Day Dream
Scarlett's POV
Choosing things has never been easier.
Especially, when all the besties are gathered. But, I guess it's the chatter and banter, what I love most about us. It just never gets old.
Bree nudges Ethan, who throws a cushion at Andrew, who dodges it and ends up hitting the most wrong person in the room. On Florence. Then the entire room goes into a deafening silence. Though, when Hazel doubles over with laughter and hits her butt falling off the couch. We're back to the fish market. Michelle begins it this time,
"The girl on the train is final," She stands up, raising her hands. "All in favor?"
Ashley settles over the comfy rug and mutters, "It ain't election, baby." Michelle snorts back, "I like to do everything civilized." Jack scoffs, as he leans casually over the wall besides the painting. I frown at him. I don't understand, why he doesn't like Mich. I mean, he's sweet and charming to everyone than what's the ordeal with her? I don't overthink further. As Amie takes my left hand and raises it with her right. I crease my forehead playfully, trying to ease her grip off my arm. And she passes me an equally funny stern look. Then, as we snuggle we hit our heads in the process. Laughing our heads off.
"That movie is dumb. Let's watch endgame." Ethan adds his point. Amie, Bree and I sigh in unison. He gives us a dirty look. "What? At least, it doesn't make you weep." He argues back to our annoyance.
"It made me cry." Bree intrudes. "I agree, it's tragic." I pass an opinion.
"The one where Stark dies?" Jackson pushes himself off the wall, he latched himself onto like a lizard.
"Spoiler!" Ashley shouts her way, into the discussion. Hazel caught off guard, nearly shrieks too. "Ash! Please. Calm your wits." She admonishes. Ashley nods, like a toddler and huffs. Places her head back on Edward's shoulder.
Florence joins me on the couch and I offer her some popcorn too. She scans her gaze around the lounge and with a mischievous grin on her face. She announces,
"Ruby? Why don't you tell us, what movie to watch?"
Ruby, who was completely engrossed in scrolling through her phone. Bobs her head up and looks guilty. "I-I'm s-sorry, wh-what?" She stammers, and then scans everybody's faces. "I –" She stops short and when I catch her line of sight. I narrow my eyes towards a cheater Bree, who's mouthing her the movie, she-wants-to-watch. As Bree views me she shuts her mouth, acting like she'll catch a fly.
"The girl on the trade." Ruby shouts, through our exchange. "What?" Florence utters, puzzled. Then, Ruby contemplates her words and repeats once again. "The girl on the train." Ethan grunts, Andrew consoles him. And off, we end up setting the system and watching the girl on the train.
After all the complaints against it, especially-from-the-boys-side, but since the girl gang had majority; we get the votes the obviously.
And when, Emily Blunt's voice fills the room. I get a sense of agility and almost like Rachel, I feel like a part of the game. In which, I know I'm not the ring master but the circus clown itself. Feeling like a mere bait caught up in the tight string of a fish net, I begin to dissolve into the shocking phenomenon of a movie. When Megan Hipwell continues her run down the streets to the tunnels. I disappear with her.
I pant.
One peek at the back. His dark shadow lurking behind me. My hope drowns. Breath spreads like fog. The owls are suddenly louder and their hoo-hoo failing miserably to silence my raging heartbeat. I gulp as, fear consumes me. Everything's a blur. I open my eyes, the view changed. A night darker than black, replaced by the harsh sunlight that pricks my eyelids. My helpless self caught in a trance, my hands up in defense. The creature leaps, before I can hardly yelp a scream. I'm breathing heavily. It happens again, feeling of a déjà vu. I'm running and he's chasing. Then, back again with my body flat on the ground. The creature growls. The constant change of day and night. Then, the sudden halt, a new voice revokes me.
"Scarlett?"
Scarlett, the unknown whispers back. Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett... My wet hands, brush brusquely through the cloth. His pants fan my neck. My gasps wild.
"Scarlett?" The new unsure voice calls out.
Scarlett. His grip tightens. I huff harder. The kitchen gloomy, my heart alive. My breath escaping quickly. Scarlett, he questions again. Do you really day dream, Scarlett?
"Scarlett?"
Then, I feel someone clasp my hand and I couldn't keep myself from exhaling loudly. The grasp kindles to a fist and suddenly, I jolt back to reality. My eyes snap open and I breathe, like I've run a marathon. True, a marathon of flashback.
My vision clears and I finally catch sight of the worried faces in front of me. Bree's hand twisted with mine, Florence glaring at it and Tony deciding to sit down or not. Others thinking, what the hell just happened? Jack pauses, analyzing my face. Just like that other night in the kitchen. Heavily breathing, I try to wipe the sweat recently formed over my brows. Florence takes it from my handle, and delicately dabs a tissue all over my face. Ashley doing that thing, where she runs her long fingers through my hair, calming me for getting a calculated intake. Bree actually looks worried, like she can't take it how the world is closing around me. But, she's helpless as to how to help me?
