We take a short meet up at the café near the bus station. She lives near the bus station so I don’t have to pick her up, then I took the bus. The time in my phone showing 15.05. Which means Tiere has arrived and must be peeved. She hates waiting.
ping ping
It has to be Tiere. I pulled my phone out from my pocket, a message popped up with a lot of red angry emojis.
Tiere: WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOR 7 MINUTES (in full caps –lock).
Me: Sorry, the bus wasn’t on time
I tried to make excuses which Tiere won’t believe it but at least I tried.
Tiere: FINE
Tiere: FAST
The bus lurched to a stop at the station. I walk towards the gate, head turning left and right like a typewriter trying to find the white building name Lily’s. My eyes gazing 15 meters ahead when I found the white building with blinking LED lights “LILY’S” above the entrance. I wait until the traffic stopped, allowing me to walk over the zebra cross.
When I pushed the entrance, the waiters and waitress greeted me in simultaneously as the bell jingles. Then a woman waves her hand in the air, I tilted my glasses and walks towards her, pretty
sure it is Tiere. I was a little bit shock when I saw her.
“Tiere?”
“Ryan?!” she exclaimed, rose up from her seat and hugged me really tight.
“LONG TIME NO SEE!” she jumped to my body, people are watching us. This is embarrassing.
Tiere is very gorgeous now, she has a progressive appearance. Her hair is beautiful as seen on her Instagram. The way she dressed up suits her well. She doesn’t put on glasses anymore.
I sit down straight in front of her, it’s pretty awkward since we haven’t talk or meet for ages. “Tiere..” I called her, eyes gazing her as she widened her eyes waiting for me to continue my words.
“Did you have a plastic surgery?”
She rolled her eyes, “What the hell Ryan? Have you ever seen a dck on the head?” she hissed. The same Tiere I know.. bad words is her everyday snack. I laughed and she crinkled in teasing smile. I was just testing her cause I afraid it would be awkward if she changed a lot.
“So..” I cleared my throat, “Seems like you have something urgent to talk to”
She lifted her palm, making a silly expression “Yea..yea.. you know.. I broke up”
I widened my eyes, mouth hanging open. “What?”
“Yes.. after 4 years dating” she scowled at me.
Tiere looks just fine, she used to be a player. A broke up will never break her down. “Are you okay then?” just to make sure she is okay. I know it’s pretty annoying cause we’ve lost a long contact since she dated that guy. But I have to understand her, as we grew up older, all we care about is money, career or…… boyfriend? Yes. I have to understand Tiere. It is impossible for her to spend the rest of her life with her best friends without a husband right? I have that critical kind of thinking so I tend to be so understanding as a friend.
She closed her eyes and flares her nostrils “I am okay”.
With that expression, I know she is not okay. I know Tiere for years and she will never show that expression if there’s nothing happen to her.
“Do you want to take a walk then? After this?”
“Sure” she frowned, looking at her cup of hot latte.
“I don’t know why.. his parents doesn’t like me” she added.
I quirked an eyebrow “Is there any specific reason why they don’t like you?”
“Maybe because I am from a broken family?”
She exhales a harsh breath “It’s the worst part of a relationship”.
I stretched my arm to reach her shoulder, then I give her a gentle tap “Be strong Tiere. You are the most amazing girl I’ve ever met”. At least to cheer her up. Her lips lifted upward, masking her anxiety, she is not okay.
“So how are you doing?” she asked, trying to change the topic.
“Just fine, gonna graduate this year”
“How’s your mom?”
“My mom moved to Miami with my sisters. My dad finally got the chance to develop his business there, but I choose to stay”
“Damn it, how stupid” she said, exasperated. “I want to be with my parents but both of them have a new family now. How pathetic” she added, sniffing a smile.
“Cause I think it is better I stay. Plus now I have my own apartment” I shrugged my shoulders.
“Whoa. So you are alone?” she lifted an eyebrow.
“Yeah. All alone. I’m free now. But my mom always call me like every Saturday or Sunday. To make sure I am okay”
“Okay..” she took a deep breath.
“Where are we going after this?” she widened her eyes, glancing at mine.
“I know a place” then I should bring her to a place we used to go.
