Page 15 of Agony

“Oh my God!” I shouted.

I closed the door, undid the chain, and yanked it open. Addie was standing on the other side with a big smile on her face and her bags by her feet. We immediately hugged each other tightly and I started to cry. Just hugging her made it feel like all of my problems were millions of miles away.

I loved Addie like a sister, even if she could be a pain in the ass. Even when she teased me for being a virgin and even when she tried to push me to go out with her to “get guys,” she was always there when I needed her. Not to mention we looked very much alike, the only major differences being that she was about a foot taller than me and had bright blue eyes.

Addie was definitely my rock.

“I am so tired,” she said when we pulled away. “I’ll need you to stop crying soon, because in New York it’s really four in the morning and I plan on sleeping for the next three or so days.”

I laughed and wiped the tears away from my face. I stepped aside so she could come in. I went out and grabbed all of her bags and brought them into the house before I locked the door again.

I carried her stuff into the bedroom and walked back out into the living room. I sat on the couch across from her and tucked a leg under myself. Addie took a deep breath and reached into her purse, pulling out a couple of wrapped gifts.

“I want you to wait to open these until I go into the bedroom. Neve, I know you well enough to know that you’re going to be angry when you see this,” she said holding up the small rectangle shaped package, “and probably embarrassed when you see this,” she said, putting down the rectangle on the table and holding up a cylindrical package. “But I think once you get over the anger you might be able to put these to good use. With that being said, I’m going to sleep. Bitch at me in the morning about it, okay? Love ya!”

Addie disappeared into the bedroom and locked the door. I went over to the couch she had been sitting on and I grabbed both of the packages. I didn’t know which feeling I wanted first; anger or embarrassment.

I decided anger would be first. Only because with as easily as embarrassed as I could get, there was a good chance I could wash it away with the second package.

I picked up the first package and started to pull the wrapping paper off. I rolled my eyes when I saw the back. Addie had purchased an adult movie for me. Maybe she figured it would be easier for me to accept Arsen’s line of “work” this way. I flipped the movie over to the front and looked at the actor and actress on the cover.

“Oh Jesus Christ, Adesynne Lee!” I shouted.

It wasn’t just any movie with just any actor on the cover. This was one of Arsen’s movies.

I could hear the muffled sound of her laughter and I tossed the movie angrily onto the other couch.

I heard Addie’s footsteps as she walked to the door and cracked it open.

“Open the other one now, Neve,” she said mischievously.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the second package and ripped the wrapping off. It was a vibrator; bright pink, had multiple speeds, and was water resistant according to the information on the box.

“I figure if you open the movie and use that on yourself when you see Arsen doing his thing, maybe you won’t be so uptight about it,” she explained casually.

I turned slowly to look at her. She was completely serious, I could tell by the look on her face.

“Addie, I love you for coming out here. I really do. But if you came out here to make me watch a movie and vibrate on myself, then you should’ve stayed in New York. I’m not going to open either of these, so you can take them with you when you leave.”

She just rolled her eyes and came over to sit next to me on the couch.

“Not everything ends up the way you want it to in life, Neve. Wanna know why I really got these for you? To see how you would react. If you laughed and opened it, it was because you honestly didn’t care. But you got angry like I thought you would, because you do care. I’m not sure if you care about Arsen, but something about this new friendship with him is making you care. You don’t have to watch it but I’m leaving it here. If you ever get to the point where you can watch it, then you’ll know how you feel about him by the reaction you have,” she said, putting an arm around me and giving me a squeeze.

I sighed unhappily. It was true; everything she just said was true. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be angry. I wasn’t sure what had made me so upset but I wanted to find out.

“Goodnight, Addie,” I said softly.

“Goodnight, kiddo. I’ll see you in the morning and so you know, I want to meet him before I leave,” she replied as she got off the couch and disappeared into the bedroom a second time.

I lay down on the couch and pulled my blanket up to my neck. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. I let out a heavy sigh and opened them again. I reached for my phone, which was sitting next to the vibrator, and powered it on. It was almost three in the morning, so he probably wouldn’t get my message until the morning, but I knew that Addie would hound me about meeting Arsen until it was time for her to leave.

Me: Adesynne is in town. She wants to meet you before she leaves. If you’re not “working” tomorrow, let me know.

As soon as I put the phone down and got comfortable, the screen illuminated the room. I raised an eyebrow and reached for it.

Arsen: I don’t “work” tomorrow. I’d love to meet her.

I bet,I thought rolling my eyes.

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