Chapter 2 Cousin

When they finally got home, Ariana's cousin was standing in front of the door.

"You are very late, I have been standing here for hours" Ariana's cousin said

"Girl, don't lie. You probably haven't stayed here for thirty minutes" Ariana replied and opened the door.

"Good night Ariana" Noelle said and she entered her apartment.

Noelle walked into her apartment and switched on the lights. She dropped her purse on the floor and she sat on the bed. Looking around her room, she sighed.

"Mom would probably be rolling in her grave right now" she said to herself. Her room was a mess but she did not care. Some days, like today, she felt a pang of guilt. Her mom raised her better than this, her mom always loved a neat and tidy home but this apartment was the complete opposite of that. There were clothes every where. The kitchen was an eye sore, days old dishes were in the sink. The bin was full and was due to be emptied. The only clean place was the bathroom. She kept it clean because she hated a dirty bathroom. What an irony.

"I am a very busy person, I wake up really early and come back real late. I do not have time to clean" she defended herself, trying to kill the guilt that was eating her up.

"Fine, I will clean it now" she said to herself. She connected her phone to the speakers and played songs from her 'favourite playlist'. She started from the kitchen, she cleared the table and put the dirty dishes in the sink. After clearing the table, she moved to the sink. She washed the dishes and put them in the rack to dry. She swept and mopped the floor.

Moving to the living room, she picked every piece of clothing she found, she put them in a rack to dry.

After she was done with cleaning, she was tired and hungry. She wanted to order pizza but decided against it. She chose to visit Ariana.

She went to Ariana's door and knocked on it. Ariana opened the door the second time she knocked.

"I have been knocking for hours".

"Hey, sorry I was in the shower, I did not hear you knocking" Ariana apologized

"It is okay, can I come in?" She asked

"You don't even have to ask" Ariana said and opened the door wide for Noelle to enter.

When Noelle entered she looked around for Ariana's cousin but there was no sign of her.

"Where is she, where is the queen bee?" She whispered

"In the shower, she entered as soon as I came out." Ariana replied.

"I am starving, is there any food?" Noelle asked walking into the kitchen.

"There is some left over lasagna in the fridge." Ariana replied

"Is it still edible?" She asked as she opened the fridge, she brought out the plate of lasagna and put it in the microwave.

"Of course it is still edible, I made it this morning" Ariana replied

"Some times I wonder how you have time to do all these things but then I remember that it is you. The great Ariana. You can do anything you put your mind to, I wanna be like you when I grow up. You are so amazing" Noelle praised Ariana

"Girl, enough the praises. You can sing my praises from now till next year but I am still not letting you drink my wine." Ariana said

"Ariana, that wine has been sitting on that shelf for months. It is so lonely. It is literally calling my name, listen"

"Noelle, Noelle please save me. I am so lonely here, it is so scary up here. Save me by drinking me please " Noelle said faking a tiny voice. The microwave dinged and it was time to take the plate out of the microwave.

"Girl, take that plate out of my microwave and don't burn down my house." Ariana laughed.

"You are so mean, I thought we were friends" Noelle said as she brought out the plate from the microwave.

"We are"

"Friends share wine, they do not hide sweet wine from each other." Noelle said as she began to eat.

"Friends also save each other, I am saving you from hang over and terrible headache. You will thank me tomorrow. Besides you can not control your liquor, you drink till you are drunk then you pass out and I would be the one to carry you. Plus, you have to go to work tomorrow. You know Mr Brennan is already pissed at you, any more mistakes and you are losing that job." Ariana explained.

"Okay mom, you did not really have to tell me that boring story" Noelle was being sarcastic and they both burst out laughing. Their laughter was interrupted by Ariana's cousin entrance.

"Is there any food?" She asked

"Oh, you are too late. Noelle just ate the last of it. I could make a sandwich for you" Ariana said.

"I would love that, thank you" she replied.

Ariana stood up from her chair and started making the sandwich. She was just spreading the mayonnaise when Noelle came to drop the plate in the sink.

"Did she just say thank you or do I need hearing aids?" Noelle asked quietly, making sure Ariana's cousin did not hear her.

"I thought I was the only one that heard it, she was probably being sarcastic." Ariana replied.

"Is it just me or she looks different. I don't know, calmer I think" Noelle asked

"Her engagement got called off" Ariana whispered and Noelle gasped.

"No way, how sure are you? Was she engaged? I had no idea. I wonder what type of guy would even dream of marrying her. Crazy bitch, no wonder he called off the engagement, no one can stand her crazy attitude" Noelle said

"That's not why the engagement was called off, it was because she was caught in bed with another man" Ariana said.

"Are you not done?" Ariana's cousin called out.

"Almost done " she replied.