Their Loving Solitude

Chapter 4 Stress Relieving

Mia's POV

I pull into the parking lot of the apartment complexes, seeing the familiar buildings, which causes me to sigh automatically in relief.. I'm exhausted from a long night of work, and there, right in front of me, is the finish line for my night.. and it's finally time to claim my prize from working such a long shift at work and kicking ass while doing it.. I actually feel good for once lately, so I can't complain at all. Well, I could complain, but who is actually there to listen to it?

I find myself subconsciously wishing I had someone to come home to and celebrate things like this with.. Naomi is nice to have there she has always been there for me when I needed her most, and I won't ever forget it.. but if we are being honest, I want a substantial relationship.. One that I know will develop into something more than just a friendship.

I want to get married, have kids, and build a life with someone.. But I can't find that person, even if it were to save my life. Naomi is with me every day, making it slightly harder for me to find a man to spend the rest of my life with because of how much she hates men when I love them.

I can't even get myself to admit to her that I love women, but that I love men more and even want to marry a man.. I want a man for my forever.. I just don't know how she would take such news.. From the past situations, I can assume she wouldn't take the news very well since she has been known to pick fights with the guys I openly date.

But no matter what things she does every now and then, I know it comes from a place of love because she is sweet and loyal to a fault. I just think of her like a sister, so I want more than she can give me since I don't feel that way about her.. but she has expressed every now and then having a slight attraction for me physically, making comments about my beauty and all.

We have experimented together sexually as well, and that's how I quickly figured out that I think of her like a sister and didn't like that crossing of boundaries for myself.. But I squashed that bug years ago, making sure she knew I only wanted to be friends and not ruin anything between us.

My stomach rumbles while I stare off, which brings me right back to reality. I'm a little hungry, but we ended up eating food at our work before we even closed. So I'm feeling ready to have some fun drinking with my bestie, getting this fun night she planned underway.. this is probably just what I needed, a night to just sit back and relax with my best friend.

I throw my little leather backpack over my arms and stand up, getting out of my car. In that instant, I feel a light tough to my back, causing me to gasp as I flip around with my keys in my hand to use as a weapon. "Mia.. it's me calm down you spaz. I was calling you from when I got out of my car until I was right beside you." Naomi states as I chuckle and shake my head.

"Sorry, I guess I just was dazing off and didn't hear you." She shakes a couple of bottles of liquor in her hands as she wiggles her eyebrows at me. "Ready to have some fun?" she asks as I smile and nod, "Yes, I have been looking forward to our fun hang out all night!" slamming my door shut behind me as I follow her up the stairs. I wait behind her while she fidgets with the keys to get our place opened. But when she realizes her hands are way too full, she shoves most of the bottles into my arms.

"Hey, Olympian.. Or should I say neighbor? I hope you had a good night at work." I hear that deep rumbling baritone that instantly sends chills down my spine from further down the hallway. I look over without hesitation. Just to have my gaze met with the same handsome man from earlier today.

"Hey.. shorts.. Yeah, it was good.. but about to be better." I state flicking the bottle of liquor in my hands as it tings. He chuckles while he walks past us, covering me with a blanket of his musky woodsey scent. I take in a deep breath, savoring that detectable smell as I watch him go directly to the apartment beside us.. He must be the new tenant that rented out this place a couple of weeks ago.

I don't know how I never saw him before this. His tan skin and bushy hair give his features a playful tone. He pushes the hair out of his face, exposing the shortcut beard that I somehow never noticed before while he slips the key in and opens his door before looking back at me. "Well, I hope you ladies have a wonderful night." I find myself smiling at him and waving as he smiles back with big bright pearly whites to make his smile look almost perfect. "You too shorts." I say as I notice the open door, so I walk into the apartment right behind Naomi, shutting the door behind us. Naomi looks curious as she sets one of the bottles onto the counter.

I follow her lead by doing the same and emptying the bottles in my grasp onto the kitchen island. "So.. um.. who the hell is that? Since when did we get a neighbor? I thought I had heard someone going in there every now and then, but I figured it was maintenance since we have never seen anyone going in and out of there daily.. do you know him from school or something?" She asks, almost sounding defensive. But she has always been weary of men in general, but especially around me.. that's probably has to do with the fact that she states openly how much she hates men, and that's part of the reason why she is a lesbian is for her strong hate for mankind.

"I don't know who the hot neighbor is yet.. But believe me, I want to find out.. I had only seen him outside today when I was swimming.. But he seems genuinely nice." I state to her as she scoffs. "I never said he was hot, and he was probably just out there to oggle at you in a swimsuit like some kind of creep." She states that comment, sounding almost jealous now. "I know you didn't say that.. I said he was hot.. and anyway, he was out there reading a book and happened to notice I was swimming a lot." I state in his defense for whatever reason.

"Whatever.. forget him.. he is probably a player who would ghost you like all the rest.. because you can't ever pick a good one out.. I will say it once and I'll say it again.. you need to go back to women.. so let's just drink to that." She states with venom as I feel a tinge of pain at that comment as it hits my heart. She instantly slams down some shot glasses. She lets out a deep breath, sounding exhausted, so maybe that's what this fit is about. Maybe she is just irritated because it's been a long day for her or something.

