Falling by Accident // Billie Eilish

Seven

SEVEN

POV Lea

Bright blue.

The walls of my bedroom are blue. Out of all the colors I could have chosen, I picked bright blue. When I first moved in with my mom two years ago, after my parents got divorced, I didn't really care about the color of my walls and it was a random choice. But with time, I've grown to like it a lot.

Sometimes, when everything is too much, I just sit on the floor and I stare at the bright blue of the walls, and as crazy as it sounds, it calms my mind. But right now, under the complaints of my two parents who are, for once, reunited in the same room, not even the blue of my walls can save me from my nervousness.

« Why didn't you call us ?! »

I just look at the blue.

« Do you know how worried we were ?! »

Bright blue.

« We're not letting you get away with it this time. Going in a elevator even if there is a sign that prevents the access ?! What were you thinking ? »

The voices of my parents resonate in my ears, again and again. They have been bothering me for the past week, saying we need to talk together as a family, and I'm sick of avoiding their preoccupied looks. I just want some silence.

Now that we're finally all in my bedroom, they keep asking questions without letting me answer, which I knew would happen. I stare at the wall, at my old posters and the pictures of landscapes from all around the world pinned everywhere.

I'm trying to stop myself from saying something I'm gonna regret later.

Suddenly, the doorbell of the apartment rings, stopping the messy accusations of my parents. They look at each other for a brief second and my mom leaves to open to whoever is waiting behind the door. I jump on my feet when I hear the voice of my best friend, Ari, the unexpected angel who, without knowing it, is probably gonna save me from my parents.

Like, literally.

My mom has always had a soft spot for Ari. Ever since we were kids, she thought Ari had a good influence on me and honestly, I'm not gonna say she's wrong. My best friend isn't really that someone who attracts every look and sympathy when they enter a room. She's the one who always makes sure everyone is feeling included, that person who's gonna stand up for you if something is wrong, that one friend who can make your eyes light up without even knowing it. The best part, or worst if you ask me, is that she doesn't even realize it.

She's not always perfect, I mean she has some weird obsessions, but she's always true.

« No, Lea isn't busy. Yes, of course, you two can go for a walk, Lea needs some air anyway, » declares my mom in a happy tone, in complete opposition with her mood from just a few seconds ago.

Well, I guess that means I'm gonna have to go out.

I hurry to join Ari in the living room, avoiding my dad and grabbing my phone at the same time. As we prepare to leave, my mom gives me a dry nod. I get it, the talk is just delayed, not canceled. Once we are finally outside, surrounded by the cold wind of this early autumn, I can finally breathe.

« Dude, you literally saved me, » I sigh, volutes of white smoke escaping from my lips.

Ari looks at me, smirking, and shakes her head.

« What did you do again ? » she asks me, amused.

We start walking towards the little park we always go to when we want to chill and talk about stuff, just the two of us, far away from everything else. I shrug, because I don't really want to talk about it.