A Change of Fortune

I’ve always been unlucky. Weird stuff has been happening to me all my life, it’s why I’ve been alone for such a long time. I used to have a lot of friends but over time the weirdness just got too much, and on occasion dangerous. Even my family eventually began avoiding me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame any of them. If I was in their position, I’m sure I’d so the same. I’m like a walking, talking, broken mirror, stepping on cracks, while 13 crows hover above my head.

The day started like any other, I was de-icing my car for the second time that morning, every other car on my street was perfectly immaculate of course, not mine though, never mine. I had gotten up an hour and a half earlier than usual so I had plenty of time to get to work yet that still didn’t help me. I scraped away at the windows until every single flake was gone and my hands were numb, even under my thick woolen mittens. I headed back inside to continue to get ready and surprise, surprise, 20 minutes before I needed to leave, a snowstorm hit. I’m sure most people would think that’s great, I have an excuse not to go to work, and you’d be right… if I still got paid for it. Unfortunately for me this wasn’t the first time this had happened. I’d already taken numerous days off work and now had no holiday left to cover myself. The only reason I still had a job in the first place was due to a stack of boxes falling on top of me and the company giving me leniency because I said I wouldn’t sue. If they’d known just how bad my luck was, they could have guessed it had nothing to do with someone stacking the shelves incorrectly, it was entirely due to my bad luck. I guess that’s something to be thankful for I suppose, I still had a job…for the time being.

The rest of my day wasn’t much better, I called into work and told them the situation, apparently, I wasn’t the only one so they were closing for the day instead. This of course meant no one was getting paid and more people wanting overtime. I took another look outside, stupid mistake of course. The second the curtains pulled apart, BAM! A snowball struck my window causing me to tumble backwards onto the hard wood floor of my living room. I have nothing against children but the temptation was there to start chucking ice water in return. I didn’t, of course, knowing that with my luck I’d only end up with it all over myself anyway. I settled down on the sofa and flicked on the TV. More great news, the snowstorm was here to stay for the next few days, and guess who didn’t do her shopping? That’s right! So I was stuck inside, nowhere to go, no food to eat, and guess what happened next? Here’s a hint, it involves the TV and me spending the next few hours reading instead.
A few hours later, along with several paper cuts, the chime of my doorbell took me away from the wondrous fantasy world I was slowly melding into and thrust me viciously back into the reality of life. Putting my book down I got up from the comfort of my cushy sofa and blanket to answer the door. The first thing that struck me was the biting chill of the cold air as it swirled through my doorway into the hall. I shivered violently as a delivery driver, coated head to toe in white, handed me a large parcel before nodding and trudging back through the rising layers of snow. I thanked him and quickly shut the door again, rushing back to the warmth of my sofa and blanket. Once snuggled in again I pulled the package apart, unveiling a thick hardback book from a series I had looked up previously. I didn’t recall ordering it; it was certainly not something that I could afford to spend money frivolously on, even more so with recent events. I checked the packaging and gave the book a look over for any kind of note but nothing stood out, the address was my own and it was in my name, but after checking my account online I had no record of ordering the book. I shrugged it off and put it to the side before returning to my previous book and jumping back into the comfort of my snuggle fort.
Another few hours passed, I finished my book and ending up throwing it half way across the room as my TV pinged back to life, another news report bringing the wondrous news that the snowstorm would be continuing all through the night and into the early hours of the morning. I sighed and switched over to my laptop to see if there was any chance I could be saved by online shopping and for once I was in luck. The local shop in my village was offering to deliver necessities to those who required it. I posted my details and asked for bread, milk, cheese, etc and awaited a reply back. Turns out I still wasn’t quick enough on signing up, I was on the list for the evening delivery 2 days from now! Still, it could have been worse, at least I was getting something.

