Insufferable Proximity (27 page)

When the waiter brought out a silver tray of freshly made strawberry shortcake, Petal stopped what she was doing and squealed. She quickly served herself a large plate and began to eat, moaning and groaning like she always had. Then suddenly she looked up from her plate and directly into Heaven’s eyes.

“This is so amazing!” she moaned looking at Heaven who was the only one beside Julian who was not eating strawberry shortcake. “You have to try it girl!” then winked at Heaven.

Heaven sat there silently, trying her hardest to act nonchalant, even though Petal’s actions had just floored her. Sure it would be reasonable to come to the conclusion that Petal had only spoken to her directly because she was the only one not trying the strawberry shortcake, just as easy as it was to assume that the wink that followed, was nothing more than a habit of a flirty girl.

But in her heart, Heaven knew what that wink really meant.

She thought back to that strange day and the slim platinum blonde who would eventually become a friend. Heaven was 13 the first time she met Petal, who had been enjoying a rather large strawberry shortcake at Heaven’s mothers kitchen table. Heaven was on spring break from boarding school and had decided to go home to find work and save some money, since she needed every penny she could get and refused to take her mother’s hand outs.

The very skinny girl with the big white blonde hair and the paint by numbers make up approach. She was also wearing a hot pink zebra striped dress that was small enough to be considered a leg warmer, her appearance not consistent with the young girl underneath.

“This is amazing, like the best strawberry shortcake I’ve ever had.” she had said as she took another bite, but Heaven ignored her and continued to make her power shake. “Your mother said that the cook sometimes makes it special when you come home.” Heaven looked up from what she was doing but didn’t say a word. “She said the cook makes a few different things, she said you have a sweet tooth like me. I love it when you come home.”

“Wow, she sure said a lot.” Heaven said with her irritation obvious in her words but the platinum haired girl just smiled in return.

“You really should try this girl, you will love It.” she said, taking another bite, then she began speaking, her mouth full. “You could always take a little bite, you are having a ‘liquid pounds’ health shake, they’re super healthy for you and cleanse your system while chocking you full of all the essential vitamins.” she purred, “One little bite won’t mess that up.”

Heaven looked up at the girl as she finished blending her shake then walked over to the table and sat across form her.

“Who are you?” Heaven had asked bluntly.

“I’m Petal, nice to officially meet you Sevigne, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I see that.”

“Your mother adores you.”

“My mother has a big mouth. How old are you?”

“Two years older than you, I‘m fifteen.”

“Why are you here?”

“You know why.” she winked

“Aren’t you a little too young for that.” she gasped.

“I’m not doing that yet, your mother said I had to wait until I was old enough.”

“So why are you here? What do you like living in brothels or something?”

“I guess I don’t mind so much, so long as there’s a roof over my head.”

“You’re homeless?”

“Not now, thanks to your mother.”

“How did you meet my mother?”

“My mom used to work here, her name was Posey.”

“I remember Posey.” she thought of the skinny woman who had been bleeding all over her mother’s front steps one night begging for employment. Then she suddenly remembered the white haired little girl that was with her. The little girl was filthy, her clothes sour and her health obviously poor. After Sybille had made sure the girl was clean and well fed, Heaven remembered taking the frail girl up to her room then giving her two large boxes of clothing, shoes and all the makeup her mother had bought for her, which she would never use.

“Do you remember me now?” Petal asked and Heaven nodded. “I always wanted to thank you.”

“I should have thanked
you
,” Heaven frowned, “for taking all those horrific pink clothes that my mother was trying to force down my throat.”

“I love pink, it’s my favorite color?”

“Pink is just a weak version of red, way to watered down to be significant.”

“What is your favorite color?” she asked before shoveling another heaping spoonful of shortcake into her mouth.

“Red.” she answered, then frowned. “So where is your mother now?”

“Dead, she OD’d.” Petal frowned, and then quickly changed the subject. “So your mom said I should get off the street and stop tricking at least until I’m old enough.” she took another bite of her strawberry shortcake.

“You don’t have to trick at all, you can do something different with your life.” Heaven tried to reason with her.

“Yeah, your mom doesn’t want me to either, she’s trying to talk me into a different life, but I don’t know any other way.” she shrugged, “My mom raised me to do this.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to still do it, you’re smart and persuasive, you could easily be a lawyer.” Heaven told her and Petal looked up at her, her pale eyes wide with emotion before she smiled from ear to ear, no one had ever called her smart before, the only thing she had ever been called was a whore or a slut, it felt nice to be appreciated especially by a no nonsense girl who was known for being blunt as well as painfully honest.

“I wish.”

“Wishing is for fools and birthday cakes, make it happen.”

“Thank you.” Petal said with emotion in her eyes.

“For what?”

“For even thinking that I could.”

“You can, you’re a very clever girl and you can do much better for yourself then this life.” she said then stood up, “Get a hold of me if you ever change your mind.”

“Heaven.” Julian’s voice broke through her thoughts and she looked at Petal who was still grinning at her. Julian took her hand and kissed it before she finally turned to him.

He was grinning, wondering what she was so absorbed in, she had been in a strange mood all evening and he wondered what was going on in that mind of hers.

“Yes?” she asked as her brows rose.

“You alright?’

“I’m fine.” she half smiled then took another sip of her mimosa.

Petal smiled to herself, of course she knew who Julian’s beautiful date was, she had known the second she saw her. Petal had been called a lot of things in her life, but she had never been called smart. How could she forget the only girl who had told her she could do something more for herself. The same girl who had given her boxes of pastel colored clothing and being a friend when Petal was in a terrifying situation. Not to mention the fact they had spent years together in that house before they both moved out.

