8. Slide
Chapter eight
Slide
T he days passed slowly after Angela relived the life of Clara. She had expected Spencer to call upon her immediately to deposit Clara’s Stapes bone on the mothership, but he hadn’t yet called on her to turn the information over; and the longer she held onto it, the more she felt that Spencer shouldn’t possess the information.
Something within the deep recesses of Angela’s mind was telling her to protect the information at all costs. But once they called on her to turn it over, how would she deny them? But did that mean she was betraying her own kind? A traitor to her people? But was she a person? Were they people? Did they possess souls?
They were collecting samples to save the planet, right? Why would she want to go against that kind of goodness? She couldn’t explain it, and she didn’t have all the answers, but somewhere deep within herself, like a tickle at the back of her brain, a small voice was guiding her; and that little voice was the only one she trusted wholeheartedly.
Pounding on her door reprieved her of her inner turmoil.
“Angela!” Talia pounded on the door again. “I need you! I need my best friend.”
Angela groaned from the effort of pulling herself out of bed, how long had she been there? She reluctantly shuffled to the door and opened it a crack.
Talia jammed a foot in the opening as if Angela might slam it shut at any moment. She peered behind Angela into the darkened room.
“Woah.” Talia covered her mouth and nose with her hand. “Okay, you definitely need this as much as I do.”
“Need what?” Angela asked as she tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
“We’re kicking some ass!” Talia stated proudly and resolutely.
“What?” Angela’s brow creased together in confusion. “Whose ass are we kicking?”
Talia pushed her way past Angela and yanked open her window blinds to let the moonlight in. “I’ve had my heart broken Ange, and you’re going to help avenge me.”
“Okay, is this some kind of role-playing thing? I’m not into that, Talia. I just want to sleep.”
Talia rifled through Angela’s drawers for clean clothes as she spoke. “No, I’m being serious. I met this guy the other night and we were supposed to have a second date tonight, but he stood me up!” She tossed a pair of jeans and a loose short sleeve shirt onto the bed. “Now… normally, I’d let it go, blow it off, ‘get under someone new!’ you know, all that bullshit. But, I felt some kind of way about this guy and I’m not going to let him ditch me without some kind of explanation.” She practically shrieked as she explained herself, waving her arms in the air as if that could help get her point across. “I also wouldn’t normally drag you into my retribution story, but Ange, you’re in a dark place, literally and figuratively. You need to shower, brush your teeth, eat something, breathe fresh air. So, I’m recruiting you, I’m not taking no for an answer, and you're going to have my back, like a best friend should!”
Angela’s head spun from the sudden onslaught of her roommate. “Um. Okay. Well just give me a minute to get dressed-”
“No. I’m sorry, Ange, but you stink. Shower, teeth, food, then we confront!”
Talia grabbed a towel hanging on a hook on the back of the door and shoved it into Angela’s hands, and practically pushed her out of the room toward the bathroom across the hall.
Talia shoved her in and slammed the door. “Twenty minutes Ange!” She shouted from the other side. “Then, we ride!”
Angela couldn’t help but smile. Talia was crazy, but she was her crazy. Something about that woman stirred something deep within her, like that little tickle at the back of her brain, only this was like a tiny spark in her heart.
Thirty minutes later they were walking outside to go get something to eat. It was a clear cool night. Various businesses along the main street stayed open late to accommodate the night owl students who lived here, one of the perks of living in a busy college town. Conversation from other people filtered in and out of her ears as they made their way to wherever Talia was leading them.
Talia’s long strides were hard for Angela to keep up with. “Hey, Talia, you realize not all of us have super model legs, right?”
“Huh?” Talia glanced behind her and slowed down when she realized that Angela was practically running to keep up. “Sorry, Ange, just kind of worked up, ya know?”
“Not really, no. But I support you anyway.” Angela winked and was rewarded with one of Talia’s cute grins.
They reached the doors of the brightly lit Mexican restaurant, and when Angela held the door open the smells of delicious handmade food made her stomach cramp in hunger.
How long has it been since I ate something?
There was a sign on a small table that said, SEAT YOURSELF, so they maneuvered their way around the tables to a small booth near the back. They removed their jackets as they sat down opposite each other and opened the menus already on the table.
“So, where’d you find this place?” Angela asked.
“It’s where he brought me that night. The food is amazing, but…” Talia hesitated and glanced up to look at Angela. “I was also kind of hoping to run into him here.”
“Oh, Talia, babe, you got it bad, don’t you?”
Talia shrugged her shoulders and kept looking at the menu. Angela reached across the table to hold Talia’s hands. “Hey, we’ll be stalkers together. Dude won’t know what hit him!” Angela winked and laughed. They both knew she was being sarcastic, playful. Talia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she laughed too, and Angela had the sudden urge to move to her side of the booth and wrap her arms around her in comfort, so she did just that.
Talia let out a wet laugh as Angela embraced her. “Since when are you so maternal?”
“What? I can’t comfort my best friend?”
Talia shrugged away from Angela’s hug with another laugh, and Angela thought her heart might crack.
“No, it’s not that.” Talia said. “It’s just not like you. You’re usually the one saying, shake it off, and toughen up. Something really is up with you, Ange.”
You have no idea.
Angela shyly went back to her side of the booth and tried to think of something snarky and motivating to say, to recover from her apparent fou pas. But nothing came to mind. Instead, she was saved from her embarrassment when the waitress came by to get their drink order.