I settled in for the night, my stomach growling from skipping not only breakfast but lunch as well. I was in the middle of watching a series on TV when the growling became like an insistent nagging child that couldn’t be ignored any longer. I looked aimlessly into the empty fridge, an old Chinese takeout container, half a bottle of milk, and a lone piece of cheese stared back at me, hardly the heartiest of dinners to say the least. The cupboards weren’t any better, just a can of beans and layers of dust, if this were an anime scene, I’m sure a tumbleweed would have rolled by behind me while the camera panned away and I thumped my forehead onto the empty shelf edge. I sighed weakly as my stomach growled like a starving animal once again. My back-and-forth groaning session was soon interrupted by a gentle rapping on my front door, I pulled my head away and tilted my ear towards the door. I thought it was my imagination at first, but then I heard it again. I peered around the corner of my kitchen like a cat hearing a can of food being opened. A shadow passed by my window through the heavy sleet from outside, heading away from my door. I watched until it completely vanished from view then approached my door. Of course a lot of you are probably in the mindset of ‘who opens the door during an intense snow storm?’ It’s crazy I know, if I was in a horror film, I’d have been the first ditzy moron to walk into the killer’s arms. So… I opened the door, shielding my face from the icy winds, to discover a medium sized parcel on my doorstep. I hurried back inside and brushed off the excess snow, it immediately seeped into my carpet leaving a damp patch, which of course I stepped in straight after, almost tossing the parcel in my fright. I settled back down on the sofa and careful opened the parcel to find it was stuffed to the brim with milk, biscuits, bread rolls, cheese, cake and cookies. Needless to say, I was shocked. I thought they must’ve gotten the wrong address and I’d received someone else’s order by mistake. I went to place the box of goodies down on the table so I could report the mistake when a small sheet of paper slid out from the side, instinctively I picked it up and began to read.

Hey Amelia,
I saw you put an order in and unfortunately you got put into the back end of our delivery schedule, sorry about that. I put some things together for you as I know you only shop once a week and you’re probably running low, hope it helps, if you need anything else just drop me a message.

Stay safe,
Sky.

I couldn’t believe it, I know it’s not unheard of for people to do nice things for others but from a lifetime of experience, those kinds of gestures have never happened for me. I snatched the cookies from the box and tossed the rest into the kitchen. Pouring a glass of milk I jumped back into the cozy nest of blankets and began filling the void in my stomach with copious amounts of chocolate chips and soft dough smothered in icy cold milk.

I must’ve dozed off because when I awoke the pungent smell of souring milk filled my lungs. The glass of milk had spilled all over my blanket and soaked through to my clothes beneath. I slung my head back into the sofa’s cushion and sighed dramatically, I suppose one thing I had to be thankful for was that I could get cleaned up and not have to worry about rushing to work afterwards.
Pinching my nose, I stuffed the stinking blanket and clothing into the washing machine and jumped in the shower to clean off. While the warm water rushed over me the menacing growl of my stomach made itself known again. I sighed and patted my stomach, the action causing the soapy mixture of my shampoo to fire into my eyes, blinding me momentarily as I attempted to wash away the stinging sensation.
With thanks to my personal shopper I had enough for breakfast that morning. I cut myself a slice of cake while my cheese rolls toasted in the oven. I used to have a toasty maker but no matter what setting I put it on, it would always come out burnt. At least in the oven I could sit and watch through the large glass window. The gooey cheese and crusty rolls were like heaven to my taste buds, each bite satiating my hunger little by little. I gazed out of the window as the weather forecast blared behind me. Yep, still snowing I thought as the weatherman waved his hands excitedly over the world behind him, showering in white blips all over the map. I sighed again, the snow would have been up to my knees if I was to go outside now. My car was barely visible on the drive, more a giant snow sculpture than a working vehicle. I sat back into the sofa shivering, my cozy blanket still spinning wildly in the washing machine. I grabbed my winter coat and tucked myself inside, not as good as a blanket but better than nothing at all. A few hours passed, the weather remained blisteringly cold outside, and my boredom was growing, even with the never-ending series online to watch, it wasn’t the same as actually human contact or the freedom of the outdoors. I skimmed through the endless reels of social media for anything to pass the time, a few funny videos and pictures piqued my interest for a while but nothing especially exciting. Through my scrolling I came across someone offering to go out and get supplies in their truck for those who couldn’t, they had snow chains on their tires and a small plow at the front that allowed them to get to and from work. This was the type of person who was prepared for anything. I debated asking if I could go with them just to get out of the house but thought better of it, with my luck I’d end up causing the truck to break down and leave more people stranded.

