Olly heads to Abie's front door right across the hall. Olly and his household always talk about how it's so better that Abie's across the hall, and not right beside, because, truth be told, she be a rascal. She always plays her music on loud, throws extremely loud parties, leaves her TV blaring overnight, has some hammering or banging reverberating, or just saturates the air of the entire floor-level with the stench of smoking God-knows-what. It's no wonder why in the two apartments right beside hers, tenants have come and gone 6 times, just in the past 3 years. Although, Olly has mixed feelings about having to see her tonight. Yes, she can be on the moody, temperamental side in her engagements with people, but she usually has a soft spot for Olly, and he can't deny she's pretty and kind of fun to be around, or even, how now to be alone with? Or does she have company? He hopes he won't be interrupting anything serious, lest she slams the door in his face. He now knocks the door.
"Who is it?" Abie's seems rather level-headed tonight.
"Olly, from across the hall."
"Ohh, Ollyyy," she says, in a rather pitchy, sexy tone. The door swings open to reveal Abie dressed in her short nightie camisole, goods outlined beautifully. Olly can't help but catch a direct glance.
"Wow!" he thinks, regretting why he's wearing his light, impressionable pajama pants, hoping the denim jacket is long enough for cover.
Abie immediately finds Olly's denim-pajama outfit odd, and in the process of looking it over, notices a huge boner, and is quite pleased with herself, although, she doesn't draw attention to it, no need to embarrass the boy. "What are you wearing?!"
Olly regards his outfit, hint of smile. Then realizes she's probably seen the whopping boner. 'Goddammit!' he thinks. Then realizes it's not his fault. That there's no need in life to worry about the things we can't control. Although, these days, he's starting to think there may be a higher meaning in life. A higher order. Hmm. What if it were all perfect? What if it were an ideal, perfect system and one could align with it and attain perfection and live forever? Hmm. He now smiles at Abie, "I got caught up, changing."
"Caught up by what?" asks Abie.
"That freakish lightning-thunder."
"Oh yeah, that," says Abie. "I almost had a heart attack. It left me with such a nasty headache!-"
"May be there's something I can do about that headache if you'd just let me have…" Olly did not say.
"Thank God that's over now," continued Abie. "
"Yeah," says Olly. "Headaches can be such a headache," he says this, not stopping himself from catching furtive glances at her cleavage. Although, I wonder how furtive they can be, she's right in his face, and he ain't wearing no sunglasses. So they're more like reflexes really.
Abie can't help but smile. "Okay, but when you change, don't you take off all set of clothes first before putting on the other, I mean...?"
"Yeah, sometimes," Olly smilingly says.
"So, what brings you to my door this unholy hour?"
"Come on, Abs," says Olly, "It's only…" he realizes he's lost track of time in the mystery and mayhem of the night. "Well, I don't think it's up to Ten. Can I check something on your TV?"
"By-" she now does air quotes, " 'check,' you mean…"
"I won't be long. Our TV's acting kinda weird, I just wanna check if it's just ours, or a general problem." When Olly hears what he's just said, he begins wondering if it's proper enough to bother a neighbour at Ten p.m. for something as trivial as TV issues. Abie then alleviates his concerns by waving him in…
"Come right in, my friend," she jovially says.
"You the best, Abs," Olly smiles, walking into the door. Abie's place isn't very tidy or organized, but if you looked closely enough, you'd see that everything is spotlessly clean. The woman doesn't care much for putting things in the exact right spot, but she'll be damned if she leaves rings on her coffee table, or her floors aren't clean enough to walk on barefoot.
She follows closely behind Olly, smirkingly sizing him up as he moves over to the TV. "You TV heads sure love your TV in that house."
"Yeah," says Olly, "nothing like a good old nighttime TV to give you a good night sleep and get you ready for the next day's rigor."
"Yeah," Abie puts her arms around him from behind, "that's one way to spend the night. Although, I prefer a more hands-on experience," she caresses him, kissing his neck. Olly isn't at all surprised. Abie's made passes at him many times, but like I said earlier, Olly likes his companions on the calm, level-headed side, but Abie's too much on the crazy side, she has the potentials of a man eater, and Olly's been there, done that, to the injury of his dating life, and compromise of his peace of mind. And for some reason, he won't do "just sex." Although, these days, he finds Abie's kind of progressing in character.
Abie's TV is on as usual, but it's not quite showing any regular broadcast, it's showing a feed of right there in the living room, poised on the couch in front of it. Sure enough, there's a tripod stand with a camera trained to the couch, beside the TV, and a laptop with a mouse on the coffee table, showing the same feed on the TV. Olly looks over the set up as Abie keeps fondling him from behind. The set up, coupled with Abie's scanty outfit, makes a man wish they could stay and assist in one way or another, or just watch. "Abie, what's all this?"
"It's a hobby," Abie smiles. "And an extra income. You can stay and help if you want."
Olly really contemplates this benevolent offer. "Wow thanks, Abs. But I'll have to take a rain check, I'll need to hit the sack real soon."
"Okay, if you say so. Just don't come begging at another time when it wouldn't be available."
"Damn, she's good!" Olly thinks. But he knows he has to be strong here and not bite off more than he can chew. "Well, I can trust you won't be too stingy," he smilingly says.
"Course I won't," she keeps fondling and kissing him, but frees him a moment later, so he can check whatever the hell, he wants to check on the TV.