"Yeah, you're probably right about him.. It's not like anyone I like, could possibly like me long enough to stick around for more than a couple of months anyway.. So let's just drink so I can forget how much of a waste of time I am and how bad my opinion seems to be.. because who honestly cares if I'm happy." I spat as I grab the bottle and fill the shot glasses up.

Naomi shakes her head as she stares over at me, "No, I didn't mean that.. the right person will like you and make sure you know you're not a waste of time and that you're perfectly happy.. I promise.. but the perfect person for you is not a bulky male who thinks he is slick with his dumb nicknames and big smiles." She states to me as I look over at her. "You don't know that." She scoffs, rolling her eyes before replying. "I do."

I just shake my head, not believing her words now, and then throw the shot back before I can even have a chance to get my backpack off. "Let's just drink so I can try this stress relieving you're always talking about." I state filling up my shot glass again as she smiles at me and clicks her shot glass against mine, and we throw them back.

The warmth running through my body lets me know that even though I ate hours ago, it wasn't as much nourishment as I thought it would be for me. I'm running close to empty for my body's nourishment, but I think that I needed this. I can already feel the alcohol hitting my system as I instantly start to relax, letting my frustrations go to the back of my mind.

I swing my bag off and hang it on the back of the chair as I fill the glasses up again. "Mia, we haven't even sat down yet." she declares sheepishly as I just put on a fake smile and state. "Naomi.. I need this." I throw the shot back as she chuckles at my comment and throws the shot back right after me. I fill them up again as I throw mine back again, but she just takes her bag off and hanging it up, so I quickly take her shot.

She walks into her room and begins talking but not loud enough that I can hear what she is saying.. She keeps talking, and I think she might be on a phone call.. but as she leaves me alone in this room, I can feel the darkness consuming me as all that seems to run through my head is how lonely I feel.. I know I have my friends at school and my job.. but I still feel lonely. I'm slowly finding out that this life might not be enough for me. Maybe I want stupid nicknames and bright smiles from a handsome neighbor.. she doesn't know.

Maybe it's the alcohol running my mind rampant, but I quickly find myself getting infuriated with the fact that date after date, talk after talk, connection after connection, I'm somehow still alone.. it's like they get to know me and realize that they want nothing to do with me. It's frustrating. I throw another shot back as I feel warmer than ever. I keep hearing Naomi talk, but I can't tell who she is talking to. But she always has someone there for her, and I have no one.. but her.. what if she wasn't there? I wouldn't have anyone.. I'm pathetic. I spat at myself as I throw another shot back.

She continues to talk out of earshot, but enough to know she is nearby and still talking. "Nay, I can't hear what you're saying if you're talking to me." I declare feeling the alcohol as I sway while I attempt to take my work shirt off and throw it at the couch just to completely miss and watch it hit the floor.

I lean down and pick up the shirt, tossing it on the couch.. but when I come back up, I feel my strap from my spaghetti-strapped shirt fall down as I stumble while trying to fix it. I wander back to the kitchen island, filling the shot glass while spilling a little bit on the counter. I slowly bring it to my lips, staring as it as I take a deep breath and throw it back into my throat.

With my head back accepting the alcohol into my system once again. I start to feel my body relax but fall back. I grip the kitchen island, pulling myself back up, feeling dizzier than I expected. I take a couple of deep breaths but feel so good as of right now. I feel so much better in just my spaghetti strap, not so overheated, with alcohol running through my body, making me feel higher than life... The only thing missing in this picture is a gorgeous neighbor from next door. He is something to remember.. I should go over there.. No.. wait.. what? I think this as I stop automatically, not knowing where that thought came from.

"I was talking to Davidson." Naomi declares as she enters back into the room, so I nod at her. "Tell him I say hi.. Your big brother should come visit us Nay.. it would be nice to meet him after all this time." I declare as she smiles and nods with me. "I know.. he never has the time anymore.. but he just wanted to talk to me for a minute." She states as I smile, and I throw back another shot. I felt myself once again sway back, but knowing this time to hold myself with the kitchen island.

"Mia.. don't you think you should slow down? You haven't eaten anything in a while, and you're already stumbling around." She asks me as I feel her hands to my waist with her standing right behind me. I lean back onto her as I quickly throw another shot back using her as my brace.

"I'm fine.. No, I'm not fine.. I'm so mad and stressed, Nay.. I just need to relax and relieve this stress, and this is helping relax me.. I don't know what else I could do. I just want to stop stressing. But having my best friend with me to do a girl's night is just what I needed.. you were right!" I declare as she wraps her arms around me, hugging me from behind. "Maybe there is something I could do to help with your stresses." She hums in my ear as I close my eyes, loving the feeling of the chills that are running rampant through my body. "You already are helping enough." I say as she giggles.

"No, something different... I think that the reason you're so mad about everything lately is because of all the pent-up stress.. you haven't been able to find someone to help relieve that stress, so why don't you let me help you.. friend to friend... like before." She asks as I shake my head, still leaning into her. "I am stressed.. so stressed.. but I don't know... I don't want to ruin what we have, Nay. Remember the last time you tried this.. we fought about it for a week because of you pushing things too far when I wasn't comfortable with it. " I slur out the words as she turns me, then leads me across the room and to my bedroom.