I watched as the huge truck plowed down my street sometime later, it sliced through the wall of snow effortlessly as a great burly man heaved large crates from the back and bulldozed his way through the snow to people’s doors. I’m a good person, or at least I like to think I am, but going out in this weather and risking my own life and health for others was not something I would personally be doing, even if my luck wasn’t as bad as it is. The burly man waved a huge hand my way grinning widely even as the snow stacked upon him. I tentatively waved back and smiled. The fact he was so cheerful and happy was admirable, here I was in my warm house miserable because I didn’t have my blanket, yet there he was out in the deathly elements helping others and still smiling the whole time. I was about to return to my seat when the trucks window slowly rolled down and Skyler’s smiling face waved back at me. I couldn’t hold back the smile as I felt my cheeks crease up and I waved back. I kept waving until the truck reversed back into the snowstorm, disappearing from sight. My grin dropped, it had only just occurred to me that Skyler must have been trudging through the snow in this horrendous weather with his father to help me out the other day, and all I did in return was an awkward smile and a wave. I’d have to thank him properly next time.

The washing machine began shaking its way along the floor as it came to the end of the cycle. I sighed once again, closing the curtains and going about my usual routine of sitting on top it to stop it going into orbit. 5 minutes and an aching rear later I pulled my sodden blanket from within and tossed it into the tumble dryer. One more hour and my warm and cozy blanket would be wrapped around me again… Just one more hour. I flicked the TV over to another series, grabbing the remainder of the cookies and another slice of cake, while my eyes continuously flicked back and forth from the kitchen as I impatiently awaited my snuggle fort.
I sank deeply into the sofa, my fingertips gripping at its edge as I focused intently on the drama unfolding before my eyes. Fire roared on the screen as the second episode began to reach its climatic cliffhanger, the hero hanging on a fraying rope as he had to make the choice between releasing the woman he loved into the fiery pit of his own making, or trading places and throwing himself into the depths of the lake of heat and smoke. I was focusing so intently that I didn’t notice the thin plume of smoke seeping through the doorway until I breathed it in, my head span so fast I almost gave myself whiplash as I tumbled into the kitchen, ripping the door open and pulling my slightly singed blanket from the tumbler. I screamed into the soft warm blanket as I cursed myself for not getting around to cleaning the lint out sooner. I pushed the windows open to clear the smoke, the freezing winds passed through my home leeching away all the warmth and coziness I’d spent all day building up. I stood there for a while just staring up at the ceiling as I debated my choices on what to do next. Wandering back and forth in my kitchen I opened and closed the fridge a few times before finally settling on a packet of biscuits, my singed blanket and going to bed, where at least some of the warmth might remain.

Morning came again with further news of the wondrous things to come. Three messages greeted me, the first an emergency report informing me that the snowstorm was only going to get worse, I glanced out my window and realized my car was now gone completely, the layers of snow stacked up to the windows, at least 4 feet deep. The next was a notification from my local shop apologizing to customers that they will be unable to deliver anything due to staff being unable to even get into the store let alone, people’s houses. Just my luck I thought, if not for Skyler I really would have been screwed, wished I hadn’t gorged myself now mind you. Then the third. The best news of all, the diner where I worked had a snow plough quite literally plough through the front of the building, collapsing the roof and causing a gas leak in the kitchen. The end of the text informed me that repair work wouldn’t be started until after the snow was cleared and even then, it could take months before we’d be back in. My boss informed me the insurance company will be covering us for the loss of wages but it could take a few weeks, possibly months, to claim. Again, could have been worse I suppose… I could have been fired there and then.
So good and bad news really. I could easily have blamed it on my luck at this point, however I wasn’t the only one losing my freedom, I wasn’t the only one who lost out on their deliveries, and of course I wasn’t the only one losing out on money.
I’m sure a lot of you are reading this thinking I’m just melodramatic, its nothing to do with luck and it’s all in my head, luck doesn’t exist and neither do curses. Well, from this point forward, I’d like to agree with you. I promise the moping and the neediness is coming to a close, cross my heart.

With my unnecessary gorging I was now pretty much back to where I started. I finished off the rest of the bread rolls and was munching on a block of cheese, I still had some cake left but I was saving that for dinner with the tin of beans and leftover cheese in the back of my fridge which I’m pretty sure had turned a mossy shade of green. Once again, I was left with very little to do as I settled in on my sofa, staring blankly at the television as it presented nothing but bad news across every channel. I threw the controller aside, it landed with a hard thud rather than the soft poof I was expecting. I turned my head in confusion to the sound and noticed the book that was delivered, still partially wrapped up in its paper packaging, the corner of the cover peeking out, inviting me to read. I shook my head before smiling widely and gently taking it into my hands, if it was for someone else it wouldn’t hurt for me to read it as long as I don’t damage it, right? Besides, it did have my name and address on it.
I opened up the cover and between the very first pages, in beautiful calligraphy, a hand written note.

