She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
~Lord Byron
***
Evie grumpily strode to her door. She was peacefully slumbering a few moments ago and even dreamt about her celebrity crush when someone dutifully banged at her door. Waking her up from her beautiful nightmare.
Was it her Uncle? Or perhaps a house-help?
She hastily opened the door before it starts cracking from the pounding. Evie was surprised to see that that someone was actually... Morgan.
"Hey I've been knocking on your door for the past thirty seconds. What took you so long?" Morgan cheerfully said and made her way towards Evie's bed as if she didn't try to break her door and plausibly woke up every creature sleeping nearby.
"Knocking? You call that knocking?!"
Evie asked her in disbelief. She shut the door closed and turned to Morgan, only to find her friend already splayed on her bed like a starfish. A red starfish. "You were practically banging on my door!"
Morgan looked at her but her position remained. "Hey, it's not my fault if you were so slow to open it."
Evie held her head and fingered her messy chestnut brown hair. Her curls got tangled from her sleep.
"I was sleeping, goodness! It's six in the morning!" She said while pointing at her window, hoping that Morgan would realize that there was barely any light outside.
"Exactly!" Morgan sat upright on the edge of the mattress. "It's already six! We're late." She rolled her eyes as if Evie was such a ninny.
"What?! Late for what?" Evie stared at her; trying to decipher what she meant by them being late. The last time she checked, they didn't have any plans today.
It was Saturday!
Evie was supposed to sleep until noon since it's the only time she'll be having the luxury of time to sleep in. The past few weeks had been totally hectic with all the deadlines and new customers. Too much stress at work can drive a sane person into madness.
"We're supposed to jog today, remember?" Morgan said the words slowly and with emphasis. She crossed her arms and raised her right brow.
Evie stared at her again.
Jog?
"No we're not." She placed her hands on her hips as if challenging Morgan.
"Yes we are!" Morgan said loudly.
"NO WE'RE NOT."
"YES WE ARE."
Morgan stomped her foot on the carpeted floor like a juvenile. "I told you last Monday that I wanted to jog with you."
Evie walked towards her bed and pounced on it. She hugged the blanket to her body and closed her eyes; deliberately ignoring Morgan.
"You're such an oldie! Oh gosh!" Morgan said and ripped the blanket from Evie's embrace.
Evie opened her eyes, annoyance flashed in her eyes. "You didn't say anything about jogging."
"Yes I did, you we're even doing something on your laptop when I told you. I think you were fixing the publisher because the software crashed or something."
Evie rehashed the memories; trying to remember what exactly happened last Monday.
"The only thing you told me that time was the thing about your cat and the spoilt food in your fridge swarmed with microbes and fungi that you were so disgusted about." Evie said and remained immobile on her bed. She was too tired to move her limbs. Jogging? Even more so.
Morgan looked up; trying to remember the conversation they had.
"Wait." She pointed her forefinger to Evie.
"Are you saying that I wasn't able to reach the part where I said that I bought new running shoes and we should definitely jog this Saturday?"
Evie rolled her eyes once more. "Obviously, duh!"
The expression on her face began to transition from confusion to complete amusement. Morgan elicited a laugh, her voice filled with merriment. "Oh gosh! I'm so sorry! I forgot to tell you."
Evie turned her back towards Morgan. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sleep."
Evie thought Morgan was gonna give up her plan but she was wrong. She was always wrong.
The lady trod around the bed to face Evie's sleeping form; blocking the dim sunbeam that was coming from the outside.
"No one's sleeping again! I forgot to inform you beforehand but nonetheless, I already told you now. So get up sleepyhead!" Morgan besought her to get up. Her tone laced with so much authority that made poor Evie to sit groggily.
She figured it was best to jog with Morgan and sleep afterwards because it's Morgan and she's not gonna stop until she gets what she desires.
With a heavy heart and half-awake mind, she put on her work out clothes.
Not a minute after, both Morgan and Evie were exiting the large wooden door of her Uncle's home.
Evie yawned and gazed upwards to check if there was any chance of raining.
'Please rain.'
But when did the nature ever heard her plead?
Whenever she's in a hurry, it rains. Not just a drizzle. A rain with boisterous winds and hurricanes knocking up houses' roofs.
And when she wants it to rain to escape certain hapless situations such as this, the sun shines.
Great.
The sky was ashen gray studded with white clouds. The sun was barely rising in the east. While walking down the long pathway to the mansion's gate, she heard the bird's chirping that were nestled in the lattice of branches.
She remembered something that her mom told her when she was still eight years old. Her mom used to tell her that birds chirp in the morning to let the other birds know that they survived the night.
