Chapter 10: Monday Morning

The apartment was dark when I finally woke up. I pulled myself up off the couch and looked around. Lauren sat up at the kitchen table with stacks of paper scattered around. She had her hair back in her usual ponytail but a few strands of brown hair were loose and she nearly tucked a few of them behind her ear as she wrote.

“Morning” I mumbled groggily to her as I tried to adjust all my clothes back to where they should be after sleeping in them.

“I put some clean clothes in the bathroom for you.” Lauren told me, not looking up from her work.

I picked up my phone off of the kitchen counter and scrolled messages on my phone.

“Is Mia still here?” I asked, gently thumbing one of my eyes that had gotten a bit dried out.

“Yeah, she’s just getting packed up. If you’re staying the day I could use your help getting some heavy items from the store.” Lauren took a sip from her beer.

“You're gonna be good to drive right?” I prodded skeptically.

She eyed the can. “I grew up in Florida. I took my driver's test drunker than this.”

“Fair enough.” I shrugged and siddled over toward the bathroom. “Ummm… the clothes in there; they’re…”

“...Mia’s so don’t do anything weird please.” Lauren warned quietly.

“I’ll be good.” I nodded, stepping into the small bathroom.

The cramped dingy bathroom was very different from the slightly more clean and spacious one I used to share with my sister in my family's suburban home. It at least felt more… lived in than abandoned. The edges of the mirror had darkened with age but the center was perfectly clear. My short curly red hair appeared to be the most colorful thing in the room but the dim lighting made it hard to tell. I got the water going in the shower after messing with the knob a bit and got to it.

A few minutes later I was freshly attired in the odd fitting clothing Mia had unknowingly lent me, a dark sleeveless blouse and a pair of snug jeans. I kept on my plaid top over top of the blouse but left it unbuttoned. It still felt… different but I was clean and ready to head out.

“Hey you!” Mia greeted me as I stepped out of the bathroom.

“Hey” I raised my arm stupidly. I was still groggy despite the shower.

She pointed at me. “Those are my jeans.”

“You -are- cute jeans.” I said not really thinking about it. “Wait no.”

Mia laughed, heaving a heavy backpack onto her shoulder.

“Woah!” she said, waffling a bit under the weight.

I scurried over to help hold her upright. “You good?” I asked, trying to support her.

“I’m good,” she squeaked nervously. She certainly didn’t sound good.

“Are you sure, Mia? You’re sounding a bit unsteady there.” I let her go and she cleared her throat.

“Nah. I’m good.” Mia giggled while opening the front door of the apartment. She closed the door behind her as she made her way down the stairs.

I looked at Lauren, who nodded at the door. “Could you do me a solid and make sure she makes it down without breaking her neck?”

I went a bit pale. “Ummmm…” I remembered the staircase from the night before. “Can I say no?”

“Not if you want alone time with me tonight.” She teased. “Plus you’ll have to go down to go with me to the store in a bit anyway”

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“Shit.” I cursed, steeling myself and hurrying out the door after her.

“Hoooo…” I took a deep breath as I looked out over the guard rails of the fifth floor staircase.

“You okay?” Mia called after me from the flight below.

“Yeah I just… gotta keep moving and…. Not look down.”

I grabbed the hand rail, kept my eyes on my feet and made my way down slowly… and carefully.

“I…. didn’t realize heights were such a problem for you.” Mia gave me a concerned look as I tried to catch my breath. “Are you sure you went down those stairs and not up?”

“Pretty sure.” I huffed. “Really liking the whole…” I weakly gestured at the pavement. ”

…solid ground deal we have here.”

Mia giggled adorably. It was a real shame she was probably straight. She would make an adorable girlfriend. Of course I probably thought that because I saw many of the things I liked about Lauren in her daughter.

“My ride will be here in a few.” Mia said, stretching her arms.

“Nice” I said, not really sure what to add to that. “Are you looking forward to it?”

“Yup!” Mia affirmed, she certainly sounded excited and I was happy for her. “I haven't seen these guys all summer and it's gonna be great to catch up I hope!”

“I hope you have a great time then.” I added, watching a large SUV pull into the lot and roll towards us. Mia waved her arms over her head and hopped up on her toes. Wasn’t remotely necessary, the girl was nearly as tall as her mom and could be seen from low orbit without the need of a telescope.

I waited as some hipster looking chick climbed out of the passenger seat and helped Mia load her bag into the car. I stood back patiently as they talked for a minute. I was kinda spacing out when I noticed Mia getting awful close to me. I was kinda surprised when she pulled me into a big ol’ goodbye hug, I was not at all expecting.

The girl who had helped Mia with her bag let out a bit of a teasing ‘oooo’ sound as she did it too. “Hey, is this your new girlfriend?” she asked Mia teasingly. I was very surprised when Mia seemed to sputter her denials as they loaded up into the car.

Huh. That was weird.

“Nichole!” Lauren was standing next to the van waving me over. I dutifully fell in.

“Are you getting fresh with my daughter?” Lauren asked accusingly.

“Uh. no!” I refuted quickly. ”She was just giving me a goodbye hug. I think. I mean she’s probably straight right?”

Lauren’s face twitched oddly. “What? Of course not. I’m not straight, why would she be straight?”

“Wait.” I was confused. “I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way?”

Lauren mumbled something to herself. “Right… well. No she’s definitely gay I’m certain of that.”

“Ah.” I decided to let that one go and ask something else. “Hey, about that third door… in the club room. What’s back there?” It had been on my mind a while but I’d always been too cautious to ask her outright.

“It’s mostly storage, a bunch of my old things and a few dangerous items I wouldn’t want you girls getting into. I’m counting on you to keep the new girls out when I’m not around okay?”

“No problem.” I said standing upright and following her to the van.

It didn't take long to get the shopping done and load everything into the van. It was just stupidly heavy and my weak nerd arms were next to useless. We couldn’t even team lift everything because she was significantly taller than me so all the weight ended up on my side. It was a disaster and Lauren ended up doing most of the work herself. It wounded my pride a bit to be honest but… like she said…. Gym doesn’t count.

We were just about to head back when Lauren began staring off at something. I tried to follow her gaze but there was just… an old camper parked by the side of the road.

“You have your license right?” Lauren's voice trembled.

“Yeah?” I looked up suddenly, very unnerved.

She handed me the keys. “Be a good girl. Take the van and drive back to my place. I will meet you there. Do not stop for anything, do you understand me?” Her tone was bone chillingly grave.

Her tone didn’t allow for any argument and I took the keys from her. No sooner had I palmed them… then… she vanished? No, she ran off. I saw her do it, I was certain of it. I couldn’t remember which direction but… I…

I trusted Lauren knew what was best, if she needed me to go, I should probably… I hesitated, suddenly worried out of my mind. I had no idea what was going on or where she’d run off to. I debated staying, nothing seemed out of place, everything around me seemed normal and that was all the more terrifying.

I pulled myself together and hopped in the driver's side door. I had to trust that she knew best, and I had to go like she told me too. I was really hoping I could find my way back with what vague memories I had of the trip there…