Gratefully for Angela, Talia didn’t seem to notice any tension. After the waitress left, Talia said. “So, this guy let it slip that he’s part of the fraternity over at Alpha Delta Phi, I figure we go over there after this and let him have it!”
Angela forced a chuckle. “Okay, as you wish.”
Talia tilted her head and squinted her eyes. “As I wish? Geez Ange.”
Talia laughed and shook her head and Angela thought she might die of embarrassment as her cheeks flooded with warmth.
After a very quick and quietly awkward dinner, they were headed to the frat house. Talia didn’t seem to notice how deeply Angela’s inner torment went. She did all the talking for the both of them as they walked. Talia seemed to realize that Angela wasn’t herself, but she had no idea how accurate that was.
Angela couldn’t make heads or tails of her own emotions. She didn’t feel like a non-human. The opposite in fact, she had never felt more alive, and she was fairly certain that Talia was the cause. Angela caught herself cataloging everything about her as she stole glances along their walk. The way Talia’s long hair was shorter around her face, the way her curls bounced as she walked, the way the tiny flakes of gold in her eyes shimmered like dust in the air. Then there was her smile, the way her heart-shaped lips tugged Angela’s eyes to them, and the way her voice sounded like a song no matter the tone.
The longer they walked, and the more pain Angela saw etched on Talia’s face, the more Angela wanted to burn the world down. This guy, whoever he was, would regret ever hurting her girl.
Talia stopped abruptly. “We’re here.”
Angela watched her take a shaky breath and said. “You know, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
Talia clenched her fists. “No, I need to. I need to know why.”
Angela nodded in understanding. “Okay, let’s do this then.”
Angela followed a foot behind as Talia marched up to the door and knocked as hard as she could three times. Angela stood with her arms crossed and face set like stone, ready to back up her girl.
Laughter and footsteps sounded from the other side of the heavy oak door. A tall skinny guy with pooka shells around his neck, who looked like he belonged at a beach answered the door.
“Ah, yeah, can I help you?”
Angela watched as Talia’s hands shook slightly, she seemed to be losing her nerves. Angela spoke up for her. “Yeah, we’re looking for someone who lives here.”
Beach guy looked Angela up and down, slowly, like he was tasting her with his eyes and liked what he was seeing. Angela shivered with disgust.
Beach guy leaned against the doorframe coolly and said. “Well, you found me, what can I do for you?” He bit his lower lip and Angela thought she might vomit.
Talia seemed to find her voice. “Okay perv, take it easy, we’re looking for Brad.”
Beach guy seemed to turn off his charm. “Oh.” He turned around and shouted into the house. “Brad! You got company!”
A minute later, more footsteps sounded, and beach guy moved out of the doorway. Brad took his place in the doorway. He was gorgeous, and Angela could understand why Talia was so smitten with him.
“Uh, yeah, can I help you?” He asked in a pleasantly deep voice that rolled like silk.
Talia stammered. “It’s me…Talia.”
Brad looked confused and didn’t say anything.
Talia’s cheeks flamed red as she said. “We had a date tonight! You stood me up!”
Brad laughed. He actually, laughed, at her girl. Angela wanted to rip his throat out with her teeth.
“Look, I’m sorry, but you got the wrong guy, I’ve never seen you before in my life… and, you’re not exactly my type. ”
Yep, frat boy needs to die.
Tears welled in Talia’s eyes as Brad turned back into the house. Angela thought she might follow him inside and kick Brad in the nards, but Talia walked away, went back toward the sidewalk and Angela followed her.
Seconds later they heard footsteps slapping on the pavement behind them, and a needle tore at Angela’s heart when she saw Talia’s disappointment, it wasn’t Brad, but beach boy chasing after them.
“I swear to God, if you say one more dumb ass thing I’ll slap you so hard you won’t be able to talk for a week!” Angela shouted at him.
“Woah.” Beach boy laughed. “Take it easy killer.” He held his hands up in surrender. “I come in peace.”
“What do you want?” Talia glared at him.
“Look.” He cleared his throat and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Normally I wouldn’t meddle in my boys’ affairs, but you seem really hurt by this.”
“Get to the point pooka shells.” Angela snarled at him.
Beach boy gave her a look that chilled her bones and Angela almost regretted her insult.
“The point , is-that my boy hasn’t been himself lately. I mean, he is now. But he doesn’t remember the last two weeks.”
Angela was surprised by the sincerity in beach boys’ voice.
“Whatever, you’re just trying to cover for him.” Talia said.
“No. Really. I even found him passed out in the yard a couple times. And last week one night he came home looking like the happiest person on Earth.” Beach boy took a breath. “Honestly, I think that was the night he met you. But as of a few days ago, he’s back to his old self. I really don’t think he remembers you.” Beach boy shrugged and turned to head back to the house. “Sorry.” He shouted over his shoulder.
Angela watched Talia stare at his back as he walked away with her mouth hanging open.
“Well, that didn’t go exactly as I imagined.” Talia said. “I can’t believe he doesn’t remember me. I even saved his life!”
Those words were like an electric shock to Angela’s brain. She stopped in her tracks as the memory came flooding back. Talia’s arms hugging her middle and giving the Heimlich to get the stuck kernels out of her throat. Sitting next to her in the movie theater. Watching her every move. Dinner after. And that kiss. That world spinning, never want to let go, world changing kiss.
That was me. I’m Brad.
Shit.