Chatting Revelations

A true person raised in the city and once suburban now turned bar hopper girl that is digging a whole you have worked so had to get out of. You arrange a meeting in order to figure out this problem.

Period 3

      It was 7 p.m. exactly but the sky had already darkened. A failed auto copy of the true night's shade. In the middle lay a black road thin and cracked. It was clearly constructed before the age of hybrid electric cars and the guzzling gallons of Hondas. One side of the road was lined with pale Victorian style houses that had long surpassed their time. Their beauty scraped away leaving only pale shadows of what they used to be. Except for the lone private pink survivor amidst the dirty pastel colors. On the other side were also dreary houses but sprinkled with idle businesses. A Laundromat store on one end and a yoga instructor place on the other. The center held a simple cafe. A once important hotspot for the young minds of college students. Alas just two blocks down two more cafes had opened gathering intrigue from the young scholars and eventually their popularity too. The cafes status had diminished quickly. Until it was just like any diner in the city.

      Tables were set up outside the shop. Some high chairs, some normal table settings for those who preferred comforts when writing a last minute essay. For you the high chair is just fine it forces you to sit alert and will hopefully force your opponent to remain attentative. Drinks have already been ordered as you knew her choice, coffee, by heart. You had to, she ordered it every damned time, claiming it was the only drink she liked but in reality it was probably because she didn't know what the eff all the other menu options meant. “Scented flavored Caramel” why the heck would someone order that when he/she could simply by it and dump it in their coffee.

You check your phone consciously for the third time. Dammn. She was late. Later than her usually 5 minute late mark. To be fair you're not sure she fully comprehended what you had asked her over the blast of music in the background at last night rendezvous. She had said “kay Kay” but you suspect it might of been the booze talking

Ten minutes later after much erratic texting the queen herself arrived. In a gloriously sweatshirt, sweatpants combo. An entirely different outfit choice to the ones she wears for club surfing. Topping it off with a failed loose bun and her blue nose piercing.

Fabulous.

She looked at you “why did you call me here?”

“ Because, I just wanted to talk. Have a drink” I proposed

“ Did you sprinkle it with drugs? Are you gonna knock me out and steal my stuff from my apartment.” She accused teasingly.

“ Just what every thief needs a pair of red stiletto pumps and a tight bright green mini skirt” You retort.

“ it would suit you well. You got the legs for it” she joked

“ heh, sorry green isn't my color” your retorted keenly

Silence ensued as she proceeded to sip her drink and you yours. There was no need to rush it. You would take your time if you wanted to get Mirages to see the other side of the story.

“How do you think you did on your test” you question aimely.

“Eh. My eyes were swimming by the time the test was over. One word seemed to slip into another.” She said while slurping the remaining contents of her drink.

Your hands play with the rim of your cup

“That was a very important test, Mirage. One I’m you guessing can't reassess for. You might fail the class.”

“ I might but I'm preeeeettty sure I at least got a 75 or above”

“What majors are you considering on taking. It is your third year after all. And if I remember correctly your goal was to get out ‘like a f****n colorful cannon’. If I doth quote correctly.” You tease slightly raising an eyebrow.

“ Ehh I’m too busy nowadays to think that much. No matter how much my counselor wing-bat Helga keeps pressuring me” she said licking the tiny puddles that were left in her cup

“ To busy clubbing.” you state.

She wrinkled her nose “You're starting to sound like wing-bat Helga. Can I have a sandwich” she waved toward the waiters inside who was busy was helping other college students and their group session going on inside.

“ Anyway, how about the internship you wanted to try? If i remember correctly it was about counseling”

“ Eh it's too far from here”....... And too close for comfort”  she mumbled the last part just as you wanted to speak

“It's not that far and the internship is after the semester is over so you can go-”

“ I said I didn't want to go. I'm not really thinking of pursuing a career in counseling” she said

“ Really. Not surprising since you give me different answers every time I ask” You point out

“Oh. .”

Awkward silence issued and you wished the waiter would hurry her damn self over here. You lick your lips from the cool breeze.

“Nice jeans. where did you get them” Mirage asked

“ Eh, I don't remember “ you look down at your dollar-store bought jeans.

“ Where are the rhinestones?” she smiled

“ In the garbage. Those things are uncomfortable as hell to sit on.”

“Fair enough.” she smirked.

“ Mirage what exactly are you planning to do after you finish college” you meant to phrase it as an innocents question, but even as you said you can tell it sounded as an accusation.

“ Probably become a go-go girl I’ll move up the ranks until I snatch me a millionaire. Then he’ll die of some unknown illness and I will be left with buckets of money where I will invest into a unicorn plush company and make billions.”

“Beautiful “ you clap sarcastically.

“ Yes indeed.”

“And here I am a lonely person trying to make it big on YouTube like dude perfect or other awesome sports tricksters” You sigh dramatically

“ hah that's okay if you need help i’ll endorse you” she laughed her posture relaxing against the uncomfortable chair.