"You need to tell me, Scarlett." She persists, and finally the realization dawns on me that it was her, all this time. Trying to awake me from that horrid flashback. "There must be something, I can do. Something I might know. Something I –" I feel at loss of words to console her, that damn it. It's not her fault. But before, she can continue her string of destitute thoughts. Florence squeezes her elbow,
"There is no need to investigate." She grits out. "Can't you see, she's already going through a lot, Briana?" Bree regardless of being called her full name. Shrugs her arm from her grasp and stands up, almost ready to fight if-it-comes-to-that.
"No! Not anymore," She starts. "You can't just expect me to keep quiet and let that, whatever-it-is eat her. She's my best friend, for heaven's sake!" She calms down, as Ashley shoots her a look. Sighing under stress, "There must be a way. Some way I can help her and I won't know, if you forbade me to ask her every-single-freaking-time!"
So, instead I stop her. I take her hand back in mine and rub it trying to tell her. My way of answering. I'm okay. I'm fine. She nods, not believing me in a least bit. "Bree. I'm alright, okay? There is nothing that's eating me," When I still see the look of suspicion, I add further, "I know, the last couple of days have been hard for me. Maybe, I'm not just used to new places. But, nothing is killing me. I'm perfectly fine. You know, that getting used to have never been easy for me."
She interrupts me, "What happened that night? When you got lost?"
I sigh and shake my head at her morbid curiosity. Jack's body goes rigid and I glance at him, mentally cursing myself to not go down that memory lane.
"It doesn't matter, Bee. I'm safe, aren't I?" She opens her mouth to ask further and I stop her, "The only thing that should concern you; is that I wasn't alone." I look at Jack, who seems even more desperate to ask, than Bree herself. He scowls, and settles back down. Hating that his plan to find out, isn't exactly working out.
But, the question is why? Why does he need to find out?
That's an inquisition to dwindle with some other time. I nudge Eddy and,
"Come on, guys! Play the movie." Edward hesitant, casts a glance at a weary Ash. "Are you sure, Scar? We can change the movie, if you want."
To which Ethan sighs very loudly, "Yes, please. Please do that!" I laugh and say, "No, its fine. I like it." He scowls, folding his arms and this time everyone laughs with me.
It continues, from the part later. I'm completely engrossed in the very interesting tell-tale of Rachel, who's being played like a pawn. But, when the background score suddenly changes its amplitude and how can you be so heartless? Fills my ears like a version of my tell-tale. I shake my head, trying to avoid drowning again in that evocation. But seems like the whispers don't want to leave me, when someone breaths next to my ear and my neck hairs stand in attention.
"Do you really day dream, Scarlett?"
My eyes go wide with the recognition of the same voice from the kitchen. My body stiffens, not even turning to view who it is. I look at Jack, sitting beside Andrew, aside the couch on the inflatable mattress. So, it's not him. My heart paces harder, and I'm worried my ribcage might explode. I can't breathe harder, because my pants would disturb everyone. I don't need to tell anyone, even it feels like I should. He gives out a haunted laugh and I gulp fearing somebody might hear him. I bite my lip, stopping myself from breathing loudly.
"Tell me, Scarlett."
I press a hand to my mouth, as I focus hard on the screen. I narrow my gaze, trying to just get a peek without turning around. But, only darkness comes in my sight. With my back pressed to the couch, Tony and Florence sitting beside me. Would she? No, she would never. She loves me too much, to do something like that. But, Tony? Would he? I turn to look at him, as he munches on the last portion of butter popcorn left. Is he the reason, I might go crazy? But, all those years, he was so dear to me. He protected me, kept me safe. Were all those years a lie?
"Are you scared?"
I feel sick, afraid and beyond confused. If I hold my breath any longer or stick to this couch watching this movie with this creepy soundtrack. I would suffocate. So, I get up and announce,
"I'm making more popcorn!" And I don't wait for replies, when I escape to the kitchen. Taking a huge breath of relief.
I open the front cabinet, to reach for the popcorn box that's above. Tip toeing in my fluffy flip flops won't exactly make me taller. But, prying through the edges of my finger nails, I get to it. With a victorious smile on my face, I tap open the microwave and shut it back after the placement. Pressing popcorn and waiting two minutes patiently. Scared, confused and agitated. Which one of these emotions work best for what I'm feeling right now? Cursing how I suspected Antonio de Williams in the first place. He's my best friend.
What the hell is wrong with you, Scarlett Holmes? My inner self curses and for the first time in-what-seems-like-ages, I agree with it.
