Selfie Inflicted

3

I felt a buzzing and opened my eyes. A dim light spilled in through the windows in Lyza's living room. I was curled up on her armchair under a thick blanket. I reached down to grab my phone from my pocket. I could see that it was pretty much dead but there was message from Ryan.

OMG Hungover.

I smiled. I didn't feel too bad, but then Lyza and I never drink anywhere near as much as he does.

It'll pass, and you won't learn any lessons.

He texted back right away.

Oh totally. Same again tonight?

I put the phone powered down. I sighed and half shuffled over to the wall where Lyza had a charger plugged in. I let the phone power up and went to the bathroom.

It was early on Saturday. What the hell was Ryan up already for? Luckily today there would be no classes, no shifts at work. I had a tonne of studying to do and given the look of the day - wet and windy - staying in seemed like a perfect idea.

Lyza's door was shut and I planned to go home without waking her. I just lived half a block down and even though it was still raining a little that would be fine. I'd have a shower, throw on my jammies and start studying... or watching TV shows.

I had a big drink of orange juice from Lyza's kitchen and put the tea mugs in the sink, washing them quietly and placing them on her drying rack. As I did so I looked outside. Her window was directed back across a patch of concrete and yellowed grass leading into the woods. The mist still hung in the trees, their branches mostly bare except for a few remaining bronze leaves.

The highest branches danced against at the leaden sky. There was something rhythmic about the way they moved in turn with each other.

I heard my phone beep and walked back into the room and checked it. There were a few more messages from Ryan but the most recent caught my eye.

OMG! Just about got electrocuted! Bread got stuck in the toaster and when I tried to get it out sparks were flying everywhere! I gotta be more careful lol!

Why are the cutest guys always so careless?

I think you should go back to bed and start this day again tomorrow

I hear a door open. Lyza stepped out in her pyjamas with a confused look on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

She raised her hand and showed me the phone we'd found.

"What?" I said.

She gestured and I stepped forward to look.

"Geez Lyza, what is it?" I grumbled grabbing the phone and taking a look.

I could see it was a photo, of her room. Obviously taken last night. The one we took together at the table.

One thing was different though. The photo had changed - we weren't quite fully there. I mean, we were there, but we looked faded. Translucent, as if partially edited out.