Amelia,

I noticed you were looking at this series in the bookstore the other week, I’ve read all of them and they’re incredible, this is the first of the series as I’m sure you already know, but I own them all so message me when your done me a message and I’ll drop off the next one.

P.s. Ignore the address label, I was going to post it but when this snowstorm really hit I thought you could do with it to pass the time.

Stay safe,
Sky.

My heart skipped a beat. Why the book? The food? He hadn’t even charged me for it. I closed the cover and dropped my head between my knees, groaning into the blanket once again. Why was I so awkward? More importantly, what was I going to do? Was this just a friendly gesture, or was this a sign he liked me? He was a really great guy and I got along with him really well, he was handsome, toned like a Greek god if his Instagram feed was anything to go by and really well liked. But…he wasn’t really my type. I grabbed my phone and typed in a quick message thanking him for the food and the book, only the one X at the end to show ‘just friends’, then hit send. Tossing my phone aside I quickly grabbed it back again realizing I should have asked if I could be cheeky and get another food delivery but stopped myself deciding I didn’t want to come off as a freeloader. I opened the cover and read the note again. It seemed friendly, no kisses, no loves or hugs, just someone helping someone else. I sighed and composed myself, it was fine, everything was fine. Putting the note aside I finally began to lose myself in the fantasy and wonders of this whole new world.

Before I knew it, I was turning the last page and staring at the blurb on the back through teary red eyes. I giggled to myself as I wiped them away and hugged the book close to my chest. Skyler was right, it was incredible. I definitely had to thank him for this and politely request the rest of the series while I was at it. I picked up my phone again to a message notification from the man himself, I smiled as I flicked it open.

Hey, stalker 😉 saw you watching me from your window, nice PJ’s btw XD. I’m not much of a reader and my dad said your address wasn’t on our list but I saw a few people out and about so maybe one of them dropped your stuff off? I dunno, if you get stuck drop me a message and I’ll make sure you get put on our list instead. Peace.

