Her Treasure Hunt

ARIADNE - July 5th, Noon.

Light seeped through the kitchen window like a ray from god. Unfortunately for her, everything within the apartment fell far from grace.

Her building resided on the corner of a busy street and had the worst pest control on that side of town. Vines lined the whole building and seeped their way through cracks and broken windows. The AC worked sporadically and her car had been broken into three different times.

It wasn’t a surprise they had gotten it for cheap.

But that wasn’t the cause of her problems. It was just an effect of them.

Ariadne woke with a glass in her hand, her face pressed to the table, and a headache that aimed to kill.

It wasn’t the pain that really bothered her or even the discomfort. She just felt like something was amiss. Like there was something that she couldn’t quite grasp.

No, no, she thought as she grabbed her head. Sick. Absolutely sick.

The room blurred in front of her and she resisted the urge to topple out of her chair. She nearly knocked the other glass bottle off the table before realizing that she was in the kitchen. Her grocery bags still remained in the same place as the night before. They were messily sprawled across the counter and some had even fallen to the floor.

“Lexi, where are you?” she groaned, struggling to find the strength to lift herself up. She hated these types of mornings. Mornings where the faint smell of booze hung too close for comfort. She had promised herself that she’d stop. That she would get over this little hump.

“Lexi, where the fuck are you?” Ariadne asked again.

Her roommate was nowhere to be seen. She rubbed her eyes and leaned against the refrigerator. The monstrosity groaned under her weight but she didn’t notice. Or rather, she couldn’t.

There was giggling down the hall and the recognizable sound of a TV. Ariadne braced herself for the journey to the aforementioned room. Piles of clothes lined the floor along with vicariously placed canvases. She couldn’t focus on them. Ariadne’s main focus was the room. It beckoned her like a lighthouse as she approached closer and closer.

“Okay, honest question. Do you think I should pair the evening boots with the pink jumpsuit or this dress?”

“Hmm, I don’t know... that sounds- No! Come on! You have to work harder than that Jabronski! Pass the ball for once!”

Once she was in the room, Henki and Lexi didn’t even notice her arrival. Ariadne wasn’t surprised. A soccer match was on and there was a concerning amount of clothes littering the loft. She was, however, confused why her boyfriend had his shoes on while laying on the couch.

“Morning,” she grumbled, trying and still not succeeding at wiping the hangover from her eyes. Almost immediately, Lexi shot up from her seat and gave a welcoming grin to her disgruntled friend.

“Hey, sunshine. How’s your head this morning?”

“Same as usual,” Ariadne sighed. She couldn’t even look at Lexi. The girl was gleaming like a star with her neon braces and blinding hair. “Hurts like hell.”

“Hurts like hell,” Henki mimicked and chuckled, turning to give her a once-over. He looked different today. Like something had given him a boost of confidence. “You really should hear yourself when you drink. You never stop talkin’ about infinity and endlessness.”

She shrugged before making her way over to him for a peck on the cheek. “Please, don’t quote me when I’m drunk.”

He mumbled something that resembled a “meh” then turned back to the soccer match in front of him. On the other hand, Lexi moved her way across the room to reach her. Ariadne wasn’t fast enough to swat away her probing hands. Lexi grabbed her cheeks and checked her pupils. Her nails. Her eyebrows. Her lips. Basically, anything that would look unappealing in a photograph.

“Stop, I need a shower,” Ariadne fought.

“You look fine.”

And as if proving her point, Lexi whipped her phone out to take a pic of them for her morning update. Ariadne tried giving a smile, but the filter made her eyes strain. Why was everything so bright? They only had one goddamn window for Pete’s sake.

“Where did you put the aspirin? I thought I bought some yesterday.”

“I think I gave Henki the last of it.”

“Already?” she guffawed, looking between the two of them. They both shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. What was she to do? “Of course. Why do I even bother?”

Lexi chuckled and ran to the hallway. “That’s my favorite couple. ”

Ariadne could physically feel the patience running out of her. She pushed away the urge to strangle Lexi and Henki, and instead, made the grand decision to flop onto the couch.

