one

An hour or maybe two passed. 

After dropping many hints to Jennah that she was overstaying her welcome, Jennah finally bid her farewells. 

It wasn't that she didn't like Jennah. Jennah can be great fun. There are just some people in the world that she would prefer to implement a 'less is more' quality control during meet ups.

There was always a limit to how much she could withstand when it came to friends and the relationship that comes with it. Every now and again she would look back at how much her priorities have changed since she was younger. Friendship used to be number one, even above family. Not the least bit shocking as most self loathing teenagers probably felt the same way.

But not anymore. That self loathing teenager has since rejoiced at her freedom away from her old classroom and those mandatory friendships required to complete group projects with.

She felt that she had grown into a society-approved, government-tolerated, seemingly well rounded, emotionally healthy (stable), functioning adult that was completely okay with being by herself.

One is a good number.

Yes yes yes, friendship is great in small doses. Lovely, fragile glass tubes of rainbow coloured butterflies and glitter on a good day. 

Too much of it then it's all over the brim, spilling onto your hands and splattering onto your favourite shirt. All the while having to reassure the rainbow coloured butterfly that it's okay, you never liked the shirt anyway and you'd love to meet up next Tuesday for dinner. 

*

chapter seven

-

chapter six

non stick frying pan

chapter five

book case

chapter four

my precious

chapter three

xoxo

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one

new bay-boo

the nonstick frying pan

There it lay, soaking in a bath of oil and soap.

Great.

Then the door buzzer made an unattractive noise.

Who the hell could that be?

Giving the pan one last disapproving stare, she made her way to the front door and buzzed back.

"Hi, who is it?"

"It's Jennah. Let me in."

Buzz.

Of course it was Jennah. Who else would have the audacity to invite themselves over at such an hour? Jennah that's who. She probably brought her takeaway breakfast with her to eat here because notifying her would be host of her arrival during breakfast would be too much to ask, so best bring your own.

She unlocked the door ahead of time so it wouldn't disrupt Jennah's imminent waltz through her doorway and walked back into the kitchen. Since Jennah never ever warns her of her visits, she never ever greeted her at the door. Hovering over the sink, she took the spatula off its hook and whatever condiments she needed. Still hesitant of the oily, soapy, slippery pan drowning in its own muck, she went to the almost empty fridge and gazed down at her two remaining eggs. The last two eggs she'll have till her next visit to the shops. Better not screw up that pancake.

"Hey! Pancakes? Again? Don't you ever have something simple, like cereal?"

"That's a lot of questions for ten in the morning."

She took a quick glance of what Jennah had bought for her breakfast.

"McDonalds? Again? Don't you ever go somewhere different, like Starbucks?"

"I'd have you know that I order a different breakfast meal every time and they actually make a better cup of coffee than Starbucks ever will."

She rolled her eyes and nodded in false agreement.

"You know, I feel bad for always coming up unannounced. Here, allow me." Jennah scurried to the sink and picked up the pan with her bare hands. Jennah seemed familiar with what she was doing and what kind of host would take away the freewill of a guest? She turned her back to pick up a plate piled up in a box by the counter. When all of a sudden she heard the heartbreaking scratching sound of wire and metal. Springing to her toes, she leaned over Jennah to see her scrubbing her only nonstick pan with those wire scrunchies.

"Noooooooo!" She whimpered without any notion of stopping Jennah and her heartless scrubbing.

"What? What?"

"Have you never washed a nonstick pan before? You're not suppose to scratch them with metal or wire!"

"As a matter of fact, I really haven't."

"What? So does your apartment just have poorly scratched pans? Cooking must be hell. Especially when you do the dishes."

"Aw, honey. I don't do chores." Jennah mentions as she rinses off the now clean but scarred pan and passes it.

"You don't do chores?"

"Yeah, man. I've always had help come over three times a week. Such a lifesaver. I'll share you her contact, no problem."

"Nah, that's fine. I like doing my own dishes."

