Elina Wainwright - Circle

«What do you mean?» He was embarrassed.

«Well, you work across the street. You live across the street, too.»

«There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to be close to you,» he replied sarcastically.

I moved closer to him:

«Are you ready for this close up?» I lowered my voice on purpose and whispered those words.

«I… uh…» he was visibly embarrassed.

I laughed out loud:

«I get it. Typical little boy.»

«How’s that?» He was curious about my characterisation.

«You pretend to be all tough and dirty, but you’ve only seen women’s breasts in porn movies.»

The bus stopped at the terminus.

«Hey, actually, no,» he furrowed his brow.

«I’m not so sure about that,» I got up from my seat.

«Then look down. Your blouse is unbuttoned, and I see your breasts right now,» he smiled cheekily.

«What?» I was embarrassed and looked down at my body.

«Fell for it!» He jerked my nose with his index finger.

«How old are you? Five?» I got mad.

He laughed and got off the bus. I followed him.

Rascal…

«Oh, come on. At least I got to see your angry face.»

«And you’ll see that angry face every time you see me,» I circled my face with my index finger.

«Whatever you say, Beauty.»

«Stop calling me that,» I crossed my arms over my chest.

«Why not? You don’t like it?»

«No!»

«Then you’ll have to get used to it,» he shrugged.

«Or just see you less often,» I retorted.

«But it would be legendary.»

«Don’t overestimate yourself,» I rolled my eyes.

«We’ll see about that. Walk you out?» He queried.

«No, I’ll walk myself,» I said offhandedly.

«Well, Lindsay. Are you offended?» he started to soften.

«No. I just don’t want to burden you. I’ll walk myself.»

«Well, suit yourself,» he said.

«Bye!»

«Have a nice evening!» he wished me, and we went our separate ways.

I returned home with a sense of accomplishment. However, Armie had not yet responded to me regarding the purchase of the unit.

«Hi!» I heard Lizzie’s voice as I entered the apartment. «There’s vegan lasagna on the stove.»

«Thank you!» I took off my shoes and went into the bathroom.

The phone vibrated in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out of my pocket, expecting an eulogy from Armie. But there was another name on the screen.

«If you need help again, you’re welcome», – it was Henry.

«Thank you again,» I typed back.

«My pleasure, Beauty!» – I read the message in his voice.

«And whose messages are you smiling at?» Lizzie came up to me.

«What? No,» I countered unconvincingly.

«Okay, I’ll stay out of it,» she raised her palms to her chest.

Damn, am I smiling at his messages?

What a…

«Lindsay, now! We have to fight off these snakes!» my mother handed me a stick and proceeded to knock down the snakes that enveloped the whole place in our house in Quebec.

«What? I…» I didn’t immediately understand what was happening. The house was literally covered in snakes.

«Don’t just stand there!» I heard Lizzie yell, who was also trying to fight off the reptiles.

I clutched the stick in my hands and started waving it in the air. But I noticed that the snakes didn’t touch me anyway.

«Hey, take the fire!» I turned around at the unfamiliar voice. Or rather, a familiar voice. It was the same guy I’d often seen in my sleep, but who I’d never seen in my life. To be honest, I had long dreamed of meeting him in real life, but it was more like a pipe dream.

I snatched the torch from his hands and started waving it around.

«Go outside!» my mother shouted at me.

«What? Why?» I didn’t understand.

«Your help is needed there.»

I clutched the torch even harder and ran outside. It was no better there. There were snakes everywhere. Even in the snow. Some dog ran up to me and started licking my legs.

«Get away from me! Now is not the time!» I yelled at the animal. But it didn’t listen and went on licking my legs.

«Leave me alone!» I shoved the dog away from me. It squealed and hit a rock so hard that its neck broke.

«Oh, no!» The torch fell from my hands, and the snakes started crawling toward me, but I didn’t pay any attention to them. «What have I done?!» I ran up to the poor animal and palpated him. – Does it hurt?

«Yes,» the dog barely answered me in a man’s voice. Meanwhile, the snakes were almost at my feet.

«Now, honey, be patient. I’ll save you,» I tried to lift the dog in my arms and looked around our yard. I noticed that there was a wooden structure in the corner that had a lot of animals in it. I don’t know why, but the first thought that crossed my mind was that it was a veterinary clinic.

I lifted the poor animal into my arms. The dog grunted in my arms. Shit, I’m such a bitch. I almost killed an innocent creature. No forgiveness for me.

I ran through the curly bodies of the snakes toward the sanitarium. There were all kinds of animals at the entrance, from squirrels to bears. When they saw the panicked me, they parted ways.

I ran inside and saw a girl in a white coat and gloves.

«Hello!» I tried to catch my breath. «Help me, please!» I put the dog down on the cot.

«What happened to him?» calmly asked the girl doctor..

«I kicked him and broke his neck. Please help me. I don’t want him to suffer because of me. I really didn’t mean to,» the words poured out of me in a torrent.

«Calm,» the girl began to examine the dog.

«Is he going to be okay?» I didn’t let up.

«Yes,» the doctor looked at me. «It wasn’t your fault. He came to you with his neck already twisted.»

«What?» I didn’t understand.

Turururu-turururu! Turururu-turururu!

Damn alarm clock!

I looked up. There were the same annoying orange walls and Lizzie sleeping peacefully on the couch.

I dropped my head on the pillow and rubbed my face with my hands.

«Phew! That’ a dream…» I muttered.

«Let me sleep!» I heard Lizzie yell from the couch.

I turned on my other side and wondered what my dream could mean. I wouldn’t have paid attention to it if I hadn’t known that all of my dreams were prophetic.

Saturday. I had nothing to do. Lizzie had gone out of town for two days to shoot, and I had no work as such, so I just lay on my bed and watched Ginny and Georgia. The main character on the series was adorable: beautiful, smart, charming and a bit sarcastic. I wish I could be like her. So far I have only the last item on her list of talents in my arsenal. I called Camellia to exchange the latest news and pass the time.

«Hi, friend! What’s new? How’s New York?» I asked.

«It’s great. We’re looking for an apartment to live in with Alex. How are you doing? What’s new with you?»

«It’s just the same,» I exhaled. «I had the strangest dream last night,» I admitted.

«So, what was it?» She asked. «Your dreams always mean something.»

I briefly told her about the dream.

«What does it mean? Do you have any idea?» Cami inquired.

«I don’t know. That there are a lot of snakes around, and that I would blame myself for other people’s troubles that I had nothing to do with,» I guessed.