Me, Him, Us

Chapter 5

It’s been 2 months now since that night and honestly nothing much has changed, my life is so boring between school and sleeping I rarely do anything but since winter is coming I realized I should go shopping for coats and boots. “ Hey Donnie, I’m going shopping today, please please come with me, I don’t want to go alone” I beg him over the phone, I already know he’ll say yes cause he never says no to me. “ Of course, I’ll meet you at west end?” I squeal “Thank you Thank you. Okay I’m leaving now let’s meet at the food court by Burger King?” “Yeah I’ll see you in 10” I drop the phone and go find shoes to wear. Usually id just wear my crocs because they’re so comfortable but Jennifer and Howard always say they’re so ugly so I have to wear my air maxes. As I’m putting on my shoes I look at my outfit in the mirror, I’m wearing grey sweatpants that make my ass look ‘phat’ according to Jennifer and extra jiggly with my black nike sweater. If I’m going shopping I always wear easy clothes to remove because I plan to enter every shop. I look at my silver Cartier watch and realize the next tram is coming soon so I have to run if I don’t want Donnie to wait for long, I grab my keys lock the door and quickly run. 

As I approach Burger King I look around and try spot Donnie and I see him wearing his black sweatpants with a grey hoodie. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear we co-ordinated our outfits! “Donnie do you have psychic abilities ?” I say while hugging him “maybe I do, maybe I don’t but this is funny right?” He says after letting me go. “We will deal with your abilities later, let’s get shopping so we finish fast okay. Let’s start with Zara, then Pull and Bear since they’re closer to us.” It took us 2 hours to find me everything I needed from coats, sweaters, gloves and of course beanies. “Donnie thank you so much for this, honestly I don’t know what I would’ve done without you, how about I get us lunch it’s the least I could do” I say while giving him my famous puppy dog eyes, cause Donnie is a very ‘manly man’ if that makes sense. He’s very old school with his thinking and sometimes his pride gets in the way of things, like letting me pay for his food. “Bell it’s fine, I promise there’s no need, you’re my Friend I’d do anything for you” “nope! I dont want to hear it I’m buying you food so pick what you want” knowing him he’ll pick something cheap like kfc or mcd to ease his manly hood. “Okay fine let’s get Burger King cause they have the coupon deals so we can get more” see I knew it! “Perfect let’s go” we go get food and sit down in the food court for another hour just talking and laughing. I know what you’re thinking both my parents are billionaires and yet I live such a mundane life, well that’s true because I don’t want to grow up knowing I can get whatever I want. 

“Thank you so much for today Donnie, I couldn’t imagine being here with anyone else” I say while giving him a final goodbye before getting into the cab, there was no way I was carrying all these bags to my house especially with the steps I have to climb. 

I get into my apartment and see it’s 4pm, damn I really spent the whole day at the mall, time went so fast I didn’t even realize. After I finish packing my clothes back into my apartment my phone rings, I run and see it’s Howard calling. 

“Hey babe what’s up?” 

“Nothing just checking on you, I literally just woke up now after last nights crazy adventures.” 

“Yeah I figured you passed out on Kevin’s couch when you didn’t text me this morning” 

“Last night was so wild, we got vodka, tequila and 80% absinthe. I don’t even remember how we got back but the guys were showing me pictures passed out on Miranda’s couch in my underwear “ he laughs. Can anyone tell me what’s funny about passing out on some girls couch half naked? Cause I’m clearly not getting the joke. 

“As long as you enjoyed yourself Howard” I answered with an annoyed tone. “What did I do now?” He asks after realizing I wasn’t laughing. 

“Howard what kind of a question is that? I didn’t even know you were going out till I saw on Snapchat and now you’re telling me you were on some girls couch piss drunk in your underwear. Tell me how should I react?” I sigh after ranting 

“Okay I’m sorry, me and the guys weren’t supposed to even go out but the streets called as for the rest just relax  Bella no need to be worried nothing happened” 

“Okay yeah whatever” 

“How about I come around later and make you those wings you love so much” I pause before replying. 

“Okay fine”

“Bye Bella, see you later” 

“Bye” I drop the phone while looking at the screen. 

‘I’m great, thanks for asking’ 

What a joke, and just to be clear the real joke here is me, let me just call Jennifer so we can laugh at my clownery together. 

I grab my iPad and go sit in the kitchen while the FaceTime is ringing. 

“Heyyy b***h!!!!” We both simultaneously say when the call connects. 

“Let me tell you a joke dude….” I continue to explain what Howard had told me to her while laughing at her facial expressions. 

“Bell I don’t understand why you still put up with him, like what kind of rubbish is that” I drop my head. 

“I know I know but I won’t lie I’ve stayed with him for this long because it’s comfortable, the idea of what will change if we break up is too much for me. I mean our friend groups and super close so if break up there will be changes and I dont like change, you know this” okay yes I’m a terrible person for staying with someone for comfort but to be fair he gains more than I do in this arrangement. 

