Feeling Lucky! (part 4)

"Well, well, well...who is this stranger and what could she possibly want?" I was about to turn and start laughing when I heard Tish approach me, then I realised how serious she was. Her normal bright feature was replaced with a dull, somber disposition and it bothered me. What exactly had Diego said to her?
"Now I thought that maybe I had been left in the dark for a reason...but then I thought hmm... why would Ellie not tell me if I had done something wrong?" She stood directly in front of me with a tough exterior, I had always admired her strong will. 


"Tish...I'm sorry - I had meant to call...but..."


"But what...?"

"I don't know? It was a difficult situation..." I looked like a child who was being told off by the teacher for scribbling on the walls. Tish had that effect on people, who had wronged her. 


"Diego said that I was the one responsible for the argument you two had that night." 


"Tish you don't believe him do you?" 

"For a moment I didn't...thought I'd hear the truth from you. But when you never called or came over...I started to believe him." She looked reserved and calm, awaiting my reply. 


"Tish...'yes' we fought that night and 'yes' he did put the blame on you...but did you really think that I would blame you? My best friend who has always been there for me?" 


"Well than why did he call and say that you blamed me for pressuring you into going to that bar?" 


"Because he's an idiot who has got nothing else better to do than make other people's lives a misery..." I tried my hardest to make her see sense - see anything at all! To try and make her see reason, whatever Diego had said... he had done his best to make her turn against me. 

"Right - that explains everything doesn't it?"  She started pacing the area around us like a crazed bee, I knew I was going to get stung hard. 


"Look Tish, that night things got out of hand between me and Diego, yuh know one thing lead to another and he hit me..."

"Oh girl... I'm sorry - I didn't know..." She clutched me in her arms and held me there until I couldn't breathe, it was the longest hug we had ever had and I knew she was beating herself up over giving me a hard time. 


"Tish really... its fine now... okay?" 


"Girl, I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch if its the last thing I do!" 

"No Tish... you're not like Diego...I don't want you worrying okay?"


"What! You haven't even gone to police about it?" I looked a little confused.


"Tish why would I go to the police?" 


"I don't know? Get him charged with domestic abuse?" I couldn't believe she was being serious. 


"Tish it really wasn't like that...Yuh know? It was bound to happen sooner or later..."


"Girl - it shouldn't have happened at all!" Her frustration was obvious, and her pupils had grown in size showing all the anger that she was feeling. 

Me and Tish had known each other since High School. Tish with her amazing good looks, and a personality to match, she hated the popular girls - but I always associated her as being one. She was always in a crowd of people, people from the 'it' crowd and people who you never thought she would speak too. 
That was one quality I adored her for, she hated labelling and anything to do with stereotypes - to Tish she didn't care whether she was friends with geek's; cheerleader's, football players, emo's  as long as they were real. Real people in Tishes mind made for good friends and that was all that Tish wanted. With her Mom's job meaning they had to move states a lot, Tish never had the same group of friends. 

But with me...I was the 'awkward' girl. The girl who had a hard time being noticed let a lone having lots and lots of friends. But when I met Tish - she gave me a confidence I never even knew I had, and I was always grateful for that - though I never told her so.  


"So what have you been doing all this time? You're not gonna go back to him are you?" 


"No Tish! I broke up with a few days ago...what other choice did I have?" I was quite saddened that she thought I would go back to Diego and try and make things work...I could never forgive him for how he made me feel.


"Good! God - if you would have said you were...I don't know what I would have done man..." With that we started entering her house...her beautiful black siding house, with modern furnishings and enticing views of the whole plain. Of which I was incredibly jealous of!

When we made it inside I noticed something rather furry and dazzlingly soft, with big brown eyes - which resembled the features of a puppy, destroying Tishes brand new coffee table! I had no idea that Tish had even bought a puppy, and now it was in her house  completely destroying it...I laughed at the thought. 

"Oh no Lucky - No! Stop that! Bad boy, what have I told you about eating Mommy's black Glo- Li- La coffee table!" She charged up to him with fiery gestures and began reinforcing his naughty behaviour. 

"I read in a magazine its good to reinforce good behaviour when you're puppy's young because they learn more...Oh by the way...have you met Lucky?" I looked at her like trying not to laugh, but the way in which she introduced us was something quite out of the ordinary. 


"No, I don't believe I have - and I guess I wasn't the only one forgetting to call huh?" She gave me a nudge and I said my 'hello's', thinking the whole time how cute the little guy was. He was brown and black, with such an angelic face, how anyone couldn't love something as adorable as this I didn't know?

