The wicker chair creaked underneath me as I shifted my weight. Beneath my bare feet, the thick carpet was soft and warm. A gentle, golden glow was just starting to filter through the red curtains, their floral design only just beginning to reveal itself.
The light, rhythmic sound of Lela’s soft breathing lightly brushed my ears as my eyes settled on the shape curled up under the dark burgundy covers. Her head was nestled on the pillow, her hair was still neatly tucked behind her ear, exactly how I had left it last night.
The chair protested once again as I leant forward, my chin coming to rest on my clasped hands. With a slow, deep breath, I filled my lungs with the soft scent of the room, that delicate fragrance that was so uniquely Lela.
For once, the creatures were silent. Their eyes still glinted around the room like a scattering of rubies catching the early morning light, but they were content. They knew Lela was safe.
I was here for her now. I would always be watching over her.
My thoughts slipped back to the Kjelleren. A wide smile stretched across my lips, and a soft chuckle rumbled in my chest.
Memories of that night drifted back into my mind, the thudding bass of the music, the burning taste of the vodka, and the dry, crystalline grit of the crushed tablet between my fingers.
I had only ever intended on giving her a small pinch. Just enough to help her relax. Just enough to let her forget about Ingrid for the evening. But then I saw the surge of energy that tiny dose gave her. I saw how her eyes glinted with the fire it ignited within her, making her truly come to life. Seeing her like that made me want to offer her more, to help her really blossom.
One small pinch quickly turned into half of the packet. Then, as soon as her glass was empty, I couldn’t help myself. I tipped the last of the fine white powder into her next drink. I watched it vanish into the pure, clear liquid.
I watched as her inhibitions faded away, replaced with a raw and vibrant brilliance that pulsated in the surrounding air.
We had sung together. We had danced together. I can still feel her now, her radiant warmth pressed tightly against me. Even as I sit here writing this, decades later, the faint scent of her perfume lingers with me. I can still feel the hypnotic movement of her body, the sinuous, captivating swaying of her hips.
And then there was that kiss. The thought of it sent a jolt of electricity through me, a thrilling shiver surging down my spine. It hadn’t been like the soft, sisterly pecks that we had so often shared in the past. It had been an invitation, a primal clash of mouths, the sweet tang of lip gloss mingling with the sharp bite of vodka. With the crowd pressed up against us, I had felt the walls between us collapse into dust.
I was the one who had been there for her that night, not Ingrid. It had been me who had clung on to her when she could no longer stand. It had been me who had sat in the back of her red Golf, holding her barely conscious body in my arms while Gunnar drove us home. Me, who had washed her, undressed her and tucked her into bed. Me, who had got up every hour to sit at her bedside, to watch her sleep and make sure she was safe.
Just me.
A sudden rustle from the crisp sheets of the bed caused my breath to hitch. A low moan escaped from Lela’s perfect lips. Her eyelids, heavy and slow, fluttered open, the long dark lashes casting feathery shadows across her flawless skin.
“Ingrid?” she let out a low, dull murmur. Her voice was a low, raspy whisper.
Scraping the chair backwards, I was on my feet and by her side in an instant.
“Le-Le!” I whispered softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “You’re ok, I’m here.”
“Heidi?” she said, her eyes screwing shut before straining to open again. Her dilated pupils struggling to focus on me. “What happened? Last night, I.. I don’t remember anything…”
“You don’t remember last night?” I asked softly.
“I remember the Kjelleren,” she mumbled weakly, her brow furrowing. “I remember playing… Ingrid, did Ingrid come? I kept looking out for her but couldn’t see her.”
“No, Lela,” I said, shaking my head. “No, she didn’t.”
Lela’s breath faltered as she let out a ragged sigh.
“I really thought she would be there.” A single tear ran down her cheek, pulling a streak of black eyeliner with it.
“I’ve said it before, she’s not like us.” My thumb brushed away the tear; her cheek felt hot to my touch. “But you were fantastic last night, and we had an amazing time.”
“I don’t remember anything,” she repeated, her eyes screwing shut again. “I feel terrible. Everything is spinning.”
“You had one too many vodkas,” I said, my index finger tracing a deliberate line along her jawbone. “Gunnar had to drive us home, and I helped you into bed.”
“Thank you, Heidi.” Lela looked at me with wide, dark eyes. “What would I do without you?”
“I’m sure Ingrid had her reasons for not being there last night. Perhaps something more important cropped up.” I watched the muscles in Lela’s cheek twitch before I smiled down at her. “You’ll feel better after a shower. While you’re doing that, I’ll make us some breakfast.”
****
Downstairs, the kitchen was bathed in a warm orange light, the sunlight flooding in through the large window as the gentle weight of Bella pressed up against my leg.
