A Little Bit Of Joy | ✔

Chapter Twenty Five : The Boy's Achievement

Logan and I were sitting on the filthy, unmade bed and I squirmed uncomfortably. The woman's apartment gave me an absurd feeling, something I couldn't describe. It was dark with the slightly tattered, but thick curtains were drawn and it seemed like the place had never been bathed in sunlight. The wooden coffee table in the corner was unclean with crumbs of biscuits, milk stains, empty bottles of beer and an ashtray. The floor and the sheets on the bed itself were sticky, and an unpleasant stench engulfed us. I was going to vomit any second from now.

The woman emerged out of the tiny bathroom and strode across the room confidently, her semi-nakedness not bothering her one bit. She was still clad in her nightie with her feminine bits showing, but now she had a flimsy shawl draped over her shoulders. She had sprinkled some water on her face, her mascara running down. She grabbed a scruffy towel and nuzzled her face against it, languidly wiping off her smudged makeup.

I glanced at Logan in doubt and flinched involuntarily when she said, "Don't worry, I won't snitch on you."

"Oh," that was all I could manage to say since I was clearly intimidated by her.

She tossed the towel carelessly beside Logan on the bed. Logan was in deep thought, his eyes downcast in distress. The woman turned around and without makeup, she didn't look so old anymore. She looked like she was in her early to mid-twenties, her grey eyes which was almost transparent had a gloomy mist surrounding it. She untied her hair from the bun and shook her head, yellow curls cascading down her back. She picked the pack of cigarettes, took one out and lit it with the lighter. She drew out long puffs from it, her body visibly relaxing and eyes closing in peace before she walked towards us and offered one to Logan and me.

Logan looked up and politely denied, while an embarrassing cough escaped my lips, tears stinging my eyes. Logan rubbed my back in concern as I tried to shrug his hands off me. Sometimes, I liked to pretend that I was healthy, but people fussing over me gave my façade away- albeit I didn't blame them.

The woman studied me for a few seconds, her piercing gaze sweeping over my timid frame and asked, "Sick?" I nodded meekly and her eyes softened. She went back towards the coffee table and instantly crushed the cigarette against the ashtray. She then leaned against the wall.

"How do you know each other?" I asked curiously and Logan and the woman's eyes met, a blush creeping up Logan's neck.

"A decent kid he is, isn't he?" she said-almost stated, not answering my question and fixing her fake nails. She wiggled her fingers, admiring them and continued, "It's difficult to find men who won't leave one opportunity to fuck you."

Her crude language shocked me, perhaps because I wasn't expecting her to say anything.

Once I had recovered, I added playfully, "Well, Logan has his moments too."

"What?" Logan's face was red with mortification and to his chagrin, the woman laughed.

"Of course, he does." She smiled enigmatically.

"I do not," Logan protested childishly and suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Our short conversation lulled and Logan and my eyes widened in alarm. We both shot up from the bed.

"Go to the kitchen," the woman directed us and placidly made her way to the door. Logan and I scuttered to the kitchen which was as small and dirty as the rest of the apartment. He grabbed me by my arms and shoved me in the crammed up space beside the refrigerator.

"Who is it you think?" I whispered to Logan who stood an arm's length away in front of me.

We heard the door open and a gruff voice speak, "Hello ma'am, sorry for the disturbance. Can you please assist me in this--- " he paused, there was a shuffling noise and then he continued, "---have you seen this boy around here?"