My brow furrowed in confusion. I rechecked the note and letter from the food parcel, both had the same handwriting and signed off with Sky. I was holding the notes in my hands as I gazed into the living room when I heard another gentle tap on the door. I dashed into the hall, sliding on my rug and crashing into the wall as the tapping continued. Stupid bad luck I thought. Clutching my now throbbing arm I threw the door open, allowing a small avalanche of snow to slide in from the edges. I jumped back slightly as a startled squeak rang out from the visitor. They were covered head to toe in thick black clothing, the jacket puffed out making them appear much larger than they actually were, a thick mask and ski goggles covered their features. A smarter person would have probably slammed the door shut again, especially after seeing they were wielding a large shovel.
Me on the other hand, I just stood there in my PJ’s staring at the figure, the cold chill seeping through my clothing.
“Can I…help you?” I managed to eventually stutter out, the trance between us broken as the words left my mouth, the snow that had fallen inside now seeping into the rug beneath my feet.
The figure shook their head spraying snow all around them as they pulled down their hood and lifted the goggles. Her bright blue eyes were the first thing that caught my attention, they sparkled against her dark clothing, illuminated by the bright light of the hallway. As she dropped her mask her petite nose and wide smile caused my heart to flutter, she was beautiful.
“Sorry for startling you, I was just clearing a path so I could drop off this food for you”. She pointed behind her towards a sled with a large box covered in a waterproofed cover.
I looked at the sled then back to her, then sled, then her. Her smile dropped slightly as I didn’t react, the same dumbfound look plastered to my face.
“Are you okay? Did you get the last parcel? I didn’t receive a reply but I assumed you probably didn’t have my number”. She laughed softly as she flicked her ice white hair back, the melting snow sticking it to her face.
“Sky?” I murmured, almost a whisper.
Her smile brightened, and her eyes lit up again as she nodded. “That’s me”. She chirped. “Did you like the book? I brought the rest of them with me and a bigger selection of food seeing as this storm’s expected to get worse. Skyler’s dad offered to drop it off for me but I said I’d rather do it my…”
I tossed myself forward, interrupting her, my clothes were immediately soaked from the embrace but I didn’t care. She hesitantly placed her arms around me, being careful as to not soak my clothing any further.
“You’re welcome?”
I released her and smiled back, the realization of how cold it really was made more apparent now by my soaked PJ’s.
“Sorry”. I said through partially chattering teeth. “I mean, thank you. I hadn’t realized it was you who’d been sending me these gifts”. I felt stupid, I didn’t know Sky all that well, I knew she worked part time at the local store and the bookshop but never put two and two together.
“Let me guess, you thought it was Skyler?” She was still smiling.
I nodded weakly, bowing my head in shame for not figuring it out.
“No worries, happens all the time, I’m not as well known and obviously our names are so similar. I should probably try and get out and meet more people like my mum always tell me”. She laughed again, flakes of snow showering the ground around her.
I wanted to say something clever back but all I managed was a pathetic. “Yeah, me too”.
We both stood staring at each other for a few seconds until she motioned a lightbulb moment. “Sorry, I’m letting all the cold in, let me go get your stuff”.
She span and awkwardly trudged through the snow, it had already been piling up again where she had shoveled it. I giggled watching her, I couldn’t help myself.
“Hold on, I’ll help you, let me just get my…” I tried to call out but she put a hand up and called back.
“No need, you stay warm. As warm as you can be in wet clothes and a freezing wind”. She laughed again as she hefted one of the crates to her chest.
I watched helplessly as she make a total of three trips back and forth from the sled, two crates filled with food and another with the series of books.
“Well, that’s everything. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get back out again anytime soon but I put a list in the food crate with my number, and I’m on all social media platforms, you know just in case”.
I laughed as I looked back at my own phone, the screen still on with Skyler’s message front and center.
“Yeah, where would we be without a thousand ways to contact someone”. It sounded funny in my head, but as it left my lips I realized it just sounded desperate.
“My mum loves it! When she sends me a message I end up receiving one on text, one on WhatsApp, one on Facebook, one on Instagram. They all say the exact same thing but it makes her happy so I go along with it”.
“Well, if you need anything drop me a message, preferably only one though, I only have so much free time in this snowstorm”. She winked at me to show her sarcasm then turned to leave.
I paused for a moment before her name slipped from my lips.
“SKY!”
She paused and turned back to face me, her smile grew wider again causing the butterflies to go wild in my stomach. Her lips mouthed words but they never reached my ears, all I could hear was my heart beat getting faster and louder. She waved her hand in front of my face, the sound gradually returning.
“Helloooooo, Amelia? Earth to Amelia”.
I shook my head out and blurted out the words before I could compose them properly.
“Come…do you maybe…cold outside. Want inside?” I span on my heel and stamped my foot as I got myself together. Sky waited patiently, hiding a bubble of laughter behind her smile.
I turned back to face her and tried again. “Do you want to come inside and get out of the cold?”
I noticed a twinkle in her eyes as she thought it over. My heart began beating like a jackhammer, it felt as if it was going to rip from my chest and flee. Then just as her lips opened everything went silent.
“I would love to”.
My eyes grew wide as I stepped backwards giving her room to pass. She slogged back through the snow to collect her sled and propped it up against the wall before shaking herself off and stepping inside.
“Brrrrr, you’ve got it lovely and toasty in here, even with me hanging around with the door open…sorry about that”.
I laughed it off and offered to take her jacket as she peeled the layers off. “That’s on me, I should have offered sooner”.
As sky removed all the layers of clothing I pointed to the long radiator lining the hall then hung her jacket on the coat hook to dry. Now stripped of all the thick layers of clothing to protect her from the elements she jumped up and down on her toes.
“Got to admit, even with the door open your place is certainly a lot warmer than mine, my heaters on the fritz so I either have to have it switched off or blasting the very pits of hell upon me, which wouldn’t be so bad if the bill wasn’t so high”. Her laugh was musical as it echoed down the thin corridor.
I returned her laugh as I racked my mind for something witty to respond, speaking with others was not my strong point, speaking with Sky was even harder for some reason. I could feel myself blushing whenever I went to open my mouth, scaring back the words before I could release them as a response.
“So, what did you think of the book?”. Sky filled in the gaps of silence allowing me another chance to gather my thoughts.
“I loved it, it was truly incredible! I honestly can’t thank you enough for lending it to me”. The words stumbled out so quickly I hadn’t even realized I’d answered.
“Great, those books weigh a ton, think I’d have cried if I’d brought them all this way for nothing”. She lifted one of the food crates and followed me into the kitchen to help pack away.
“I hope I brought enough variety this time, I went on what was on your shopping list before, but this time I got a little of everything”. She placed the box on the side to begin unpacking.
Sky wasn’t kidding when she said a bit of everything. She brought bread, oven bake baguettes, various meats, fruit juice, popcorn, soup, noodles, potatoes, pasta, the list went on and of course more cookies, cake and chocolates.
“This is more than I buy a week! How much do I owe you?”
Sky turned to me in confusion. “Owe me? Don’t be silly, you don’t owe me anything. Think of it as my treat and the beginning of a new…friendship”. The pause was so slight it shouldn’t have been noticeable but I was so fixated on her every word that I noticed…and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Can I at least make you dinner? You brought all this food, I could feed a family for at least a week”.
Sky stacked the canned goods onto the shelves while pondering the idea. “How could I possibly say no to an offer of a home cooked meal”.
I smiled to myself, putting away the last of the food, and gestured for Sky to take a seat on the sofa while I went and got changed. I got dressed into some actual clothes rather than PJ’s and rejoined Sky downstairs, she’d already gotten comfortable in my spot and was tucking herself into my makeshift blanket nest. Her eyes grew wide when she spotted me like a puppy caught in the act of mischief.
“Heyyyy, don’t worry, I left room for you too”. She patted the cushion beside her and lifted the blanket.
I grinned and shook my head as I headed towards the kitchen. “Amelia’s B&B at your service”. I called back to her.
She laughed then called back. “6 out of 5 stars, perfect service”.