Instantly, the stench of socks, body odor, and whatever nasty cologne he decided upon for this week, floated into the air. It acted fast. The stench was dead set on destroying her nostrils and driving her already unsettled stomach over the edge. If only she had the energy to stand and yell at the disgusting bastard.

“Quit acting like you’re dying. You’ve had numerous hangovers before now.” Was his response to her coughing.

“But this one’s worse, it won’t fuck off. Baby, please, give me some aspirin. I’ll even take a broken one.”

He snorted like a horse.

Henki was an underground artist. He lived for the desolate and desperate souls that wandered the streets of their town. It was the reason his name was now Henki instead of Henry. He thought it gave him more backstory.

It didn’t.

Now Ariadne couldn’t remember where they had met, but he had immediately become fascinated by her. To be specific, her inner rage. He had called it tempting and powerful, and later on, titled her as his muse.

She had thought he was endearing.

But now…

He tugged at his unkempt hair and fidgeted. His brown eyes looked sunken and disinterested. “It’s not my fault you think you can drink endlessly. Suck it up and just get some water.”

Ariadne didn't have the energy to argue.

“I found it!” Lexi sing-songed, bursting into the room mid-argument.

There was Lexi. Twirling around in a sparkling gold jumpsuit as if nothing in the world mattered. It was beautiful on her. Ariadne choked down the compliment she was going to say because Henki beat her to it. Looking away, she found a goofy smile on his face. Although his mustache covered most of it, he was actually showing his teeth. He hated his teeth.

“What do you think?” Lexi squealed, her short bob bouncing around her face.

“Yes.” Henki’s answer was immediate. “It matches with the evening boots.”

“Oh, you were listening!” she clapped her hands in delight. “Okay, I will. Ari, what do you-”

Lexi stopped and stared at her. Ariadne glanced back at her in confusion until she was holding her own breath. Like a floating angel, Lexi made her way across the room and put two supportive hands on her shoulders.

“Is something the matter?”

Yes. Something is the matter, Lexi! Henki and I are having problems again. My head is pounding so loud I can’t even see straight. The room smells so shitty and I just want to talk. I want to talk to you because things don’t feel right anymore.

She pulled her face into a grin. “It’s just--wow. You really know-how… know how to pick ’em, Lexi.”

“Oh.” Her face flushed a pretty pink. “Thanks, Ari. I’ve been trying to get everything just perfect for the performance tonight. And hearing that really makes me feel better.” She pulled her into another hug and sighed. The room finally stopped spinning. “Also, totally off-topic, but I was wondering if I could bring Henki with me tonight.”

“Again?” Ariadne choked. “Why, if I may ask, would you willingly want Henki around?”

Lexi burst out in giggles, “Oh, you’re a riot. Ari, we’ve talked about this. I need him for the exposure. My manager like’s the whole “artist and model” combination. He said that us being together is perfect for what he’s trying to prove.”

“So you two dating,” she asked, pointing between the two of them, “pleases him?”

“Well in a metaphorical sense. We’re not really dating, silly. But yes, I hear it’s good publicity for my company and Henki’s own art career. That means more money for all of us.”

Ariadne just stared.

“Think about it Ari,” she said, tilting her head and stepping closer. “We can get the money to move out of here. Maybe I can even get us on a cruise or a vacation to a big city.”

That was tempting. Mouthwateringly tempting.

“Lexi, I don’t know. I mean, won’t you two have to actually be together to pull it off?”

“That’s just acting.” Lexi waved it off, but something felt off. Her friend was shifting her weight almost self consciously. Ariadne forced a smile onto her face. She was probably just overreacting.

“Alright. Yeah, okay.”

Lexi looked like she would squeal with excitement. Henki glanced over the couch, clasped Ariadne’s hand in his, and kissed the top of it. “Great, it’s decided. Now could you two please be quiet? The game is getting good.”

“Oh yeah. We’ll just-”

“Oh wait, baby, you can have this.” Henki opened her hand and placed the bottle of aspirin in her palm.

Lexi smiled. “Wow, Henki. Always so generous.”

