked the other rooms and things were in order.
Shannon was no longer fighting. Her clasp on Casey's wrists had loosened as the life slowly began creeping out of her. Casey's crystal-like tears fell; causing circular ripples in the murky red water. She hated what she was doing, but her hands seemed to be moving under their own steam. As far as she was concerned, it was her emotions that had taken grip of Shannon's neck and not her.
Adriana burst into the bathroom and froze at the scene before her. She didn't even want to imagine what had taken place. There was broken glass scattered around the bathub, which demonstrated the violence Shannon had endured.
A part of her felt like she was thirteen again, walking into the house and unusually hearing nothing but the tick tock of the living room clock. No screaming, no howling; it made a nice change. Then she made the mistake of walking into the bathroom, and finding her mother out cold on the floor, drool spilling from her mouth, eyes eerily open and strangely dead.
Adriana couldn't help but feel responsible for what she was witnessing, as concern for Shannon fled through her bloodstream. Snapping out of her thoughts, she pulled Casey away from the tub to reveal a very still Shannon.
"Casey, what the fuck did you fucking do?" She bellowed in panic, before pushing Casey hard and sending her crashing to the ground.
Bella and Nicole came bounding in and had to pick their jaws up off the floor. Adriana lifted Shannon out of the stone cold water, when Shannon started coughing and spluttering. Adriana held her up and gently rubbed her back. Shannon coughed to the point of heaving. Casey was now sat back on the toilet seat, with her head leaned against the wall. It was becoming hard for her to keep her eyes open. She felt both emotionally and physically drained. Adriana grabbed the towel on the radiator, and wrapped it around Shannon's naked body.
"You okay?" Asked Adriana, but all she got was a cough in response.
Casey would have even settled for Adriana beating the crap out of her rather than Adriana tending to Shannon. The room started spinning. All she perceived was dizziness and fatigue, as her body fell into a state of jelly-like behavior. Nicole quickly grabbed Casey before she fell to the floor and shook her for an explanation.
"Case, what the hell?" It was no use. Casey could only see the worry and concern that Adriana was riddled with. She had no chance. It was all over for her.
"Help me get her home." Nicole said to Bella. They escorted her out before Adriana totally flipped out, leaving the couple alone.
Adriana stood, drying Shannon's hair with the towel, feeling dismal and guilty. She thought that everything was her fault. Things just never seemed to go right. When something good happened, along would come something bad. She'd learnt to live with it throughout her life, but Shannon was too important to her for the bad to sabotage. Adriana was tired of it.
"How are you feeling? Do you feel like you need to go to hospital, to get checked over?"
Hospital wasn't even in Shannon's thought vicinity. She was going to worry about her health later. She had to find something out.
"Why didn't you tell me that you guys had something going on?" Said Shannon softly. She wasn't up to arguing. Adriana immediately corrected Shannon.
"No. Nothing is or has been going on with Casey and i. I wouldn't." she sat herself down on the sofa so that she was facing Shannon.
"I mean, why didn't you tell me that you slept with her before?" Adriana began rubbing her neck, like she always did in times of intense pressure. "Because that was years ago."
"Well, maybe that is why she's acting the way she is. Believe me, I've been where she is with you, wanting you so badly and not being able to have you. It's fucking difficult."
"It was years ago. That's what lesbians do. We sleep with all of our friends. It doesn't mean we want to set up house with all of them. I've fucked up a lot in my life, and now I'm finally growing up, fucked up shit keeps happening. You're the best thing that's happened to me in along time. Believe me, I don't intend to mess you about." Adriana's face was real and honest. Shannon had never seen her so heartfelt. She stroked Adriana's face.
"Baby I know you mean that, but Casey's a major problem for us. She pulled some crazy shit tonight.."
Adriana looked away, avoiding eye contact. She didn't even want to think that Shannon could be in casualty right now because of one of her mistakes. Shannon stared directly at Adriana and felt a knot growing in her throat.
"I think that you need to sort things out with her...and...erm, while you're doing that...I think we should take a little break." As she approached the end sentence, her voice had become nothing but a barely audible whisper. This lack of speech appeared contagious, because Adriana opened her mouth but the words failed. Shannon knew Adriana didn't want to hear that but she really thought that it would be best.
"I know people say they want a break and the other person is lucky if they see them again, but I really mean just a break." Out of nowhere, Adriana found her voice.
"Things have been brilliant between us. You can't do this."
"We've been great, but I just want this Casey thing sorted out before we get any more comfy with our relationship." She takes Adriana's hand in her own, "I love you more than I've ever loved anybody before. Even with Andon, I didn't have this kind of bond, and we were gonna have a kid. I love you, and that's why it kills me to do this." Explained Shannon, tears welling up in her eyes. This wasn't something she wanted to do but she felt it necessary.
"You're not leaving Shannon."
"Don't make this any harder, please?" Shannon's eyes pleaded with Adriana to understand, but she didn't want to, although she knew where Shannon was coming from. She just wanted Shannon. Adriana always managed to keep herself together, even in the most intense circumstances. But this time it would seem that the wound was too deep.
"I'm not leaving you. If you want to talk, or if you need anythi..."
"The only thing I need is you." Adriana interrupted, desperately trying to convince her to stay.
"I'm going to get the rest of my stuff, and I'll be gone by morning. You have to understand. " Just hearing that Shannon was going to be gone, was hard for Adriana to swallow. Suddenly she noticed that salty taste in her mouth, the salty taste that only came from tears. She bowed her head for a few seconds, but then quickly regained her composure.