I spent the next little while cooking us dinner. I put the potatoes in the pot to boil while I prepared the chicken, bacon and sauce for Hunter’s Chicken. Sky offered to help but I told her to get comfortable and relax so she settled down and began watching a comedy show on TV. With everything cooked to absolute perfection I wrapped the chicken in bacon, slathered it in BBQ sauce and placed a few slices of cheese atop each before putting them in the oven. Then I mashed the potatoes until they were creamy and soft before plating up and grabbing two wine glasses from the fancy display case in my kitchen.
“Ooo, la, la, wine glasses with posh food, this really is a luxurious B&B, make that a 7 out of 5 stars”.
I giggled as I handed over the tray of food and placed the glasses on the table before returning to acquire a bottle of red wine and dramatically presenting it like a waitress.
“A fine blend indeed! Yes, perfect, 2012 was a very good year”. Sky joked in a posh accent.
I giggled childishly. “Was it? Mine was pretty lame to be honest”.
Sky sliced through the chicken, scooping up the potatoes with it and stuffing her mouth full, releasing a satisfied groan. “Oh God that’s good, your review is going to be stupendous”.
I began giggling again as I playfully pushed her arm.
“Sooo, yeah, my 2012 had a lot going on too. My parents got divorced and at the end of the year I moved out to live on my own”. Sky mused, spooning another helping into her mouth.
“I’m so sorry to hear that”. I was genuinely sorry, my parents got divorced when I was young. They’d stayed close and neither ever remarried but it definitely felt as though it was my fault at the time.
Sky shook her head, her mouth still full as she tried to swallow before talking. “It’s fine, honestly it was pretty great, they were arguing a lot around me and my sisters so it was for the best, they sorted me out a place of my own because they had to sell the house and get something smaller. I had a job and was doing well, so it made sense”.
I nodded slowly as I continued eating my meal.
We continued talking back and forth, Sky instigated and carried most of the conversation but I did my best to remain interesting when it was my turn to talk. Soon enough both our plates were cleared and not only were we starting on dessert but also nearing the end of the bottle. Sky had brought a blueberry cheesecake, it was gorgeous, Michelin star quality, melting as it touched my tongue.
“I’d never actually tried this before so I’m glad you invited me in, this is gorgeous”. Sky sighed delightedly as she finished off the last spoonful.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had something this good in my whole life to be honest, again thank you”. I took the last bite and savored it.
I took our plates back to the kitchen as Sky poured the last of the bottle into our glasses.
“Well, looks like we’re out”. She sounded disheartened as the final drops dribbled from the bottle.
I peeked around the corner, another bottle in hand and smiled. Sky’s sly grin made her look so devious, so attractive. I skipped into the room and unscrewed the bottle, placing it on the table beside the empty one. We chinked our glasses together and finished them before pouring the next bottle.

