Kelsey opened the front door tossing the keys on the entry table as she walked into her apartment making her way into the living room.
She lifted her head unsurprised to see her roommate playing online with more friends on the same video game from earlier this morning. She smiled knowing her roommate would continue to claim that her play station was 'The most amazing invention since the hairdryer'.
Kelsey then crept into the room not wanting to disturb her friend who continued to curse at other individuals who seemed to not be playing the game to her liking. She spoke to her 'comrades' forcefully trying to dictate their every move since they continued to mess up the score.
Sensing something, the redheaded girl pulled down her headphones glancing to the left over her shoulder only to see her best friend drenched and smelling like a freshly brewed coffee.
"Is this a new trend or something?" She smirked looking at Kelsey with teasing eyes knowing how easily flustered her friend could be. "Or did you have an accident? Did you trip into someone this time?"
"Don't even start!" Kelsey snapped as she rolled her eyes making her way to the couch while her friend stayed seated on the floor perfectly comfortable. The whole morning seemed to have ruined her chance for some alone time on her day off. It also was well known that Kelsey was clumsy, but today it wasn't her that had made this situation happen.
But Kelsey kept her mouth shut not wanting to talk about the mysterious man since Erin would most likely get the wrong idea about the whole situation.
"Oh don't be so dramatic Kels. I'm sure whatever story you have will definitely be worth this wardrobe mishap. Besides, you do look sort of cute." Erin playfully laughed before noticing the new book Kelsey held in her hands.
Scrunching her brows, Erin didn't seem too pleased. "What is that? I thought you were going to try some outdoor activity since you finished your last book?"
Kelsey looked in the direction of her friends gaze noticing the stare at the new book she had found in her bedroom this morning. She then frowned slightly wondering some things to herself.
"I thought you gave this to me as some kind of gift…" she murmured looking back at Erin with confusion. If someone had been in their apartment, why would they leave this book?
"Why would I give you another book to read?" Erin asked in all seriousness pressing the pause button on her video game. "I've been trying to get you to be outside more and to start doing things normal twenty year olds do Kels! This is the time to make mistakes and have fun!" She exclaimed standing up as she placed her controller on the ground.
Kelsey shrugged in response not sure what to say since she found the item on her bed this morning. It wasn't something she had grabbed or picked up from any store, so she really wasn't certain what happened.
"It's a good story so far." She said trying to appear cute in attempt to stop Erin from rolling her eyes. But of course, the redhead seem to almost make her eyes disappear with the longest eye roll Kelsey had ever seen.
"This isn't the time to stay hidden in your bedroom lost in some make believe fantasy world. You need to start experiencing things now before you look back and regret it!" Erin said not liking how closed off her best friend could be.
"Oh come on!" Kelsey argued before wiggling her brows at her friend. "You read the Twilight series at one point too! It's basically my own addiction!"
But the words spoken fell onto deaf ears since Erin didn't pay any heed.
Erin then walked toward Kelsey reaching for the book inspecting it with confusion which made Kelsey flinch as she saw the way Erin held her new favorite book. Although she held the book with delicacy, Erin appeared to hold it roughly as she flipped through the pages unimpressed. She even lifted one side of the cover while the pages seem to dangle for dear life making Kelsey's heart beat faster.
"It looks sort of like an antique." She mumbled mostly to herself before giving her friend a questioning gaze. "Did you go buy this at some thrift store Kelsey?"
"No!" Kelsey laughed grabbing the book back from Erin who only rolled her eyes in response. "I found it on my bed when I got home last light. I honestly figured you placed it there."
Kelsey then looked at the cover title "Riveria" tracing her hand across the golden words engraved on the cover. It looked rather old and something she would expect to be based on historical events, but inside the book was filled with pages of fantasy which Kelsey secretly wished she could disappear within.
And as she continued gazing at it, the golden letters seemed darker than normal book titles with a think engraving making her curious on how old it really was.
"It's about a different world filled with mythical creatures who live under the reign of King Tyran." Kelsey continued saying, forgetting that Erin held no interest in anything fantasy.
"Sounds boring. Like the same kind of fairytales they continue to rewrite with the characters having name changes." Erin yawned looking away from Kelsey as she had to make sure she paused her game so her score wouldn't get ruined.
"Believe me! It's anything but boring!" Kelsey defended as she kept her face directly toward the book that seemed old and delicate. "It's like the kind of escape I needed…"
"Earth to Kelsey!" A loud voice said making the blonde raise her gaze to meet the piercing stare of her best friend who somehow was on the other side of the room heading toward her bedroom. "This is exactly what I'm talking about! You get too invested in these stories that you begin to kiss the important things in life!"
Erin closed her eyes rubbing the sides of her temples deep in thought. "Tonight we are going to the club! No arguments!" She announced suddenly. Her eyes then opened as she gave Kelsey a big smile that held some sort of mischief.
Kelsey suddenly opened to mouth to oppose only to watch Erin shake her head vigorously with the smile only growing bigger across her features. "No no no Kels. Time to start living in the real world and making some real memories! These men and stories are fictional. Let's get you comfortable with a real man tonight."
"I think the men I read about do just about enough for me!" Kelsey said quietly not wanting to do anything crazy this evening since Erin was quite unpredictable.
"I am betting my life that someone you meet tonight could satisfy you more than any fictional character." Erin said loudly which made Kelsey's cheeks heat up. "And I mean SATISFY."
It was something of common knowledge about her innocence, but Erin usually didn't bring it up since Kelsey was rather protective of herself in that way. So as Erin walked away, Kelsey took some deep breathes not wanting to feel embarrassed that her friend was so intent on getting her to become closer to another man.
Kelsey sighed before standing up from the couch still holding the book in her hand not wanting to let it go.
It was written so well and almost could make Kelsey forget the whole world she was living in. But once Erin came up with plans, she knew it would be impossible to continue to evening of being in pajamas.
While lost in thought, a sudden hand grabbed the antique book throwing it quickly on the couch only making Kelsey look straight into the eyes of the perpetrator.
"Don't throw that!" Kelsey snapped not happy with the way her friend handled the book.
Erin laughed at her friends cute attempt to scare her, but she then lifted her bag of make up supplies which immediately made Kelsey's eyes widen.
Suddenly the blonde seemed uneasy with sweat forming on her forehead.
"Honestly Erin, I'm not feeling very well today…" Kelsey said taking a step back not wanting to have her face plastered with cosmetics. "Let's stay home and maybe watch a movie?"
Kelsey's suggestion made Erin smirk, but her friend didn't have time to talk since she needed to begin the process of preparing Kelsey to meet some kind of hottie at the bar.
But Last time Kelsey allowed the redhead to paint her face turned out to be a disaster. One she did not want to relive since many boys were attracted to the clown makeup and had the wrong idea of the kind of person she was.
"Oh please!" Erin said with a huff taking a step toward her friend with much authority as she watched Kelsey take another step backward. "Now it's time to get ready Kels. Like I said, it's time to meet some real men tonight."