“ bless your soul”

“ ha ha”

They ordered some sandwiches. And Mirage probably tired from the barrage of questions you were lodging at her retorted with some of her own.

“ so T, where you from?” she asked

“ here” you answer taking a bite of your sandwich

“ yeah but what section?” she reiterated.

“ the cheap apartments section”

“ no I mean what district wise one”

You take a bite from your sandwich.

“ your stalling” she said in singsong voice

You gulp “ I’m from Auburn st”

Silence

“ wait what. but you're so put toge-”

you shoot her a look “ are you stereotyping me you, Mirage, the person who hates being judged by others.”

“ Right. point, sorry. But you gotta admit you're a very clean person”

“ hah “ you bark a laugh “ you haven't seen my room and the state my microwave is in”

“ you should see mine-”

“ No, You. have. no idea……….Where are you from?” you ask honestly very curious to know.

Mirage tried to mask her emotions but you can already see her movements freeze and become calculated.

“Well?” you ask

“ I’d rather sit this one out”

“ Then amuse me. Is it in California?”

“Yes”

“Is it lower or higher”

“ Higher “

“ Is it……”

“ Garfunkle”

“ What?”

“ Garfunkle. I’m from Garfunkle road”

“ Your from the cushy suburban neighborhood that is cleaner than snow”  you say surprise written all over your tone.

“ Hey didn't you say no judging “

“ I was quoting you. I never said I applied it to me” you retort.

Again silence issued. Quickly’ you think ‘before this pause becomes longer than it needs to be.’

“ Mirage” you ask keeping your words as innocent as possible “what brought you here anyway there are plenty of collages up there to choose from why move all the way here to this godforsaken place?And anyway if you're going to go far why not go all the way to the big city?”

“ Listen i didn't come here to open up my big gooey wounds and talk about my back story.”

“ Well you're brought up the subject I suggest you finish the journey. Listen if you're in trouble i can help I’ve helped you through lots of s**t in the past and yet you haven't given me any information about you. Not your life, not your whereabouts. And whenever i ask you about it you clam up refusing to say anything.”

“ Fine. Fine you want to know what's so damn secretive about me, I'll tell you. I moved here to get away from from my shawty parents. Parents who have been breathing down my neck for the past 18 years and couldn't/wouldn't get off my back. So I left stupid, s****y Garfunkle to get away from them and to finally be free, and make my own damn choices.”

Ooh Miraje was mad if her voice level and tone didn't tell you. But you’ve dealt with worse, shittier more dangerous situations than a spoiled child with overprotective parents.   

“Okay so this is good, this is good. Parents can be overprotective to many degrees. The important point to know is that they really care for you and also many of the rules they project on you is usually based on their own personal fears whether from something they did or witnessedin the past or simply traditional. Now tell me what could they have possibly done to pushed you over the edge”  you question her earnestly.

“ they didn't like my boyfriend”

“ okay yeah not gonna lie it stings. When your parents reject a person you care about. What was it about him that made you care for him so much.”

“ he was hella awesome and he had a motorcycle.”

You stare at her “ okay that's a bit bland can you explain to me a little more.”

“ there's nothing to explain I dated him for two weeks, my parents found out about it and they s**t bricks. I was placed on house arrest and forbidden to see him. Heck I even fought my way out the door. No way in hell could they tell me what to do. I was sick and tired of them telling me I'm wasting my future, I'm doing no good and..…...and I just got so fed up. I up and left them. I stayed at my friends house for a while until i got an email telling me i got accepted and not only that but I got a scholarships to. Dude it must of been a sign I know it, so anyway I packed up my bags and left. Know I here and I’m free. Free to choose, free to be whatever I want.”

“ I’m sorry you had to go through with that perception of your parents breathing down your neck. It must of been a pain. A pain that left you confused,irritated and probably angry. “

Mirage gave you a blank stare of surprise. It was written all over her features. You could tell no one's ever really agreed with her. You raise your eyebrow.

“ what?”

“ that's. Well. No one's ever agreed-”

“ I didn't agree I simply looked at your side of the story”

“ oh”

…….

“ but?”

“ but what?”

“ where's the but there's always a but. “ she crossed her arms her expression hard as if to say she knew what would happen next. She reached forward. Her body for once not laying oddly against the chair.

“ but, I’d like to ask this. In your long endeavor you call freedom where I'm guessing you've had the most fun in your life then ever before. Do you think you feel satisfied enough. Do you feel complete knowing you have left your parents now .” You ask

“ Yeah no duh. Most fun I've ever had in my life.” She said

“ Okay my next question is. Do you miss your parents” you ask

“ no.” She denied

“ Okay. But, but I'm pretty sure you're parents miss you. And now let's think about this. You left your parents without a moment's notice. Just up and left right? And then not only that but you moved to a completely different city and you didn't tell them. They right now don't know your whereabouts other than maybe a few clues maybe. They don't know if you're even in the state, or if your safe, or if you even have running water.”