A few hours later and yet another bottle started we were well on our way into the sweet sensation that a good wine brought about. We talked about everything, our lives, our pasts, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends and family, even our plans for the future. It was during this time that something dawned upon me. I’d never felt this way before, I was so relaxed, so calm, the dark cloud that constantly followed me, I couldn’t feel it anymore. Maybe it was the wine, but for once in my life I felt like my luck had changed. I felt lucky to be me.

A familiar picture darkened the TV screen. ‘Are you still watching?’ glared mockingly at us both.
“Wait”. Sky slurred. “What were we watching?”
I bent over giggling uncontrollably. “You know what, I have no idea”.
We both burst out in fits of laughter.
“I haven’t felt this good in years”. Sky swirled her glass around in her fingers. She turned to me and took my hand in hers. “Thank you, Amelia, this has been a great night”.
I smiled and placed my other hand over hers. “I should be thanking you, I don’t think you’ll ever realize how much you’ve helped me over these past few days, this is truly the happiest I’ve been …ever”.
We sat there gazing into each other’s eyes for what felt like only moments but could have been years for all I cared. Sky’s phone buzzed loudly on the table making us both jolt back, laughing at our sudden nerves.
“Sorry, that’s probably my mum, I always call her before I go to bed and…oh wow I didn’t realize it was this late! No wonder she messaged”.
My heart sank as I knew what her next words would be. I continued smiling to hide the emotion I truly wanted to show.
“Well, she’s gone to bed, just wanted to check I wasn’t dead so she’s happy again”. Her laugh was magical, I couldn’t help but smile for real, not just a mask to hide my feelings.
“I know this is a little bit awkward, and feel free to say no of course, but…”
My heart went still, my breath halted, was I dreaming? My eyes flicked back and forth to her own.
“I don’t suppose you’d put up with me for the night? The snow’s really bad and I hadn’t really planned for a pitch-black trudge home, it’s bad enough in the light and I think I’d real…”
“YES”. I said abruptly, a few decibels higher than I intended. “Sorry I mean yes of course you can stay”. I continued in a normal tone. “You can take my bed and I’ll take the sofa”.
Sky shook her head, the motion almost causing her to topple in her inebriated state. “No, no, no, I can’t kick you out of your own bed, I’ll take the sofa, you go up to your bed”.
I pursed my lips attempting to hide my feelings again. “How about a compromise?” I asked.
Sky sipped at her wine and turned to face me. “Go on?”
My mouth went dry instantly, I felt parched even as I took a large gulp of my glass, finishing half of it in one go. “Well, I only have the one blanket, and it can get pretty cold down here at night…” I watched as the corner of Sky’s mouth twitched upwards, the glazed look in her eyes shining brighter.
“We could always snuggle up on the sofa together and finish whatever it was we were watching until we fall asleep?” My heart stopped again; I held my breath for what felt like an eternity as I waited for a reply.
Sky gulped the dregs of her glass and gently placed it on the table, she turned back to me, her smile growing by the second. “That…is the best idea we’ve had all night”.
My heart began beating again and I let out an exhausted sigh of relief.
“I call dibs on the corner; I’ve just about got it printed to the shape of my butt now”.
We both began giggling as we fought over the blanket, Sky leant upon the arm of the sofa while I lay my legs along the other, propping my head on my hand as we restarted the series we had attempted to watch back to the beginning.
Within an hour the gentle snores of Sky’s breathing caught my attention, she was fast asleep. I attempted to move over to the other arm of the sofa so we could both stretch our legs out but as I did so she grunted and tossed herself in my direction, her head landing in my lap as she snorted once, then continued to snore gently. I smiled to myself and felt a single tear fall down my cheek, I brushed it away and snuggled myself into the sofa, pulling the blanket further over us both.
I brushed my fingers through the thick locks of her wavy hair, her soft sleepy snuffles made me smile as I closed my eyes and let myself drift into the comforting embrace of my dreams.

A place where everything was peaceful, everything the way I wanted it, a place where I was in control and my bad luck couldn’t harm me. I stepped into the oasis, my feet hovering above the waves as I approached the small island, the warm white grains tingling between my toes. There, upon the sandy beach lay an unfamiliar sight. What used to be a thick leather-bound tome containing my favourite stories, what used to be my only escape from the harshness of the real world. Instead, lay her. Her beautiful smile, her sweet voice calling to me. I smiled to myself and joined her as we laughed and watched the sun set behind the drifting waves of the ocean.