A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum (Lena and Madeline)

[Madeline Ezperanza-Colette]

Wait until dark, that was their rule because Madeline's life was messy and chaotic and she did not want to drag Lena down or right back into a triggering situation. As it was, Lena did not even know the full truth about her ever evasive best friend and the myriad of groups and people who wanted Madeline each for selfish and likely sick reasons. If Lena knew the whole unfiltered truth she would go on a murdering spree and not only did Madeline not want some of these people dead, because she would not be able to handle their loss, she did not want to ever be the cause of violence or anything of the like. Madeline drew in a whistling breath as she rubbed her eyes after staring at paperwork all morning. She leaned her elbows on her desk continuing to rub her eyes in a restless frustration over the days work and it was only morning, her father had not even come downstairs to the art gallery yet. With a quick moment of gathering herself again, she blinked and focused on the man vying for her attention trying to talk about an art piece as a means to try and talk to her, she blankly peered at him as he spoke at her. A charming smile that never reached her eyes lighting up her face when he finally let her speak, he did not get her number but she got his money. All Madeline had to do was show him her favourite pieces and like a moth, to a flame, he bought every one hoping it would impress her; it did not. 

I locked the door behind him as I ushered him out because even though we had just opened I needed a break. Or at least a moment to breathe until my dad came down to help me; my head shifts towards my phone as it blinks indicating I had missed a call but it had not even rung, to begin with. I frowned as I checked who had called realising it was Lena, I checked her message and chuckled because as per usual she was playfully livid I had missed her call. More importantly, she was coming home and she was demanding I be there but did she answer my call when I called her back? No. I rolled my eyes as I checked the date, she was kind enough to give me time to get away from everyone without drawing too much attention and I could finish some of the paperwork I was behind on. 

The warm sun streamed through the window and danced against Madeline's face. It stirred her awake and she groaned sitting up with her head in a daze and her vision a haze; Jetlag was beating her up and winning because she was tired and fatigued. She sat at the edge of the bed and cracked open the window as she took a breath as listened to the world, felt the cold floor under her feet, the warm Cali sun against her face and the vastly different sounds of outside. The world away from Nawlins was very different and Madeline could not decide if that was good or bad to her. With Lena being a musician the acoustics in her home were important and that made this one of Madeline's favourite places away from nature. Madeline made her way to the living room glancing at the time with a forward of her brow because Lena was late and unless something had happened this was unlike her. 

I laid on the floor taking in the vibrations of all the subtle sounds around me and closed my eyes. At this point, with how late she was arriving I was now waiting for her call from a jail cell asking me to bail her out which I would do in a heartbeat. My mind wandered as I waited to try to remember the last time I had seen Le, how long had it been? Was it Brandon's funeral? Was it Artemis's? Or was it when we both got arrested? I let out an exasperated groan as I racked my mind and rubbed my face in vexation because I prided myself on remembering these things but my mind was tired, I was tired. A split-second thought and I wondered was it due to my flower slowly dying? Or was it me affecting the flower by pushing myself too hard? My thoughts were obstructed by the sound of the front door open and close causing me to sit up with wide eyes unable to control how brightly I smiled, I did not want to anyway. I shot to my feet "Lena!" I said in excitement and slight surprise as I jogged right into her arms for a tight hug. "I thought you got arrested... Again!" I chuckled out as we naturally rocked to and fro in the hug before pulling back to squint at her "why are you late?" 

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The island sun beats down on her head, not that Lena really took much notice of it. The sun is her friend, caressing her skin and kissing her hair with a golden light that makes her blonde strands somehow seem to glow. Of course bright day here, early morning back in New Orleans, which is why Lena is fiddling with her phone while standing in front of the building. Her interest was piqued as soon as she noticed the fliers, the resort a fantastic chain connected over many vacation destinations and one in particular had caught her eye, mostly due to the luxury ice cream bar being included. Maddie would adore it. There’s just one little catch…

She huffs as the call goes to voicemail, hanging up and instead sending her dear friend a message. ‘I know you’re there, you jerk. How dare you not answer me, what if I was in trouble??? I have half a mind to return your presents! Okay but seriously, I miss you, I’m coming home in a few days, and I expect you to be there when I come in. Kay? Kay. Love ya <3’ complete with emojis because that’s just the way she is and Maddie has come to expect it from her by now. She sticks her phone back in her bag as she walks into the building, a blinding smile in place and more than ready to charm the agents into getting exactly what she wants. Who cares if it’s fake? Not like they’ll ever know.