Having help around the house would be great. A complete privilege. But that wasn't her. She did try once. She had hired a lovely woman called Glenda to come over on a Wednesday, but she was so ashamed of how messy the apartment was that she had tidied it up herself before Glenda even arrived. She called Glenda on Tuesday to cancel and that she was very, very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

*

chapter six

-

chapter five

book case

chapter four

my precious

chapter three

xoxo

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one

new bay-boo

book case

Time for that breakfast.

She walked past a petty excuse for a bookcase, in its size, not for the quantity of books it carried. Barely enough space horizontally or vertically to force another book into the cracks. Books were an obsession and book shops were unavoidable. With nothing in mind, no particular book of interest, she'd still roam a book shop. Scanning the shelves, the discount box and going through the authors in alphabetical order. Some book titles were so desperate that she had to adopt them. If someone were to appreciate them, it would be her. Yet, after taking the chosen books home, she'd rarely read them. Probably the occasional random pick, possibly 2008's best seller. She never really understood why she had this need to have books. Maybe some part of her wanted a rare guest to think that she was well cultured, or maybe she was just compensating for something she lacked just like the rest of us. So there they stayed, at least that was the case for most of them. Adventures that this reluctant traveler had no intention of experiencing.

Now,
where's that frying pan?

*

chapter six

the nonstick frying pan

chapter five

-

chapter four

my precious

chapter three

xoxo

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one

new bay-boo

my precious

She mindlessly chucked her phone into the sinking depths of her soft bedsheets. Next time that rings, it's going to take some time to recover.

Pancakes.

Mmm. Yes, that's it. I want pancakes. 

The thought of fluffy pancakes filled her head and unclogged her senses. A late breakfast at three in the afternoon was the answer to the meaning of life. Even if it was only just for the rest of the day, it was good enough.

As she was about to comb her hair and let it air dry, (which on a side note she always thought drying hair with a hairdryer was a dreary, time wasting task that was understandably skippable), her phone rang.

She felt for the vibration in the sheets and fished out her phone. It was her grandmother.

There weren't many blood relatives around anymore, not many to begin with to be honest. All the "moving on" process from funerals were brushed away easier than the ashes from her dead, distant relatives scattered through the reluctant wind. Staying up wind was key.

"How are you, dear?"

"I'm good. Just had a bath."

"Oh, that's nice. I just called to see if you were free to come over tomorrow afternoon for tea with me and some of my friends. You could stay the night."

 She expected the last bit. Every now and again, her grandmother would invite her over for dinner, a movie or maybe just to talk and casually bring up having her stay the night. Apparently she wasn't the only one, people she knew went through the same. It's just how people who had/have kids do. God knows if she'll ever experience it herself. Calling up her spoiled grandson or her neglectful daughter if they had time to visit and, fingers-crossed, stay the night.

"I'm sorry, gran." She gazed around the room looking for a plausible excuse, which came shaped as a box filled with what was left of her wardrobe.

"I have a lot of unpacking, you know since I moved out of my roommates. Best I get myself sorted before I visit and when you visit of course."

Ha, saved it.

Her grandmother didn't bother to put up a fight. Surrendered with a love you, miss you and talk to you soon.

As her hair slowly dried, she went to her backpack and lifted out a plastic box filled with her so called jewelry. Not so much jewelry as that they were cheap, rusty rings that smelled of must and left faded green rings around each section of her fingers. A fake pearl made no difference to her than of a real one. Since there weren't people she knew who could tell the difference or really cared. It looked fine, and that was enough. She dressed as casually as she possibly could, makeup was minimalistic but when it came to her bare and boney fingers, rings were a necessity.

*

chapter five

book case

chapter four

-

chapter three

xoxo

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one

new bay-boo

xoxo

Her phone rang.


She was greeted by the deafening squeal of Lily on the other end.

Shit. How did she get my number?

"Can we please do lunch this week? I haven't seen you in forever. There's so much I have to tell you! You will not believe who I just saw wearing the most ridiculous pair of seven inch Loub's on a cobblestone road, wobbling along with her slut friends."

