FicWad

The door to the loft apartment burst open as Allison and Andy stumbled in laughing over a conversation they were having. They were sober from alcohol, but high on happiness. Allison's dress was beginning to slip at the bust line. Andy's bowtie was undone. Allison's hair was disheveled. Andy's top coat was around Allison's shoulders. They'd gone out to dinner, just the two of them, after the showing. Andy had paid for it all. Life was so much fun. They'd spent their time getting back to the apartment and chatted like they were 17 again. It was a wonderful evening that Allison didn't want to forget.

"Andy, you wanna stay for awhile?" asked Allison between giggles.

"Yeah, I don't see why not!" said Andy. Allison looked around in the bedrooms.

"Huh, we're alone!" said Allison. "Helene and Aaron must be out at a concert or something at the Gardens," she suggested. She then instructed Andy. "Go sit on the porch, I'll get us some champagne of you want," she said. That's right, Allison Reynolds had replaced the vodka in her cabinet with champagne!

"That'd be great, thanks!" said Andy, going to the porch and sitting. The sun had nearly completely set, and only a glimpse of natural light remained. Andy looked around on the street below. A young bongo player and her boyfriend were sitting in their apartment on the ground floor across the road, smoking marijuana and trying to come up with words for a poem. A group of preteens played a card game under a dim streetlight. People walking by were dressed in odd, loose-hanging, casual clothing. This was where Allison belonged. She was happy here. Andy wished he were as lucky. In truth, he wanted out of the city. Even in his luxury apartments, he still wasn't completely satisfied with his home life. The tables have certainly turned.

Allison came onto the porch a moment later with two glasses of bubbly champagne. Andy stood up and took one. Allison sat down next to him and took a sip of her drink. They were silent for a long time.

"Today was the best day of my life!" she suddenly said to Andy. "I owe a lot of it to you!"

"No way! Ally, this is all yours. I just wore a tuxedo and escorted you there. YOU made the painting! YOU sold it to an art collector for the MMA, and YOU wowed everyone there with your work. Ally, you did this on your own," said Andy. Allison took another sip, as did Andy.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" she suggested.

"What does?" asked Andy.

"To do something for yourself that changed your life. For me it was this, for you it was your office! It's knowing you did something so great like that, it makes you feel high!"

Andy sighed. "To tell you the truth, I wouldn't know," he admitted. Allison looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? You have your own business!" said Allison.

Andy shook his head. "No, it's not my business. I didn't pay for any of it or come up with the idea. Truth be told, I didn't even begin majoring in anything remotely close to physical therapy!"

"Oh?" asked Allison. Good old Andy STILL can't think for himself!

"I met Vanessa within the first semester at Ohio State. I was majoring in journalism. I wanted to be a news anchor, maybe a sports anchor..."

"That would suit you so well!" said Allison.

"Yeah, but it was Vanessa who convinced me to change to a major that would give me my own business, and she said that she'd pay for it for me if we got an apartment together. I really had no choice. I was into Vanessa," he said. Allison sighed and looked at her feet.

"What three things do you like best about her? In no particular order," asked Allison. Andy groaned and thought for a second.

"She's got great hair, she's able to support herself, and she's a steadfast person who won't stop until she gets her way," said Andy. Allison nodded and raised a corner of her lip.

"So, you like her because she's got Barbie hair, and she's a rich spoiled brat?" asked Allison. Andy rolled his eyes and finished his champagne.

"Let's not bring her into this. It's been such a nice night!" said Andy.

"Oh yeah, let's not forget, you met her during your first semester? That's when you drifted away from me! Andy, if you wanted to break up for someone else then you should have called me! It's better than just waiting, waiting, waiting for a whole goddamn year! You suck!" Allison got up and went inside, slamming the door behind her loudly. A Spanish woman began swearing from below them. Andy stood up and slapped his head. He didn't really have a way with words, did he?

Andy went inside to try and apologize. Allison was on the floor, her head in the arms on the sofa, crying. Her dress was like a protective circle around her, wide and thick.

Andy felt his heart sink. He'd just ruined Allison's perfect day. What a man he was! Andy went to her side and put his hand on her bare shoulders (the coat had fallen off). Allison sat up and looked at Andy. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought her up," said Andy.

"You look at Vanessa, but you can't see her. You are no better than the blind man," Allison answered. "When you met me more than ten years ago, you were looking at me. But by that day's end, you were seeing me. I see people. That's why I'm an artist. But you, you can't see anything!"

Andy smiled at Allison. "I see you," he said. Allison looked into his eyes and he looked into hers. Allison felt her heart pang with excitement. Andy felt himself go warm. The world around him blurred as all he could see was Allison. Vanessa, who was this Vanessa? Allison licked her lips.

What Andy did next was totally involuntary. He leaned into Allison, took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Allison wanted to melt. She kissed him back and threw her arms around his shoulders. He moved his hands to her waist. They closed the space between them and kissed more. Allison felt like a queen. Andy couldn't help himself. Allison was perfect. She went way beyond what Vanessa-

-Oh shit! Vanessa! Andy pulled away from Allison, immediately shot up from the floor, grabbed his coat from Allison's shoulders, and quickly left the apartment. Allison went up and ran after him down the spiral staircase. Andy was out the door before Allison could catch up. Allison went back into the apartment, and went into bed. She collapsed onto her bed and smiled. Touching herself where Andy had touched her, Allison fell into an idyllic and blissful sleep.