“ nooo uh”

“ Mirage I know you must be hurting…...or not. But I bet my arm that they are. They’re worried sick right now. Crying and crying for you dearly.”

Mirage was, for once, at a loss for words. She opened kay-hole only to shut it close, but finally she spoke again. “ I didn't think about that.” R voice nearly a whisper.

“ No one does” you state,

Her head fell down this time and you knew you finally touched base.

“Excuse me uhm” the small sound of the waitress flew to your ears and you turn your head toward the woman.

“ We're closing down righ now could you please leave or do you want to finish your meal.”

“ nah that's alright, we were about to leave anyway.” you shuffle out of your high seat and tap Mirage on the shoulder. She slowly slides of the chair ignoring the uneaten sandwich.

“ want me to drive you home?”

She nods absently.

The car ride was silent as you drove her back to her awful apartment complex. While she lay against the window her expression of someone staring faraway except for the wrinkles in her chin and the watery look in her eyes. You could sense an emotional uproar was happening.

You drove up to the building and she quickly unbuckled and left the car.

“ Ah, Mirage.” You scroll down the screen but she walks off pretending not to hear you.

As a last minute attempt you call out“ I hope you have a good night” before making the screen go up and driving off.

[The next Day]

You walk out of your warm house into to the tepid sunny morning and proceed to lock your door your hefty keys jingling at the movements. Next would be college where you await the dazzling speech of your professor as he rambles on about mathematics and quantum theorem only to branch off into other unforeseen unneeded subjects.

You turn around and notice a figure standing by the gate of the apartment complex. She stands there boring her eyes onto you dismissing all thoughts that she is waiting for anyone else's.

You jog toward the gate unlocking the gate where she walks in silently.

“ Hey “ you ask confused

“Hey”

“ You're here because…..”

“ I thought about last night. At first I just wanted to sleep it off. You know to calm my heart down. I planned on shoving this in the back of my head and bringing it up later in the week you know where I dont have classes on that day. Which if I know think about is pretty stupid ……. You know can we go inside I know you're going to be later, but I'm only gonna tell you this once.”

You weigh your options in your head and ultimately decide to screw Professors morning talks he usually spent the first 10 minutes of class reviewing the work they did yesterday anyway.”

“ Okay”

You and she back inside where you proceed to unlock the door and open enough for her walk thru before closing it. As if fearing someone would dare peek and look down upon you.

It's was a decent apartment small but it was only you everything was decently clean except for some leftover clothes on the floor and some papers left on the coffee table from your past homework. Lastly your counter was littered pictures of your vacation adventures from all over.

“ you were not kidding. “ she said half joking and half in awe at the state of you stained, old, musty refrigerator.

“ In my defense I do clean it it's just too old to look any better than it already is.” You say

she sits at the table and you follow close to her. The dim dining room light casting shadows all over.

“ anyway I was wanting to forget about it. I admit it was wrong buts it what I usually do it's what I have been doing for the past two years, but this time I couldn't push it to the back into my head I twisted and turned throughout the night until I finally sat up and proceeded to sob and sob and sob. It was at 1:00 that I realized that crying wouldn't solve my problem so I opened my laptop and….skyped them I knew it was late but just the action made me feel like I was doing something. I skyped them and of course they didn't answer so I left a written message. I waited telling myself it was stupid. Stupid to call them, stupid to expects anything different. But this feeling just wouldn't go away. Ever since you told me that-that they m-missed me.” Her voice took a higher note as she spoke and she stopped to recollect herself.

For the first time you notice her weary eyes, her blue bags under her eyes and the slightly smeared mascara from last night.

“ I then skyped them one more time and right on the third ring. They pick up!” She laughed at herself.

“ I can't tell you how surprised I was I nearly pressed the end call right then and there. Then I saw mom and dad……” Her lips quivered a sad smile her eyes portraying all the emotion you needed and you knew you didn't need to press further.

“ I missed them so dearly. For all the bat s**t stuff they worried over none of that mattered right at that moments. My mother had howled her happiness and dad had cried so mercilessly more than the time our dog died. We talked and talked to wee hours of the morning not even once mentioning about my old boyfriend the whole time I apologized me. I didn't even know I was wrong to begin with we had cried together and and I’m so grateful .”

You looked at the person in front of you someone you had seen last night but a completely different person in front of you right now. An elevated feeling entered your chest and you felt happiness and joy ride over your body in waves. Lodging at you throat like a vice. So tight you didn't dare speak or else you'd croak.

“I wanted. I want to tell you thank you. Thank you so much you have no idea how...how grateful I am.”

She stood up to give you a hug and you embraced her fully. You stood there for god knows how long simply basking at this beautiful moment. You were about to let go before she stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on your cheek. Whispering onto your ear.

‘thank you’

Author's Note

sorry for making this so long.