Lily let out a breathe of disgust and was about to gasp in a mouth full of air to continue her story when she was interrupted by a surprised "hey" followed by equally deafening squeals of excitement from her side of the receiver.

"Lily! You left so early last night. We missed you!" exclaimed the voice trailing off.

Envisioning heartless hugs and air kisses to the cheeks being exchanged, she slowly put down the receiver and texted Lily to say that she should call her back later when she was free.

*

chapter four

my precious

chapter three

-

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one

new bay-boo

no pieces

She ruffled through what was left of her clothes in a box by the bed. Pulling out an OBEY jumper and a pair of her favourite shorts. As she finished dressing herself to begin her day, she sat by the side of the bed and stared at the box of clothes. There was not much left of her possessions or her belongings. Not much to posses and not much to belong to.

She was having one of those moments when you know you've got to pick up the pieces of what was left of your life so far and move on. Point was, there were no pieces. Sure she had friends but not one she felt the urge to call upon.

She had always turned to movies and the occasional book to get her through the day. Music used to be important. It doesn't leave you with much choice when most music nowadays is worse than cat screeches and music from the past was either overused or brought back memories that served no purpose in the present.

*

chapter four

my precious

chapter three

xoxo

-

chapter one

new bay-boo

new post, new bay-boo

The blistering hot water blasting through the tap was filling the tub quicker than she could properly undress herself. Flinging her tops and bottoms outside the bathroom door she stood before the tub of hot mist. Carefully lifting her right leg over the side, she pointed her toes and slowly lowered them to the surface of the water. 

"Shit." 

She instinctually retracted her leg and nearly lost balance in her weight baring left leg as she tried to close the hot water, which led her to fall hard on her bare bum on the toilet seat. She heard a loud crack as the toilet seat cover shifted to the side. The latches that attached the cover of the seat to the toilet broke. 

"Whoever said women are graceful and sexy naked really needs to meet me." she thought bitterly to herself. The morning of her day off was not starting off great.

She turned the tap for cold water and swirled it around to balance the temperature. Finally, repeating the motions she lowered herself into the bathtub, closed her eyes and sank till the water submersed her cheeks. The heat of the water soothed her as the pores in her skin expanded to relax. She was too long for this tiny bathtub so she had to bend her knees, exposing them to the cool air above the water. Not quite the full body treatment she was looking for. 

She looked across the water and evaluated her body. Her pale white skin had turned into blotches of searing red across her thigh, stomach and chest. She dunked her head backwards and sank deep into the water. Coming up she cupped both hands to scoop water into her hands, thrusting it to her face then pushing the strands of hair on her face back up her forehead and to the sides. 

The bathroom started turning into a sauna and it began to be too hard to breathe. Her pulse started thumping as the heat rose in her body. She groaned as she had to put her bath to a sudden stop. Leaning forward, she unplugged the blocker and leaned back. As the water slowly drained away, she felt the line of the surface, which went around her body, drop. Millimeter by millimeter, inch by inch, the water receded. She took a moment for the air to cool her body then took a deep breathe and heaved herself out of the tub. 

After carelessly patting herself dry, she wrapped the damp towel around her hair and proceeded to the bedroom. She sprinted pass her little corridor as it had curtain-less windows and jumped over her cat. Why did she choose to wrap her hair instead of her body to avoid such obstacle courses will forever be a mystery of women.

 Scrolling through the lists of songs on her playlists, she closed her eyes and clicked. 

Summer Paradise by Simple Plan Feat. MKTO

"Ew, no."

She shudder at her subconscious's song choice and clicked for the next song. 

To Be Continued

*

chapter two

no pieces

chapter one
-

Writer's Note

Okay.

I thought I'd try something new, you know?

And yes yes,

I know the first five or six paragraphs or so are descriptions of a naked lady in a bathtub.

Do I hear complaints?

I mean I could have gone way more detailed.

WAAAAAAAAY more.

But you've got to leave things to the imagination, people!