She smiled at the thought.
Funny how birds can easily communicate with the other birds while people nowadays struggle so much at sharing their burdens even with all the classes about communication.
But is it truly because people are scared to bare their feelings and emotions to other people?
Or is it because they're scared to find out that no one really cares deep enough to bother listening to their struggles?
If only everyone could be a bird. The world would be a happy place filled with compassion.
Evie returned to her thoughts when she heard Morgan talk.
"We'll just run around the village. We'll be right back."
She thought Morgan was talking to her but she was in fact talking to the guard.
"No problem Morgan. Have fun!" The guard bared his teeth like a doting besotted man.
Morgan returned the smile with her amiable face.
Just as they stepped on the asphalt road, Evie spoke.
"Did I miss out something?"
Morgan looked at her while tying her soft curls into a high ponytail. "What?"
"Why are you so chummy with the guard? It's your first time here."
When Evie thought much about it, it was sketchy that Morgan managed to enter the mansion when no one inside—aside from Evie who was knocked up dead in her room—knew her to be verified to enter. The mansion's security system was pretty strict especially when her Uncle's a big time millionaire.
"I can be very charming whenever I want to." Morgan winked.
"Seriously." Evie said, not satisfied with her friend's answer. Although Morgan is a stunning lady, she doubted that her friend can pass the security. Yes the guard was friendly but he underwent thorough training and acquired skills in their agency apt to protect their bosses from getting murdered. He couldn't be that gullible to be deceived by Morgan's wicked ways—charming ways.
Unlikely, but not impossible.
If Morgan did successfully leeched inside the gate, perhaps she could bring her whenever she boards the train to get a free ticket. With her beguiling charm and all. She could definitely save a hundred dollars every month.
"Okay fine. Paul found me waiting outside the gate when the guard refused to let me inside saying he didn't receive an order to let me blah blah blah." Morgan uttered.
Oh right. Uncle Paul had an early shoot in Times Square.
They started jogging around the village, following the sun's direction. Panting, they passed by the other imposing houses and mansions. Some were modern while others were also atavistic.
From where they were, they could see the lights of the sleeping cities glittered in the predawn gloom. Since the exclusive village was elevated in land, the mile-wide forest situated at the foot of the hill was overlooking. The green pastures and colonnade of trees gradually disappeared as it neared the city; replaced with houses and apartments.
Just as Evie got short of breath, Morgan skidded to a stop. She wiped the beads of sweats on her neck and forehead. It took her a moment to catch her breath. Evie did the same.
"Why didn't you tell me that your Uncle is freaking hot?!" Morgan said. Her face screamed of betrayal.
Evie winced.
Her Uncle is hot and handsome but it was hard to swallow especially when she grew up looking at him holding make-up brushes instead of dumbbells. The image was already imprinted on her mind. Irrevocable and irreplaceable. Just the mere thinking that her Uncle is hot made her want to spit out her intestines. Not good.
"You do realize that he fancy guys, right?"
"Gee, of course I know but damn those luscious lips and thick ass. Makes my loins burn—" Morgan sensually said while doing a lipbite. But Evie interrupted her before she could even finish her sentence.
"Gross! Stop thinking about my Uncle like that. If he'd knew that you're fantasizing over him, he'd definitely pull your hair until you get bald." Evie can only imagine her Uncle's reaction. The bald thing was just an understatement. He could definitely do worse. Paul was allergic to the opposite sex who are into him. It kind of developed throughout the years when girls literally mobbed him and harried him. Can't blame a gay for feeling that way.
Evie opted not to tell Morgan since knowing her, she liked to be challenged. If she chooses to pursue her Uncle, she's not gonna fair well. It would be a total disaster!
She was glad when her friend moved on to another topic and let the whole Paul fantasy go, less chance of her getting butchered by Paul.
They started talking about the upcoming halloween.
"I have a friend who has a friend who has a cousin who has a girlfriend that's gonna throw the most lit halloween party by the end of the month." Morgan gasped out.
"That's a lot of connections." Evie replied. She wasn't surprised, she knew Morgan was a party girl and she probably met a lot of people who were also into parties.
"Uh huh. You will join me." Morgan said. From the way she said it, Evie knew that Morgan's not gonna take no for an answer. So she said, "Fine."
Morgan yelped a loud "Yes!" and punched the air as if she won a competition. It was useless to even engage in a tiff with her, she's just gonna lose.