***
“Cinema?” she tilted her head gazing straight at the screen with the movie titles shown. I nodded, “Yap..you..don’t like it?” I bit off each word, she met my eyes. I and Tiere never missed a movie back in High School. If our friends don’t have the mood to watch movies, then I and Tiere will go alone. It was our hobby during school.
She shrugged her shoulders, “After a long time.. my ex –boyfriend hates the cinema I don’t know why, he told me they are too expensive”.
“So fcking retarded” she hissed.
She is still the same Tiere I know. I’m kind of grateful cause I miss her so much.. there’s a quiet long time until I got to see her right now. She’s funny and very truthful.
I snorted a laugh and at the moment she implied “What are you laughing at?”. Until I stop laughing, I finally get to ask her, “So what movie do you like to watch?”
“OF COURSE MARVEL” she exclaimed.
After a long time, we got to meet each other. The same Tiere like she used to be, she is always in
complete caramel popcorn and a cup of coke. She never made it without those 2 things in her movies.
“What a wimp” she mumbled herself, crunching her handful popcorns, eyes gazing straight to the screen, kinda noisy during the movie.
It’s 8 o’clock after we finished the movie, I wave my hand towards her, and start walking to the bus station to catch the last trip.
“RYAN!” a call from 12 meters away startling me. I turn around and Tiere run towards me, jumping to my body with arms around my neck. I can feel the warmth of her body through my thin t -shirt. I grabbed her shoulders and push her back so I can catch her eyes. Her eyes glinting like wet pebbles. I could feel the pain inside her, she must be really sad of her life right now.
“Tiere? Are you really okay?” I asked.
“I’m okay..” she looked down, then tilting her head “Bye” she runs away. I was about to tell her, to let her speak to me whenever she feels alone.
***
It’s been a week since Tiere and I met up. She hasn’t replied my text, I assume she made it up with her boyfriend. So I don’t insist to send her text anymore. I was about to play another game with Bobby that time, then ..
ping ping
I tilted my head looking at my phone blinking beside my keyboard. It’s from Tiere. I quickly grabbed my phone to check the text.
Tiere: Meet me tonight at Jake’s. 20.00
Soon I replied her with “Okay, see you”
Seven in the evening. I got into the driver seat, buckling my seatbelt, pushed the start engine and stepping on my accelerator so that the wheels spinning.
I brake sharply as I rounded the last corner and skidded into the parking lot. The Jake’s is a night bar, not really bar. Is a semi bar and café where mostly teenagers spend their Saturday night. I get down from my car and start texting her,
Me: Tiere. I am here. Where are you?
Then my phone pinged soon as I delivered the message.
Tiere: I an nwar thw cornwr
Well, she is not okay.
The place is crowded and very noisy. I don’t know why Tiere choose this place. How long Tiere been enjoying a place like this?
Without waving her hand, I know Tiere was there, facing the wall sipping her glass of red color drink, it must be wine. She is wearing black spaghetti tank and a long black flare skirt, her blue –jeans jacket hanging on the chair.
I walk towards her, poking her shoulder “Tiere”, then I sit in front of her. Her eyes are soggy and she looked like haven’t had a proper sleep for days.
She puts the glass down, quirking her eyebrow, “Hey” and tossing my fist.
“How are you doing?” yes, she is drunk.
“Tiere..” flarring my nostrils, “What happen to you? Where do you live?”
It is impossible for me to bring her to my apartment, I have to make sure where she lives so I could bring her home when she is totally wasted.
Her eyes looking everywhere, she lifted her arm pointing at I don’t know where is she pointing at. “Do you know the Abby Apartment? The cheapest one? Well. I fcking sleep there every day in the room …..they are ugly…but cheap” she swallowed a hiccup, “Room number 606” then she leaned her head on the table.
Tiere straightened her body all of sudden which startling me, like a sudden anger boils in her. She clenched her fists and hit them on the table for several times which makes the other’s visitor tilted their head to check on us. “WHAT THE FCK CALVIN!!”
Then she dropped her head on the table again, like fainting.
I pounded my forehead, “Geez” and poke her arm. “Tiere?”
No answer.