"I'm started to get worried. I haven't heard from her in five days. She was pretty upset about me leaving." Explained Shannon, seeking comfort from Angela.
"I'm sure she's still just a little sore about you going. You should have tried to make her understand that being with her while Casey is being the way she is, wasn't going to help you guys. Relationships are hard enough without someone interfering."
Shannon nodded her head and clapped Angela's words of astute
"You see, you understand what I'm getting at. I think I'm gonna call her later on to make sure that she's ok." For a moment she stood staring out of the window, in deep thought.
Angela came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I've seen what this woman can do to you, and after all you guys have been through, I can't see her just giving up. If she got teary when you left, I think she loves you."
"I think she does, but she never tells me." Shannon turned around, grabbed her coat and smiled. "You're like my psychotherapist or something. I should start paying for these sessions."
"What are friends for hun?"
Shannon felt better now that she'd talked about her situation. But she couldn't help but feel like she was neglecting to ask about Angela's life. She dropped her coat, and asked: "So what's happening with you babe?"
"Nothing much. I got news. You decide whether it's good or bad."
"What is it?" Shannon was all ears.
"Andon called me a few days ago. He's coming back to live in Miami" Angela braced herself for Shannon's reaction.
Dazed at the mention of her ex-boyfriends name, Shannon shook her head. "Angela, I know he's your brother, but I can't have him living here. Get me and him in a room for more than ten minutes, and shits gonna fly off the handle." Old emotions flooded her as the nostalgia overcame her. She and Andon had a lot of history. She wasn't the same girl he used to know.
"I know Shannon. We're just going to have to cross the bridge when we get to it."
Shannon sighed...
Adriana found herself at apartment 234 for the first time since her last run in with Casey. She hid the red and white roses behind her back, and knocked as she prepared her speech.
A few moments later, a very timid looking Casey appeared in the doorway. Immediately, after seeing Adriana, she tried closing the door, but was stopped.
"Casey, I'm not mad at you. I just want to talk. Please just let me in?" Adriana pleaded. Slowly and unsurely, Casey timorously opened her door and let Adriana inside.
Once setting eyes on the apartment, Adriana paused. The smell of stale food attacked her nose violently. In the past, the apartment had spoken of a mature, together young woman. Now, the once tastefully furnished, clean apartment was just a distant memory. Adriana's face contorted as the smell got more prominent. Casey stood, eluded eye contact and uneasily began rubbing her arm. The silence was excruciatingly awkward, so Adriana instigated the conversation.
"Here." She said, whipping the roses out from behind her back and handing them to Casey.
That gesture got a big smile out of Casey. "So you do still love me then, after everything I did?"
She asked as she felt her heart light up. She hadn't received any flowers spontaneously from Adriana for months.
"You're my best friend...I'm sorry if you felt like I was replacing you with Shannon."
"Is she ok? I'm sorry about that. I was out of it." Casey worried.
"She's doing ok." Adriana falsely confirmed, not really knowing how Shannon was; considering she hadn't seen her in days, "I just really need you to stop this obsessive stuff. It's not healthy." She looked the apartment over once again, and in disbelief she saw empty pizza boxes lying around."It's not healthy in more ways than one. You know what? I'm gonna take care of this. I'll just give Class Act cleaning services a call. Don't worry about this ok?" For a moment she was sidetracked, scanning the apartment, but then remembered her purpose and got back on task.
"You know, I don't even know why you feel this way about me. I'm not even worth it."
"You are to me. When you attacked me, it killed me to think that you chose her over me. After everything that's gone on between us – back in care and all that. You still chose her." The pain that Casey was suffering through was very evident, and to the point where Adriana was feeling guilty.
"This is going to sound really wrong and I know it, but what we did that night was nothing special." Adriana was never the most tactful person, and just when Casey thought the knife could go no deeper...it does.
"What?"
"In case you didn't notice, sex doesn't really mean too much to me. What was important to me was our friendship."
"It was important to me. You were my first and I had real feelings for you – I have real feelings for you. I wouldn't be in such a state if I thought that I could get over you. But, I don't think I can. I'm so in love with you it's retarded."
Considering that Casey felt the same way about her, that she felt about Shannon, Adriana for a moment felt a little of the anguish that Casey was experiencing. She'd gotten a dose of it five days ago, and Shannon wasn't even leaving for good.
"I'm sorry Casey. If I'd have known how you felt all those years ago, I wouldn't have touched you that night. Not to bore you with platitude, but you will find some other woman, and then you wont even remember my fucking name."
Casey pushed Adriana, with little force, frankly offended by the insinuation that she'd ever forget Adriana. "The only way I'll ever forget you is if someone knocks me over and I get amnesia or something crazy like that." Casey said, stroking the petals from the roses she'd been given.
Knowing that nothing she could say was going to rectify the past, Adriana said: "It's your call Case. We can just be friends or, if you can't handle that, we can avoid each other. I know which one I'd rather."
Casey gazed at Adriana and thought about how good it would feel just to get a kiss. Knowing that was out of the question, she came to her conclusion.
"I'd rather be your friend than nothing at all." Adriana grabbed Casey, hugging her tightly, and gave a satisfied smile.
"One question: What is it about Shannon?"
Adriana smirked, wishing she knew the answer herself. "I don't know, I'm just drawn to her. She knows how to keep me in check, you know? She knows who I am, and she loves me anyway. There are too many things to mention."
Adriana then kissed Casey on the forehead and made her way over to the door.
As she witnessed Adriana walking away she wondered whether Adriana had divulged her darkest secret to Shannon, and speculated about whether Shannon would stick around, should she find out.