The sweet, buttery smell of waffle mixture filled the room. The whisk tapped lightly against the side of the glass bowl as I mixed the yellow batter. On the counter beside me, the coffee machine gave a low gurgle while upstairs the floorboards groaned with movement. Lela was up and about.
Closing my eyes, I imagined her climbing into the shower, pictured the soft white bubbles covering her skin as she cleansed herself of the smoke and sweat of the Kjelleren.
A low grumble rose from Bella’s throat, her body shifting against my leg.
“Shhh, girl,” I said softly, stroking the thick black fur of her neck with one hand.
Steam rose lazily from the waffle iron as I filled it with the batter and closed the lid. Somewhere above me, the bathroom door opened, and moments later soft footsteps landed on the stairs.
“Waffles?” Lela said as she stepped into the kitchen, her body wrapped tightly in a cream bathrobe. “I’d only expected a bit of rye bread and jam.”
“Only the best for you,” I said with a chuckle before turning to face her. “Lela… did you mean the things you said last night?”
“What did I say?” She replied, rubbing her temples. “Babe, I really don’t remember anything except for a few blurry fragments. It’s weird.”
“You spoke a lot about Ingrid,” I said, pulling up a chair next to where she had settled herself down. Reaching out, I let my arm brush hers. “I’m worried about you, Le-Le. The things you said, it really upset me to hear you talking like that.”
Lela looked at me, her brows drawing low.
“It was probably just the vodka talking,” I continued. “But you were so upset that she didn’t come. You just kept saying how lonely you feel when she doesn’t support you or your music.”
The dry sound of scrabbling claws suddenly rose up from the darker recesses of the room. The creatures crowded together, peering out at us with their glinting eyes.
“She doesn’t mean it…” Lela murmured, looking down at her hands.
“No, you’re right. I’m sorry,” I cut in quickly. “She was probably just exhausted last night. Like you’ve said before, she’s barely left Asmund’s side.”
My gaze locked onto Lela’s face. The slight tremor of her chin caught my eye. I could almost feel the seeds of doubt I had planted start to take root as her eyes glistened with moisture, her bottom lip trembling.
“I should call her.” Lela’s eyes suddenly snapped up to meet mine.
Grasping the edge of the table, Lela pushed herself slowly to her feet. On unsteady legs she turned away from me, her figure momentarily framed by the kitchen door.
I didn’t follow her. I let her drift away while my hand remained wrapped around the heat of the coffee mug. Sitting perfectly still, I tracked her every movement as she stepped into the lounge and vanished out of my sight.
Without her, a thick, deafening silence descended on the kitchen and thundered heavily in my ears. The only sounds were the soft hum of the fridge and the steady panting of Bella at my feet. Closing my eyes, I drew in the warm scent of the waffles and basked in the events that I had just set in motion.
Then, Lela’s voice suddenly sliced through the stillness.
“Ingrid?” I heard her say, her words quivering. “What happened last night? You promised you’d be there…”
Standing, I made my way towards the sound of the phone conversation, my hand slowly trailing along the smooth melamine of the kitchen worktop as I went.
“Oh, babe…” I heard Lela continue, her voice softening to a sympathetic, velvet tone that made my jaw tighten and teeth ache. “I completely understand. You’ve been under so much pressure with Asmund. You’ve hardly slept since he was taken in. Heidi was just saying the same thing.”
Leaning, with my shoulder against the rough, hard wood of the door frame, but hidden from Lela’s view, I listened. The muffled sound of Ingrid’s voice drifted to me, like the high-pitched whine of a mosquito; it stung in my ears. I didn’t need to hear her words to know that she was making excuses. Claiming that she’d fallen asleep and missed the gig.
“It’s just… that it was such a big night for me,” Lela whispered, her voice barely a rustle above the lingering silence. “Heidi was there, but… I know you were tired, but sometimes it just feels like you’re trying to keep me like your bird in a cage. You’re always telling me that the Kjelleren is too rough, or the motorbike is too dangerous…”
My breath hitched coldly in my throat. The creatures gathered at the very edges of the shadows, their voices silent, straining to listen to Lela’s words. To listen to her repeating the things I had planted in her head, right back to Ingrid.
“I know you love me, and I love you too,” Lela said in a soft sigh. “Things have been crazy. Maybe we’re all just worn out and are letting things get to us. Why don’t you come over after you’ve been to the hospital and we’ll sort everything out.”
“Good girl!” the rusty voices hissed around me, like dead leaves skittering across the pavement.
Something deep inside my chest tingled, like frost brushing my heart. Last night, I had meticulously set and baited my ultimate trap. All I needed to do now was to sit back and watch Ingrid walk straight into it.
Then my best friend would be free to enjoy her life again without being held back by that dreary girl.