She yawns into her sleeve as the plane finally begins its descent. Jet lag is a bitch and a half but finally, blessedly, she’s back in Cali. It’s been… months at least? She comes back more often now that all the jackasses that made her life miserable are long dead but that doesn’t mean she comes back often. It's been even longer since she saw Maddie, something she regrets but quite often it's hard to get them both on an available day. She enjoys travelling, enjoys meeting new people, and wants to drag Maddie with her. This time she won’t let her friend refuse. Or, well, she will. She’s not that much of an asshole but she’s going to make it an offer that Maddie will have one hell of a time refusing. Packing light is a favorite pastime of hers and she grabs her single bag from the claim before pulling her phone out, only to curse at the black screen. Dead. Of course. She’s already late thanks to all the layovers back in Europe, this is all she needs. Maddie has got to be worried by now, it’s not like Lena to be late and they both know it. Needing to get back home to shower and reassure her friend she wastes no time in hailing a taxi. From the airport it’s a fairly short drive to her small home, the only place in the world Lena does consider a home. Back when Maddie first picked it out for her, the area had been small and new, the house cheap but quite nice. Now it’s prime real estate and Lena has it cheaper than anyone else. Fantastic deal. Great for those who live as long as they do.

Everything’s quiet for just a moment as she enters, the natural light from the windows the only illumination. Then she hears a familiar voice call her name and she’s opening her arms for the hug she sees coming her way, a laugh bubbling up out of her as Maddie rockets at her. “Maddie!” she gives her a gentle squeeze, pulling the rocking into more exaggerated spinning just because. “Arrested? Me? Why I never! There was a dinosaur attack downtown, I had to fight off a T-Rex! Didn’t you see it on TV?” She’s still not certain how she manages to keep a straight face with some of these stories but she manages for a few moments before she loses her composure and starts laughing. “No, I got caught in layovers over Europe and my fucking phone died. But I brought you a thing from Greece I think you’ll like!” She reaches up to lightly pat Maddie’s head, ruffling her hair before dropping her bag on the counter and digging into it. She always makes a point of bringing her back gifts from her trips. “How have you been? Tell me everything!”

[Madeline Ezperanza-Colette]

As Lena began to explain her reason for being late Madeline's brow rose and a smirk formed on her face. "You mean to tell me that was not Jurassic Park?" She asked with a playfully sarcastic tone in her voice before rolling her eyes and chuckling. She hummed in understanding when Lena's real reason came to light and she simply just slipped her dead phone from her fingers and placed it on a charger nearby. "Greece?!" She quickly spins with a spark of intrigue in her eyes which is nothing new because her response is almost always the same when learning what new place Lena has gone to now. Only varying in interest and enthusiasm depending on how interested Madeline is in the place herself. 

I could count on one hand the places I've been but the list of places I wanted to go to was endless. The world was filled with wonders secrets and I was for now stuck in place. That did make every gift I was given from some new place I will probably never see all the more important; these gifts were also the only things I kept outside of essentials as I was not one for material things outside of these gifts. I was quickly distracted from the gift however when Lena's next question registers in my mind. Tell her everything she has missed... Like that my mother was alive but a banshee out to kill me for all the wrong reasons? Or my late best friend's, before her, family has been trying to get their cold dead fingers on me for some unknown reason? Maybe I should tell her that was recruited by a private militia as a translator for an exhibition in a rainforest to help the local tribes save it and that the last three translators did not come back alive? I am sure that would go over great! 

"You have not really missed much. It is hurricane season again so everyone, myself included have been preparing for that. AND before you give me a tongue lashing for running out into the hurricane last time I will remind you again I was trying to save some of the children I had been teaching art to." She is very quick to respond despite the spiralling thoughts flying around her mind and every word comes with a growing smile that bubbles up and into her words. Causing a faint giggle to coat her last few words. "Tell of your adventures. Who did you kill this time?" She asks with a cheeky smile covertly avoiding telling Lena the whole truth simply because she knows they will only lead to violence.