Heaven was the reason that Petal had started to get smart, maybe it wasn’t in the manner that she had meant, but Petal had applied it to her own way of life and had been successful because of it.

She was happy to see her looking so beautiful, finally letting that true beauty shine instead of hiding it.

She could tell that Heaven was uncomfortable and she wished there was a way to reassure her, but doing so now would only draw attention to the fact that she already knew her. It was obvious to Petal that King did not know that part of Heaven’s life, regardless of the fact that he had been one of Sybille’s costumers. Petal had never had sex with him, but she knew a few girls who had over the years. No, petal would never expose Heaven’s secret, she owed a lot to her.

***

“You behave now,” Helena winked at him.

“She is amazing, absolutely beautiful.” Leister said.

“Breathtaking.” Helena agreed.

“Too bad that beauty’s wasted on King, Mr. Fuck them and leave them.” Lincoln said with a mighty grin. “The killer Casanova.”

“With a trail of broken hearts to prove it.” Camilla smiled.

“But not this one, I suspect.” Helena turned to him knowingly, “she’s the type to appreciate, not neglect nor dismiss, she’s a forget-me-not.”

Heaven walked out of the restroom and back over to Julian who was saying goodbye to his friends.

“It was such a pleasure to meet you darling.” Camilla said with a wink.

“Thank you.” Heaven answered then felt herself suddenly being embraced by Helena.

“Will you be coming to Aries’s party?” she asked and Heaven looked at her in confusion.

“Next month I will be throwing my Birthday bash, you must come.” Camille cut Helena off then suddenly Heaven felt herself being swept into a big hug.

“I’m so glad you came.” Petal said than kissed Heaven on the cheek and wrapped her cotton candy scented arms around her for another quick hug before she pulled away.

“Don’t mind her,” Camilla grinned, “she loves everyone after a bottle of champagne.”

“Good night.” Julian cut them off, then grabbing Heavens hand, he led her out of the house and away from the barrage of questions.

Julian held Heavens hand as he helped her in the limo, he immediately shut the privacy window.

“Your friends are nice.” she said feeling as if the champagne was sloshing around in her skull.

“They’re alright.”

“I don’t feel so well.” she said, feeling the space inside the limo spinning around her.

“You’re drunk.” he said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around her. She leaned into him and tried to force her head to stop spinning or at least try not to think about it. He unzipped the back of her dress and began rubbing her back, watching her drift off to sleep. He held her until the limo finally stopped then he picked her up and carried her into the house, heading straight up stairs to his room.

“Slow down.” she whined as she woke up, feeling worse then she had on the way home. “I hate this, it feels like there’s a hurricane is in my head and several tornados in my stomach.” she cried resting her head on his shoulder.

“We’re almost there.” he reassured her.

“Bathroom.” she slurred as he walked into the bedroom and he headed straight to the bathroom. She went down to her knees in front of the toilet and he held her hair back from her face. He helped her stand, wiped her face off and gave her a cup of mouthwash, which she managed to drip down the front of her dress. He carried her back into the bedroom and stood her before him then reached down and pulled her dress up. She lifted her arms as he slid it off and then tossed it in a heap on the floor. He opened his dresser and grabbed his large t-shirt but she pushed it away when he handed it to her.

“It’s too hot,” she said standing there in just her pumps “help me get this off.”

She sat down on the bed and reaching for her shoe. He kneeled on one leg before her and removed her shoes, enjoying the amazing view as he did so.

“I think I’m going to get sick.” she said trying to stand, but he picked her up and raced her back to the bathroom where they repeated the previous process. This time after she had finished, she brushed her teeth and Julian went out to his room to grab the bottle of headache medicine and a bottle of spring water then returned to the bathroom and started the bathwater. After rinsing her mouth again with the peppermint mouthwash, she walked over to stand before him and he promptly handed her the two pills

“What is it?”

“Pain killers, you’re going to need them.” he explained and when she put them in her mouth, he handed her the cold water and she drank greedily. Once she had taken them, he picked her up and sat her down in the tub. 

“My head is pounding.” she whined, putting her hands to her head.

“Just relax Princess, that medicine will bring you some relief soon.” he said as he began to gently wash her body. The warm water enveloped Heaven and the lilac scented bath oil drifted through the room and helped calm her.

***

The high pitched wail of Heaven’s alarm clock rang relentlessly through the room, its obnoxious ring ricocheted off the walls only to spit through her sensitive eardrums like bullets. Normally she would wake up refreshed and ready to go, but this morning was different. That sound used to signal the start of a brand new day for her, it represented the sound of opportunity ringing, but where it once brought the tingle of anxious anticipation, now it filled her senses with dread. After the long night she had spent appeasing Julian’s never ending cravings, the last thing she wanted to do was stand in court and argue her case. Her body was still tingling, her breasts were tender from Julian’s eager mouth and she wasn’t sure if she would even be able to drag herself out of bed, let alone face the day.

In a move rare to her, she hit the snooze button and went right back to sleep. It felt like she had only shut her eyes for a second before her alarm went off again. She forced herself out of the bed, looking at Julian, who wasn’t even disturbed by the horrific ringing. No, he wouldn’t be getting up for at least another hour. Her legs felt like they were wrapped in heavy steel as she flung them to the floor, her feet hitting the carpet with a deafening thud. When the jolt from her feet hitting the floor, raced up her legs to jolt through her sex, she knew today would be one of those days she wished she had of just stayed home.