My Sweet Punishment by Amelia Brooks (little red riding hood ebook free .TXT) 📗

       My morning started not with a cup of coffee, but with crazy screams outside the front door of my rented apartment. Someone is banging on the door with such force that it seems to be blown off its hinges soon.

       “Mia-a-a! Hurry up and open that damn door! I can’t wait!”

      Olivia... My often inadequate bestie is breaking into my home bright and early, disturbing my precious peace. And she knew, the devil takes her, I've been working the night shift all week. Right now, I just need a good sleep. And if the reason for her visit is not the zombie apocalypse or the great flood then, in a moment, I’ll lose one friend because I will kill her right on the doorstep.

      “Come on Mia-a-a!! I know you're there," her plaintive voice came from outside the door.

      And I know you have no shame. I still have to go open the door, otherwise, this crazy woman will wake up all the neighbors, and then I’ll have a bad time. The landlady warned me that if there were any problems with me, she would say goodbye to me quickly. I've been living in this apartment for a couple of months. I’m a quiet and peaceful inhabitant, and I continue to be exactly the same. It’s lovely here, the price is moderate, and it’s not far from my university. Besides, I’ve already settled in up here and I don't need any conflicts.

        That’s why I forced myself to get up.

        “All right, all right. I’m coming. What the matter with you, ha?”

      I opened the door, and the excited friend rushed in. The pretty blonde of twenty-two. And unlike me, she looks surprisingly fresh and peppy, as if she hasn't even gone to bed this night.

      “Finally! I thought you were already dead within the four walls of this “lovely” place.

      She can’t stop mocking me about my apartment. And it’s all because I refused to live with her in the penthouse that Olivia's parents gave her in honor of graduation. One would think that I should be happy and accept the offer. But right now I'm writing my master’s and need absolute silence, which I can't have when my friend is near.

      “You’ll wake even the dead. So?” I tried to sound extremely annoyed. “What terrible could have happened that it couldn't wait until tomorrow, or at least until tonight?”

      I bet that I just saw the satanic gleam in the girl's eyes. I have several suggestions about her strange behavior. First, the discounts in the boutiques may have started, or she has met the “love of her life”. Again. But I still hope for a third more adequate explanation for this morning fuss.

     “You're just gonna be blown away! Better sit down.”

     She sat me down in a chair. It was pretty easy to do that, using even just one little finger. And if it wasn't Olivia's ringing voice, I would have hit the land of nod as soon as my butt hit the soft surface. The girl herself sat down opposite and continued her speech impatiently.

      “He’s coming back! I just can't believe it, he’s coming back!” she repeated over and over.

      It's all about a man. Olivia is so predictable. As I suspected, there’s nothing of much importance.

      “Yeah, that's great,” I yawned, “I'm so happy for you.”

       I got sleepy again. And then I suddenly feel someone touching my shoulder. Flinched.

      “Hey!” an offended voice came out. “Did you fall asleep!? Are you kidding me?”

      "No, of course not. I'm listening to you carefully. But I'll listen to you even more carefully tonight after I've had a good sleep."

        Olivia pouted.

       “Oh yeah!? So don't be offended that all the hot news passes right by you!” She got up and went to the door.

       “What a pity! But I think I'll get over it somehow." I smiled at her, but all my thoughts were already about my sweet bed.

       “You’re going to sleep all your life away, Mia. Okay, fine. I let you keep snoring, sleepyhead. You’re not much of a listener right now anyway. I'll call you tonight.”

       And after those words, the blonde smoothly disappeared through the front door. And I went into the world of wonderful dreams. At least until tonight. I am glad to think that there is still a whole weekend ahead and I won't let anyone ruin it.