“Whatever he’s coming over later to cook me dinner anyways” 

“Mmmmm sounds fishy, that’s too nice even for him there must be a catch somewhere.” She squints her eyes while looking at me. 

“Hey maybe he’s changed and decided to be better boyfriend. Who knows?” 

“Pssht are we talking about the same Howard, cause there’s no way.” 

“Okay I’m done talking about my sad relationship, tell what did you do today, let me actually model the clothes I bought today for you” 

“b***h! When did you go shopping and without me??” Oops 

“I went this morning with Donnie, I needed a guy’s opinion because he’ll be honest with me from a guys point of view if something looks bad or not. I mean you’re my girl I just wanted a guys point of view because Howard says I look like a hobo so I’m trying to step up my game” I say apologetically 

“Why not just take Howard one time instead if Donnie” she asks 

“Well I don’t know how to explain this properly but there’s a difference with Donnie telling me I look bad and Howard saying it. Like it hurts a whole lot more when it’s coming from Howard If that makes any sense at all?” 

“Yeah I get it, Howard is a d**k” I laugh loudly, this is why I love her, she always makes me smile. 

I model my clothes for her and then she tells me how she spent the day with Kevin, and how he was trying to have s*x with her but she kept denying 

“I mean he’s not even hiding the fact that all he wants from me is s*x, and I knows I’ll never say yes so he should really move on because I only open these legs to men I’m in committed relationships with otherwise no” she says while clapping her hands. 

“Isn’t Kevin like a virgin anyways? His probably trying so hard so he can lose his Virginity already. Poor boy! Just put him out of his misery Jennifer it’s just s*x anyways “ I shrug 

“I get what you’re saying but I don’t want to give him that much power, that boys his is so damn big with the skills he thinks he has. If I say yes he’ll feel like the terminator or something” I laugh so loudly houses down the street probably hear me. 

“Well you’ve got a point there!” 

We continue talking for another hour about useless things when I hear the doorbell ring, I quickly run to open 

“Hello who is it” 

“It’s me” I instantly recognize Howard’s voice and open. 

“Howard is here so I should go now, can’t believe we’ve been talking for 2 hours” I say to Jennifer after I unlock the door. 

“Okay baby cakes, I’ll talk to you later” 

“Mwah mwah” I blow her kisses then drop, as Howard enters. 

“Hey Bella, who was that on the phone?” 

“Just Jennifer” I say walking towards to couch so I can watch some tv

“Cool anyways I’ll make us some wings for dinner” he says coming to sit next to me 

I look up and nod “you said that on the phone earlier…” 

“Well yeah but right now I didn’t realize last night I’d used so much money on cabs and alcohol so can you go buy the wings” 

I take a second to process what he’s saying to me because I know he did not just ask me to buy something he volunteered, deep breath Bell! Keep the peace

“Okay fine my cards in my wallet, you know my pin just run to spar” I say looking at him 

“I thought you’d want to go I mean, I have a hangover from last night” he looks at me confused 

“Howard I’m not going, I also had a long day today. It’s fine we’ll cool something I have in my fridge. I can’t believe you have the liver to ask me to go buy something you promised to do” 

He lifts his arms in defense “ relax Bella, I was just asking. It’s fine I’ll go. I’ll be back quickly” 

He stands, and grabs my card and leaves.

Gosh Jennifer is going to laugh when I tell her, she said he was being suspicious! 

10 minutes later he comes back with a whole plastic bag, I look at him confused because wtf since when do chicken bags take up that much space. 

“Hey, I got you some stuff that I thought you’d be in the mood for” he says while unpacking in the kitchen…this boy does know if it’s my money paying then he didn’t get it, I did.

I stand up and walk towards the kitchen to see what he got and see he got chocolate, juice and my favorite licorice. “One point for getting my favorite pack of sweets but one point deducted for the chocolate, you know I don’t eat chocolate” I say while opening the pack of sweets. 

“Oh I know the chocolate and juice is for me” he says while throwing a way the bags. 

I know he did not! He was probably at the till and realized I’d be mad if he didn’t get me anything with my own card! Keep the peace Bella, deep breaths. 

“Please put my card back where you found it” I say while walking back to the couch with my sweets. 

“Don’t you want to help me with the wings?” He shouts from the kitchen. 

“You mean the way I helped you make the space brownies and ended up doing all the work while you slept?” 

“…I didn’t sleep the whole time but okay message received” 

The food took him an hour to make but I can’t lie, he can cook really good, one thing he sucks at his being clean. The kitchen was an absolute mess when He was done with it but fortunately my  leaning lady was coming tomorrow so this was now her problem. 

For the rest of the night Howard made me watch his favorite YouTube videos about movie reviews, he is such a cinematic nerd it’s honestly surprising but it’s also the best way to fall asleep because honestly that s**t is boring as hell.