Obsidian Stones

11

I got up early in the morning and navigated through the mess Eve left on the floor. I tried to get her to clean up a few times but she didn’t believe anything was a mess if she could still find what she was looking for. I tried cleaning it up and she dumped everything back on the floor trying to find the things I’d put away.2

I slipped a hoodie over my head and carried my bike down three flights of stairs. Eve’s apartment had no elevator and everything from shopping bags to a couch had to be hauled manually— not that I was complaining, anything with a roof was better than my previous accommodations and Eve never asked about my past as long as I made the meals.3

I coasted down the street enjoying the feel of the wind running its fingers along my scalp. I loved early mornings the time when even the earliest risers weren’t up yet. I rode for an hour before going back to the apartment. Eve was still asleep. She wasn’t a morning person like me. 4

I took a quick shower trying my best to avoid my reflection in the mirror, my new hairstyle made my eyes look to big and I didn’t like the lost look in them.5

Eve came out of her cave as I was making omelets. She shuffled to the bathroom a zombie in fuzzy pink slippers.6

“Omelet.” She mumbled when she finally emerged from the bathroom.7

“And good morning to you too.” I said as I handed her a blue plate.8

“Yeah.” She said, my sarcasm having flown way above her head. Which wasn’t hard since Eve barely qualified as five feet and as often mistaken as someone younger than her actual age.9

She walked into the living-room and sat splay-legged on the floor and turned on the T.v. She wore a short bright pink skirt that looked like a dyed poodle had decided to wrap itself around her hips. A spray-painted tee and sparkly suspenders completed the outfit. It was like looking at a walking kaleidoscope. I sat on the couch looking decidedly drab besides her. 10

“There was a guy at the art store yesterday asking about you.” Eve said around a mouthful of eggs.11

I tensed. People asking after me was not good. “Really?” I asked coolly. “What did he look like?” See? Me being normal. Ho-hum, nothing amiss here.12

“Sexy.” Eve giggled. “He asked if you were available. I told him you were an honest-to-gosh practicing nun and he would get holy water thrown at him if he came two steps near you.”13

I looked down at her. “I’m really hoping you didn’t say all that.”14

“Never. Though you do burn all the guys I send your way. Poor Jonathan, I think you’ve scarred him for life.” Then she cackled in a way that was not at all sympathetic to poor Jonathan.15

“So, this mystery guy, does he have a name?” I was hoping he did though Eve was notoriously horrible with names. She still couldn’t get mines right.16

“Nope.” She clapped her hands together. “But I’ll bring him over the next time I see him.”17

“You don’t have to do that.” I said hurriedly.18

“I will.” She said in a way that left no doubt in my mind that she would. I could only hope that it would be awhile before she saw him again.19

Eve knew that Miller (Miller wasn’t her real name, she just looked like a Miller to Eve more than anything else.) Couldn’t be too pleased with what she’d done but Eve was a firm believer in true love, though Miller was beginning to put that belief to the test.20

Eve let herself into The Basement saying hello to Poor Jonathan on her way inside. 21

The Basement as the name implied was below ground with small windows near the ceiling. Florescent lights along the ceiling kept the place from looking like it resided in perpetual twilight. It smelled of pencils, paintbrushes, papers and occasionally incense when she remembered to light a stick.22

She worked at The Basement for two reasons the foremost being that with her employee discount all the art supplies were 30% off. The second was so that she could keep an eye on Anthony Shepard, her future lover. The fact that he was still with his girlfriend of three years did not deter her.23

“Nice outfit.” Anthony said and she beamed. She wished she would say the same for him, but with a girlfriend like Toni there was much hope of that ever happening. (Yes, his girlfriend was named Toni as in Tony heart Toni. If Eve hadn’t been certain of Anthony’s true destiny she would have given up.)24

The bell above the door jangled, indicated that someone had entered the shop. It was the guy who’d been asking after Miller. Eve had forgotten his name but she was certain it began with a T . . . or maybe a J. He was dressed rather conservatively in a black sweater and dark jeans but it had been his boots, black cowboys with red and silver designs on them, that piqued her interest, She didn’t usually invite guys to her house after only three conversations but she had gotten a Good-Guy vibe and the vibe was rarely wrong.25

“Hey,” he said, his usual greeting, adding a nod for Anthony’s benefit. Anthony looked at the two of them. “I’m going to get some stuff from the back.” He said, having come to his own hopelessly wrong conclusions.26

“So,” he placed his long fingered hands on the counter. His black eyes lit up with anticipation. “What did she say?”27

She looked up at him, he was a good foot and a half taller than she was, most of the height being in his legs.28

“How do you know if I even asked her?” Eve smiled when she said it and he smiled back. “Just a good feeling.”29

She got off at five and told him to meet her at the front then.30

I was making chili when I heard the door open.31

“I’m back!” came Eve’s singsong cry. “And guess who I’ve brought?”32

I stepped out of the kitchen, thinking she’d finally gotten up the nerve to ask Anthony over. She gushed about him constantly but I don’t think she’s actually spoken with him.33

My insides suddenly felt chilled. It wasn’t Anthony.34

“Hello Sebastian.” My voice was amazingly calm given the situation. Eve gasped, “Sebastian! That’s what his name was! I knew I was close.” Her eyes darted between the two of us. “So you two already know each other?”35

I wished I didn’t. Sebastian looked the same as he had when I last saw him. Same boots, same honey brown skin and curling black hair. Even the enigmatic smile was in place.36

“Where’s your guitar?” I asked, his guitar was like an extension of himself, its absence was akin to him losing a leg.37

“It’s at home.”38

“Yeah!” Eve said, happy to contribute. “He lives right across the street. Isn’t that convenient?”39

You bet it was convenient. It smelled like Sebastian had been planning this for a long time.40

“Eve, do you think you can stir the chili for me?” I asked. She frowned. She knew when she was being dismissed.41

I sat across from him at the very edge of the couch. “Why are you here?” Stupid question, I already knew why he was here. 42

“You cut your hair. I like it.” He leaned forward, his hand reaching out as if to rub my shorn head. I jerked away and his hand hung in the air between us. It was a long moment before he pulled it back. “I want the stones.”43

I stood up abruptly. “You can’t have them.”44

He grabbed my wrist. “You told me yourself, you no longer wanted to have anything to do with them. So why can’t you give them to me?” He rubbed my arm giving me the heartbreaking look he often employed when he wanted something.45

“You can’t have them because I destroyed them.”46

Sebastian let go of my arm and began drumming his fingers on his kneecap. “All four of them?” I nodded. He stared hard at the carpet, as if the details of his next plan lay there.47

Eve popped her head out of the kitchen, “Chili’s ready.” I gave him a look and he stood and began moving toward the front door.48

“You’re not going to stay for chili?” Eve asked. She had a spoon half raised in her hand.49

Shaking his head Sebastian gave her a slow smile.50

“Okay what was it this time?” Eve propped her hip. “You can’t say he stinks like that other one because he smelled like sandalwood.” Only Eve would know what sandal wood smells like.51

“Unless . . . was he your boyfrie—“52

”No.”53

Eve’s eyes lit up. “He was. Oh my god!” I could already see the epic love story forming in her head despite my attempts to squash it.54

“Sebastian was not, is not, and will never be my boyfriend, or any kind of friend for that matter.”55

“Riiight.” She had the nerve to wink at me. “You just keep telling yourself that.”56

Throwing up my hands, I went and peeked out of the window. Below Sebastian walked across the street to an apartment building directly across from ours. Well that certainly fit the bill as ‘convenient’.57

I turned away from the window. I don’t think he believed that I destroyed the stones.58