"But you're gonna find me a costume." Evie sighed in defeat. If she's gonna be forced into attending a blasted party, she'd at least make sure that she's just gonna attend it and not bother wasting her time on petty things such as scavenging for stupid halloween costumes. Morgan can surely handle it. She likes to shop and spend dollars on unnecessary things.
Evie can't even afford to spend a cent on something other than food and fare ever since she experienced what it was like to be a derelict. Since the unfortunate event a month ago, she realized the value of saving up for future emergencies. But Morgan, she's a different case. The woman was a shopaholic.
Evie even wondered where her friend gets the luxury of money to shop when their salary was just enough to live an average life. When you say average, it means, pay the bills, eat thrice a day and an occasional stop to the bistro to munch on ribs and beer.
Shopping for expensive clothes, booking an appointment for a spa treatment, purchasing luxury items? Not a chance.
Being privy was not really in Evie's character so she stayed silent even if she was also curious. If her friend has the means to do those, well then, good for her.
"I'm thinking of dressing up as Wonderwoman this upcoming party. What do you think?" Morgan chimed in.
"I think you can pull it off." Evie nodded in agreement. Her friend does have the right curves in the right places. Unlike her, Evie's worried about wearing skimpy clothes. It would only reveal her bulging stomach and flabby torso. She was in the heavy side of the scale. Not too heavy but definitely not light.
"For you, I think a slutty nurse would suit you." Morgan said in a convincing way after studying Evie's body.
Evie yelled in disagreement.
"Hell no." She grunted. She shot her a reproving glance.
"Oh okay." Evie sighed in relief when she heard Morgan's reply. She thought Morgan's gonna press the matter. She was glad that her friend didn't... or she thought.
To Evie's utmost horror...
"A slutty Catwoman would be perfect!" Morgan chirped. Obviously in a jovial mood.
"What? No!"
"Oh yes, sweetie."
They chorused.
"Please God no!" Evie spluttered, practically begging Morgan to reject the idea.
"Morgan. Hey, Morgan!" Evie held both of her friend's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. Morgan looked back in a guileless way but Evie can see through her cunning and wayward mind.
"Anything without the word slutty before it would be fine." She pleaded.
As if the gods heard Evie's prayers, Morgan said "Fine. You win." She broke from Evie's hold and began hiking.
Evie ran to chase Morgan and started hiking once she got to her.
Morgan started talking about random things but Evie still had qualms about the party. Who knows what Morgan is planning. She's unpredictable and crazy and she has a penchant for surprises. Unnerving surprises to be exact.
The sun started to rise higher, brightening the once gloomy village. Both Evie and Morgan moved to the sidewalk when cars began to buzz in the streets.
New York City was officially awake. Not that it ever sleeps. But you get the point.
Just about when easiness kicked off in Evie's system after getting stressed out with Morgan, all hell broke loose when Morgan, unconventionally called someone who was sporting a Mercedes Benz out from another massive gate.
"Hey Parker!" Morgan yelled at the guy, trying to catch his attention.
He was wearing sunglasses. But despite those and the blinding light from the sun, Evie instantly recognized the familiar smirk on his face.
"Bloody hell." Evie muttered. She wasn't aware that unfortunate moments bring out the British in her.
When was the last time she saw him? A month?
Ethan smiled at the two ladies. He lazily raised his hand that was resting on the top of the door where the window was usually situated while his other hand gripped the steering wheel. The sunlight made his hair slightly brown as the wind blew it.
Why do they always meet?!
And Evie looked extra haggard today. Her hair was a mess since Morgan practically dragged her from her room and she wasn't able to properly fix it. Her workout clothes weren't even cute! She was in her baggy shirt that was dripping with sweat, her worn out jogging pants that looked too big on her and to finish off the look, she was wearing her ratchet shoes. Her outfit was in a complete dissonant.
To sum it up, she was a mess!
She panicked a bit. Her feet a little restive but she luckily managed to remain calm even though her sweats doubled just by standing there and looking at him.
Evie thought that seeing Ethan again after escaping his invitation was already the worst part of her morning.
But of course, just when she thought that her day could not get any worse, fate proved her wrong.
"See you at the party!"
When Evie heard it, she instantly froze. That one sentence plunged her to abject misery. Her thoughts gone hay-wired that she had no idea who even said it.
Was it Morgan?
Or Ethan?
Whatever. That doesn't make the situation less worse. Crap.
Processing the statement took her sanity for a bit for she didn't notice that the car already left and Morgan was already talking about things that she can't comprehend. She felt her nerves taut.
Despite the boggling moment, there were two things that Evie's sure of.
First, she's not gonna be able to sleep again after the jog.
And second, she's screwed. Big time.
And she did not even know why she felt that way.