"When did you get him?" 


"About a week ago...I adopted him..." 


"Really!" I couldn't believe it. Tish adopting a puppy out of the blue like that really made me admire her even more.


"Yeah I was sat at home one day after getting back from work; sitting on the couch thinking how empty this place was. And I really wondered what it would be like if I had something that would liven the place up a bit...yuh know?" 


"Well no...but I guess I don't blame you're motives. He's so cute though!" I couldn't help myself - I had to try and pull the craziest of faces, like I was humouring a baby or something.


" Girl...you crazy!"  


"What! I love puppies! Especially this little guy...yes! Especially this little wonderful guy!" The squeak in my voice was worrying me, I hope I wouldn't turn out like one of those kid crazy parents! 


                                                                                                                                                                                           

"Well he seems to like you Ellie...wanna babysit every once in a while?" Her expression seemed desperate, but I couldn't tolerate a puppy and a store. 


"Ha! very funny...but no thanks." 


"Why not? Just think how much fun you two would have?" 


"Yeah and why would I want to steal you're thunder hmm?" 


"My thunder - is that what we're calling it these days?" 


"It's not got anything to do with Orlando has it?" 


"Yes! it has everything to do with that down right nasty player!" Orlando was the guy Tish had been dating for a couple of months - after sex - nothing else could satisfy him. Tish wanted things to go further - Orlando wanted 'to have his cake and eat it too'. 


"Tish...you knew what he was like before you started sleeping with him - I mean you knew he didn't want to be an item." I stopped messing about with Lucky and things grew serious. 


"Well Ellie you can't help who you fall in love with right?" 


"That's right...but you can't keep beating yourself up over it - I mean you have to draw the line somewhere." 

"Yeah I know - but like you said it doesn't matter. I mean it hardly comes close to what you've been through." 


"Look. Diego and me are old news - I want to be here for you now...okay?" I waited for her to continue, but she slumped back and gave me a crazy look. 


"You make it sound like being hit by you're boyfriend of three years is nothing." 


"No - but I've left him now so technically, there's nothing to discuss..." My stupid approach at lightening up the mood failed miserably and I knew Tish wasn't going to let it go. 

 "Girl...you're like a sister to me! You've always been there - and always made me see sense when I didn't even know I had any." 


"Tish..." 


"No! And when I think...that evil; dick head laid his hands on you - I just wanna go crazy!" I didn't know how heartfelt Tish was feeling, and her outburst made me just want to go to Diego and kill him myself. 


"Tish - please. What can we do about it now?" With that my phone started ringing, and I knew without hesitation - it was Diego. "Excuse me will yuh?" 


"Who is it?" 

"Hello?" I waited drastically for him to reply - but he took his time - like he thought I wouldn't know."


"Ellie...its me Diego."


"Diego I know who it is..."


I saw the scorn on Tishes face, and bit by bit her features started getting redder. "What!" 


"Who is that?"

"Diego what do you want?" 


"I wanted to talk to you - considering you wont answer my calls at home...or talk to me at the store. I figured I had to try and save our relationship!" Was he actually being serious? 


"DIEGO - when is it going to register? I'M NOT EVER GETTING BACK WITH YOU!" I couldn't believe the volume of my own voice - but I had, had enough. This was getting silly now...with most guys it clicked - but with Diego there had to be drama! 


"Wait...Ellie - why are you shouting at me?" 

"Maybe because you're driving me crazy with you're over extended nonsense! Stop making out as if its normal - as if I actually enjoy talking to you  - or bumping into you when I don't!" 


"What? You make it sound as if I wont leave you alone?" 


"Well how else does it sound Diego? Do you think I want to be friends with you? As if I want to put the past behind us and move back in with you - because I don't!" 


"Ell...don't be like this. Since that day in the store, I couldn't leave things sour between us - you are still my girlfriend, and always will be in my heart." I actually couldn't believe this! His ill humour was beginning to bore me. 

"WHAT! You're girlfriend? Diego - I am not you're girlfriend, and I regret the day I ever agreed to be you're girlfriend!"


"Don't say things like that Ell...you can't put me down for trying...maybe I thought there was something to save - after three years of being together..." 


"I'm sorry Diego there isn't. Like I said at 'Reno's'...you know when its over - and I know! So please...just get on with you're life and stop calling me." I ended the call, and hoped he wouldn't bother me again. I looked over at Lucky and he made all my anger disappear. I picked him up and held him close - what a cute little guy he really was!