I decide to make myself some coffee, even when somehow my coffee has started to taste weirder here. Then again, Nista doesn't exactly know how I like my coffee. I turn around to grab it. Instead I startle myself, as I see Tony standing by the kitchen counter observing me, closely. How exactly didn't I notice him get here? Without paying much attention, I prance around the floor. Taking the popcorn out and dropping them in the nearest glass bowl, I can find. Then, I move towards the stove. But, he steps forwards and blocks any further movement. I look up at him and frown.
"Scarlett, please just give me one chance to explain myself." I hold a breath.
Stepping left escaping his circle. He sighs, and I know he'd be rubbing his temples in frustration. I steal a glance and laugh inwardly because he's doing just the same. Oh, I know him too well. "Okay." I say, adding coffee in the boiling water. Now, he's going to do a double take by standing erectly straight. Then, will stay like that for another two seconds before he replies unsurely. One. Two.
"Really?" I smile and nod.
Now, he's going to walk up behind me keeping a safe distance, because he knows my issues with personal distance. When I look through my shoulder, I see him positioning himself just the way I assumed. I turn around as my coffee does its thing. When I'll glance at his face, he'll be grinning like a kid with a Christmas present. I smile knowingly, when I catch what I expected. "So?" Then, he'll start talking, after my verbal consent. Ever the gentleman.
"Your mom," And like a slap, I'm reminded of his spying abilities. He softens his tone further, "She was very worried and sounded utterly helpless –" I cut him off, "She should have asked me." But, then again I wasn't picking up my phone too. Was I? He answers just that, "You weren't responding." I sigh, defeated. "But, at least, she should have waited for my explanation." He doesn't walk closer, even when he wants to. I can see his hands fidgeting trying to reach for me. My heart drowns, as I look at him with pure amazement. I mean, how can someone have such strong morals?
"She was afraid, that it'll be too late," Tony utters irascibly, like the statement is the last thing he wanted to say. Then, he picks up his tone. "And I understand her. I understand her every reason to pry, to ask. To know. Because, she loves you. She cares, because she loves you. Just like I do," He pauses. "Just like we all do." And stares the pristine white tiles of the floor.
"That's why you're here, right?" I ask, out of nowhere. He looks back up, facing me. "Because, you thought that something had happened to me." He grits his teeth. "Please don't–"
"That's why, the first thing you said, when you saw me was. I thought I lost you." I nod, understanding the point.
Mum loved me, that's why she pondered. And Tony took the first flight here. With the rest of them. I jump to hug him. He's taken a back, with my sudden movements. That's why he falters backwards, but catches me before going any further.
"Oh, Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett..." He chants, my name in an angelic rhythm and I giggle, rubbing my head over his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for being mean." I start.
"I'm sorry for being intruding. Or what was it that you called me?" I mouth the word to him. "Yeah, that. I'm sorry for being a spy."
"I'm sorry for being grouchy."
"I'm sorry for being aloof."
"You weren't aloof. You watched a movie with me the other night."
"Oh, yeah..." His epiphanies. I roll my eyes, as I sniff the new smell around us. "That smell." I emphasize. Then, when my realization hits me, I curse.
"Oh, crap!"
I turn as swiftly as I can, to turn off the stove.
"Great! I've officially burnt another coffee pot." I exasperate.
Tony laughs out loud, holding onto his stomach and continues on with his fit. Even, when I narrow my eyes at him. He puts a hand over his mouth to control the bubbles of laughter, he's trying to hold in. I place my hands beside the stove, wondering cautiously at the damage I've done. Though, when he sees me tense. He rubs my elbow and adds, "It's just coffee." Then, he scans the pot by moving it all the places above his head, where his eyes can wonder. "And the pot's still in working condition. Nothing a little toothpaste can't save."
"Really?" My eyes light up. He laughs again. "Yes, really and for your coffee. We've got this electric heater." He announces, to my added joy as he produces one out of the small cupboard, beneath the big cabinets.
"Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"
I stand on my tip toes again to give this adorably charming and sweet man a peck. I can't contain my giggles, when I see him blush and hold onto me.
Bree coughs way too loudly. I go all serious, when I see she's not alone. But, with a very irate Jackson, who's throwing daggers at Tony. I gulp, way-way-way awkward...
"So, you two making sandwiches or...?"
She oh-so-innocently states, as she picks up a popcorn and pops it in her cheeky mouth. But, I get the vixen's innuendo and by the simmering looks on Jack's face and the coy look on Tony's. I'm confirmed, that they know too. And whether to shut her up or add to the embarrassment. Tony adds,
"Yes, we are. You want one?"
Then, follows the kitchen her howling laughter.
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