Olly grabs the remote and tunes in the Ent channel. Again, it's Ent news alright, but the hosts are dressed differently than they were dressed on the TV in his house and the caption reads, 'Oscars in 11 days, and no host yet.' "Oscars in eleven days!" he exclaims.
"Yeah, you didn't know?" says Abie, as she starts smooching him again.
"No, I did, or, yes, I did," he says, "It's just…" He'd rather not explain why.
"Whatever, man," says Abie, "like you're gonna get an award or you were nominated or something."
"Well this might just be better than that," Olly thinks, hint of smile on his face, "This might be the best kind of award anyone could ever hope to get," He takes out his phone, and calls that butt-head, Blake, asking him what's on TV.
"They're still showing Ent news," says Blake.
"What are they talking about?" Olly asks.
"They're giving a list of celebrities that killed themselves."
Olly's eyes go wide, "Whoa."
"Anything the matter, baby?" says Abie, as she smooches.
Olly just remains frozen, mind reeling…
Blake knows something's up, he's keen to find out. "What? What's showing on Abie's?"
"Whoa!" Olly's still processing. He can't even be gotten through to by the curious Blake as his arm begins to sag and he can no longer hold up the phone to his ear. And Abie's smooching's now almost imperceptible. Well not really, he's damn sure it makes the whole situation just a bit more exciting.
" 'Whoa' is right, baby," says the smooching Abie.
"Olly?" Blake calls through the phone, not getting a response. "Olly?" Nothing. He now checks the call; It's still on. "Olly!"
Olly's done processing, and in fact has reached a verdict. And now he knows he has to go. He contemplates Abie, who's wrapped herself around him, practically eating his neck. Olly can't deny it's good bit of fun, but he has something he's keen to tend to, and all this can wait. "Abs, I'm sorry, baby, I gotta go, I have an emergency."
"You're so here for my birthday tomorrow night." Abie still caresses as much as she can. Olly had in fact forgotten about Abie's birthday, and is glad she's reminded him in this odd, unlikely situation he finds himself in. She made it clear to everyone living in the apartment building, that it would constitute a snub, and in fact an offense if they didn't show up, afterall, she's always there for all their lame parties and gatherings, and brings life to them. Yes indeed she brings life to any party. The girl can boost morale, she can converse well on the borders of obscenity, only crossing the line when it's become okay because everyone's now piss-drunk. She can dance and sing. And she knows every party game and trick there is, many of which, you'd be very happy you volunteered for the demos. Oh, and she also told all invitees to monetize all gifts. Smart woman. She now continues with Olly, "And wrap yourself up cuz you're my present, and we're gonna have so much fun, it'll be your birthday too."
"Sure, Abie," he smiles. "Thank you for letting me bother you this unholy hour." He kisses her on the chick.
"Anytime, Olls."
The woman really is changing, Olly thinks.
"What was it you found out with the TV?"
"Oh," says Olly, composing a lie very quickly, "The fault is with our TV. The channeling won't settle on one thing, it kept flickering back and forth between frequencies." Olly's a good-ass liar, you wouldn't even have to understand the lies, you just hear them, and you think, 'Oh, nothing serious.' He now continues, "It'll probably settle back down when the weather betters."
"Awn, poor thing!" says Abie, "His TV isn't settling and frequenting," she takes the opportunity to grab hold of his crotch.
"Not bad," Olly admits to himself. But, he's gotta go see to this supernatural TV thing before Blake or Joanna does something stupid to disappear it. So, he lets Abie off easy with another cheek-kiss. "Thanks again, Abs."
"Always a pleasure, Olls."
"Can't wait to be here tomorrow for the party."
"Well, you could sleep over then."
"As much as I'd love that," says Olly, I'll have to take a rain check, I have some studying to do for a test tomorrow."
Abie's genuinely surprised, "You're still in school?! Haven't you been in college now for like 6 years?!"
What?! Olly's in turn surprised, "Why does everyone think that? I'm a junior, and of honors for that matter."
"Oh," Abie concedes. "Well," she begins fondling him again, "being an honors student, you can afford to blow just one test, can't you?"
Thinking like that, is tantamount to blasphemy to Olly. He can only chuckle. "And what, be not the best I can be in a once in a lifetime opportunity that determines the quality of my future? No, thank you, ma'am." Then he realizes, 'Why am I still here making small talk when I'm having something, transcendent, something of a fantasy happen in my own house? Damn, this woman is good!' he thinks, 'Well, I gotta go now.'
"Yeah yeah yeah," says Abie, sarcastically.
"Thanks again, Abs," Olly moves to kiss her on the cheek yet again, and she draws him into a tongue kiss. He can't do anything about it for a while, but he now pulls back. "Whoa, got a test tomorrow, Abs. See you tomorrow. Thanks for everything."
"You're welcome." They smile earnestly at each other. He heads for the exit.
As Olly walks to door, he wonders to himself, 'What the hell is tonight all about? First, this paranormal phenomenon with the TV, and then, Abie now seems level-headed, and extremely attractive and irresistible; Even, of course this could all be a dream.' He actually pinches himself to see if he'll wake up, but he ain't, and infact, he's extremely glad about it. Then he actually swears at himself, for doing so, 'Why would anyone wanna wake up from this? Don't be stupid, Olly boy.' Just before he steps out the door he looks back at Abie with a solemn smile, she smiles back. He steps out and shuts the door behind him. Abie sighs.