Mia
I sat on the couch near James and smiled at him. I don't know how but I smiled around him a lot. He smiled at me too.
"Hey, you know they are giving me a 40% discount if I buy a pair of penguin costumes. You wanna buy it? We can share the bill." He grinned devilishly.
"Why can't you wear normal clothes like a normal person?"
"Does anything about me speak normally to you?" He asked with pure mischief in his eyes.
"Fair enough. But why do you wanna wear costumes to a normal birthday party?"
"Oh sugar, it's just sweet revenge." I could see his eyes sparkling like a kid on the morning of Christmas.
"What revenge?" The way he is saying I am sure that there is something very trouble worthy and something that helps you get kicked out of the party by the host herself. I am sure that it would be a sight worth seeing.
"You see, I've been third-wheeling those idiots from the beginning of the eternity and now I just live to irritate them as they irritate me. The costume is just the start."
"They got married last year and met at the academy." I deadpan.
"Yeah, the beginning of the eternity." He shrugged like it was the simple bare truth he was stating. He is such a drama queen I laugh internally and smiled at him and shook my head.
I sighed.
"Wanna join?" He put his hand forward like we were having a business deal or something.
"No. I think I'll pass." I smacked his hand playfully and he pouted in return before trying to convince me some more.
"Think about it, it would be so awesome. Plus it will be a perfect comeback for the teasing she did today." He bounced his eyebrows in mirth.
"James, no."
"Mia, please."
"No."
"Umm."
"No."
"I was wondering.."
"Don't." I cut him off, this could go on for ever and ever.
"You didn't even listen!" He whisper yelled.
"I don't even want to listen. You'll dress like a person dresses at a house party. I don't wanna trouble Naomi and Ryan. They are going to have the announcement at the party. They are only going to call the people close to them and we do not want to ruin her special day for them. She told me, she wants everything to be perfect and it will be. You'll not do anything. Understood?" I tried to put some logic in his trouble creating brain.
"Well... If that's the case, my revenge will have to wait. I have many chances ahead and I want to be a good godfather." He nodded in thought.
"That's great!" I smiled again.
He gave me a toothy grin.
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Going to work as usual. I took a day off today. Mr. Smith won't appreciate it if I took any more leaves." I shrugged.
"Did you even talked about how you got injured in the first place?" All the signs of mischief were gone from his face within a second.
"No. I told him that I wasn't feeling good." I was never going to tell my boss that I got into a street fight. I am crazy but not that much. I got this job after so much trouble and no sane person will engage in self sabotage.
"Mia, you can't just go to work tomorrow. You need to rest. Talk to your boss, I'm sure he'll understand."
"I rested enough. I need to work. I pay rents and I'm the only one who earns. I can't afford any sick leaves. Who's gonna pay my bills?"
"We'll find a way, sugar. If you don't rest now, you'll regret it later." He tried to assure me.
"I'm going to work tomorrow. End of discussion."
"I know that you are stubborn and self-independent but now is really not a good time. What if you lift something heavy and that damages your stitches? That'll be very painful, Mia. Trust me it's coming from a personal experience." He winced touching his stomach too.
"You got hurt too?" I pointed at his stomach.
"Yeah. Four months ago during a drug bust. I went to work just after a day of taking a rest. Thought I was tough. Didn't end well. Ryan still teases me for that. I screamed bloody murder in the hospital. I hate needles."
I laughed, imagining James squealing like a kid. Yet another sight to witness.
"So, my point is you are going to take proper rest until you are strong enough."
"I wouldn't want to create anymore mess out of this situation now, would I? I'll talk to my boss in the morning. It's late."
"Thank you, sugar."
"Why are you thanking me?"
"For listening to me once and taking care of yourself."
" I don't know what you are talking about? I take care of myself."
I felt sleepy. The meds are kicking in. I yawned.
"Now is the time you go to sleep, sugar. I'll bring breakfast to you in the morning."
I hummed.
He got up and helped me to bed and tucked me in.
He kissed my forehead and smiled at me.
"I'm imagining how you would look in a shark costume."
"I can show you in the morning I still have it."
I laughed. I laugh and smile around him and my friends a lot. Wait. Can I consider Naomi and Ryan my friends?
Without any further thought, I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up with a knock on my door.
Who dares to disturb my sleep?
I was finally able to get some sleep with the help of these pills and now someone disturbs me?
I stood up grumbling and opened the door.
My hair covered my view, these short hairs were a nuisance and a gift at the same time. I was able to walk till here because I was familiar with the apartment but now I was able to get a faint outline of James.
"My gosh, Mia! You look fabulous."
"Shut up. What are you doing here?"
"I brought breakfast."
"Couldn't you come like an hour later?"
"I have to go to the precinct. Now let me in."
He kept the plate and turned to take a glance at me.
"You feeling better?"
"Yes. I feel good. Show me your shark costume?"
"I was going to but I'm getting late now. So pictures will do?"
"Show me."
"See them while eating. I'm going to be late."
He brought some toast and jam, some fruits, a glass of milk. I excused myself and quickly brushed my teeth.
"This is too much, James. I don't do breakfasts really." I shrugged.
"Mia, this isn't much now eat or I won't show you the photos."
I started to eat.
It was so good.
"I'm eating."
"I can see that."
"Stop being a smartass."
"I'm not being a smartass."
"James, your phone."
"Yes, I have it."
"James, the photos on your phone?"
"Yes, I have many photos on my phone."
I smacked his arm.
"Ow!"
"Now photos."
"Okay okay. What is wrong with you woman?" He asked with mischief in his eyes.
He fished his phone out of his pocket and opened the gallery and gave it to me.
In the first one, he was standing outside a house. I guess it was Naomi's and Ryan's house. He had a caption.
"Oh, I'm gonna love this."
I grinned.
The next one was the shocked faces of Naomi and Ryan. Captioned, "Such a precious look."
The next was a video where Naomi was shouting profanities at James and he was least bothered by it. He picked up a cupcake and started munching on it. In the background, Naomi was still shouting. Ryan was trying to calm her down.
The last one was James taking a selfie captioning, "Today was fun, tomorrow I'll pay for it."
"You are a freaking genius, James!" I said laughing. Oh God, this man!
"Thanks for the compliment, sugar. Are you sure you don't wanna do this, this Saturday?"
"Even though this is hilarious I can't do that nor let you do this. This is a special day for them and as friends, we should respect that. Maybe next year I'll accompany you." I said grinning wickedly in the end.
"My sweet devil of a friend, Mia."
I didn't realize that I said Naomi and Ryan were my friends and so was James. I also said that I would accompany him next year??? What is happening to me?
"What happened to you the next day?"
"Naomi happened."
"That must have hurt."
"I survived that's what matters the most."
"Oh, you are such a brave man, James!" I said sarcastically.
"You flatter me, lady."
James got up and gave me a mock salute.
"See you soon Madame."
"You bless me with your company Monsieur. " I said doing a dramatic bow.
Then I took a book to read and lost a track of time.