I rose from the seat and about pay her bills. It’s early at 8 something in the evening. I don’t know what is Tiere thinking about but I have to bring her back to her apartment. She is a loner now, I understand how lonely she is, her ex –boyfriend must be very precious for her.
I came back to our table but Tiere isn’t there, her jacket is the only left. My heart pounding faster, a fizz of worry settled in my stomach. I start assuming many things. Is Tiere being kidnapped? Or being caught by the drunker’ too? No Tiere please don’t. I stretched my neck trying to check around the bar, then I saw Tiere wobbling by the toilet. I run towards her to catch her up, her face is flaming red. I helped her stand then tossing her arm around my neck. “Tiere. Wait I have to take your jacket” I stretched my arm really far to reach the jacket in the corner then I bring her inside my car.
Tiere looks really sleepy, sometimes hiccups. She leaned her head on my shoulders, lifted her chin and meet my gaze.
"Ryan? Is that you?"
Inside the car, she suddenly held my cheeks and closed her eyes. That’s the moment I feel her lips pressing into mine, not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. I want to pull away before I lose myself but I can’t seem to…In this moment, my senses have been seduced and I can no longer think straight. I wrapped my arms around her body. I can smell the acidic on her mouth, her tongue is playing
mine. My heart is racing, with great pounding, great pressure, every beat of them is like a rhythm in my body. It feels like an explosion of the best flavors in the universe all at once mingling together and creating the best taste and sensation you’ve ever felt. We shared our breaths and at some time she bit my lips. This is weird, the taste of having the first kiss is pretty special but I do it with my best friend, what the fck. Ryan you are a JERK, bet gonna regret it after this.
Tiere moved away from me,
"Calvin! why you broke up with me?" pouted, hit me in the chest really hard and kissed me several times on the lips again and again.
What ? Tiere ? She thinks I am Calvin her ex -boyfriend?
Tiere stopped, now she looks sleepier than ever and straight back to her seat, she leaned her head by the window and snoozed. That’s pretty quick.
"Tiere" I poke her arm.
"Tiere" again.
No answer.
Did she faint? or die?
"Tiere"
I rub my forehead, deep in depression. What was that just now? Did we just do it? NO! THIS IS BAD, REALLY REALLY BAD. I JUST KISSED MY BEST FRIEND.
I tried to focus, I have to bring her home, I start the engine and the wheels spinning against the gravels. Lucky that I asked her address before she knocked out.
It wasn’t that far, I stopped my car and start calling her again and again by poking her cheek.
“QUIT TOUCHING ME!!!” she moaned and moved away.
Tiere is very drunk. Of course she is, she spent millions for the wine. It’s pretty amazing.
“Ah come on” I moaned. I grab her hand -bag, rummaging her key.
Then I carry her my own, she is pretty heavy now, she used to be skinny, now she is heavier than ever. I carry Tiere on my back. An icy wind blew up the bottom, chilling my legs as I hold herself on my back, I hung her handbag on my arm and the jacket in the other arm, almost fell off to the ground, I feel like my back is gonna crack soon. I followed her leads down to the hallway on the 6th floor looking for the number 606. I plugged the key inside the knob and at the same time Tiere bit my ear which startling me, I almost dropped her to the ground, “Stop it Tiere!” but she scoffed as it was a joke to her. I smacked my
open palm against the door so it wouldn’t hit us while I brought her in. I clicked the lamp on, the room is painted in a cold gray. There are some pictures on the walls, some tiny decorations, and window with white curtains in half opened.
“Thanks, Ryan” she said as I dropped her to her bed, with her eyes still close.
“A kiss on the forehead?” she pouted, before I got to leave her. Did she think I am still Calvin? I finally give her a kiss her on her forehead.
“Good night” she smiles, hugging her bolster.
I pulled her phone out from her jacket and put it on the bedside table, drapping the blanket over her body. Look at her, so peaceful while sleeping. My eyes staring at her soft pink lips which reminds me of the kiss earlier. Dammit! How can I... Urghhh.. I need to leave soon. It’s getting awkward!
As I know, Tiere always keeps her spare keys under her bed. I bend my body to check under the bed.
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