Ariadne felt dumbfounded as she headed to the kitchen. He still cares, she kept telling herself. Lexi followed her to the kitchen and helped her get a glass of water. She then left Ariadne after putting some of the groceries away.

As she gulped it down, something caught her eye.

Sticking out of one of the grocery bags was a wadded paper. She almost dismissed it, but one side of it was green. A green receipt?

As gentle as she could, Ariadne picked up the paper and uncrumpled it.

Big bold letters were mixed with cursive and numbers and a date. Today’s date to be exact. She looked at it closer and slowly pieced it together.

It was an invitation.

“When the fuck?” she grumbled, turning it within her grasp until a familiar name popped up.

Hylan Dion.

Fuck.

After work, Hylan had caught her in the parking lot, running like an absolute idiot in the rain. She didn’t even have an umbrella or coat over her head. Just a stupid friendly smile as she trudged her way to Ariadne’s car. She had peeked through the window with the invitation extended.

“You forgot this at your desk.”

“Oh, thanks. You didn’t have to-” Ariadne stopped herself. The girl looked so delighted. Her puffy hair was drooping to the side from the rain.

“-umm… what is it again?”

“Just a birthday dinner.” Her smile only widened. “We’ll be at the Italian restaurant down the way.”

“Yeah, about that Hylan... You see I don’t-”

“And I invited half the office if that makes you feel any better. Like Javier, Mckenna, and Tye. It’s not just me, I swear.”

“Huh?”

Ariadne had remembered her own birthday alone. One lone cupcake sitting on an empty table. She gulped involuntarily.

“Are you, uh, throwing your own birthday party?”

Hylan just stared. She was the type at the office to stare, trip over a desk leg, and drink all the morning coffee. Just yesterday, she had been staring out the window for an hour straight. Ariadne felt her stomach churn with discomfort. So, she lied, “You know what? I should be able to make it. I would love to, actually.”

“Alright! Tomorrow. Please drive safe,” Hylan said before running back inside.

They were work associates together, but the only thing they had in common was their mutual friendship with another colleague. So why had she been invited?

“Hey, Lexi did you guys want to come with me to-” She stopped dead in her tracks.

They were kissing. On the couch.

Lexi was the first to break away with a displeased look on her face. Her lips were puffy and swollen, but the wild mess of her hair made Ariadne uncomfortable. Henki was cheekily grinning until he noticed her standing in the doorway.

She couldn’t find her words. “What are you-”

“Practicing,” Lexi huffed, pushing away from Henki so there was some space between them. “I don’t know how you do it, Ari. He’s really grabby.”

“Guilty,” he chuckled, wiping the back of his hand over his lips.

That had to mean something, right? Everything was okay. Just practicing. They were just-

Ariadne hid her disgust. “Alright. Could you not- It’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Henki made his way over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Ariadne couldn’t help but lean into it. He smelled like Lexi’s perfume and it made her grit her teeth. When was the last time they had kissed? The last time they had done anything for that matter? She felt completely territorial, but that wasn’t the relationship they had both agreed on. It was supposed to be casual.

“Hey, we’re heading out to get food. The portions at the Gala aren't big enough to keep us full,” Lexi said, reaching below her to grab a red shirt and a pair of shorts. The pile of clothes crumpled further into the floor. “You want Chinese, right?”

“I’d love that, yeah,” Ariadne lied. She had been in the mood for Italian before she saw his tongue down her throat. Lexi gave her a once-over before nudging Henki out the way and pulling her close. She blew a raspberry on Ariadne’s cheek and grinned. Henki rolled his eyes and went down the hall.

“Call me when you’re feeling better, okay?” Lexi asked. “I’ll even pick up some extra egg rolls.”

“Yeah, thanks. Don’t forget your glasses.”

With a nod, Lexi went to her room to change and left her alone in the living room. Ariadne turned off the television and sank to the floor. The couch just smelled too bad to sit on. What a mess. Even the paintings on the walls were crooked. She began picking up and folding the clothes around her until they left.

When she was finally alone, she pulled the invitation from her pocket and frowned. She said she would go, even if she didn’t want to. It wasn’t long before her phone was to her ear.

“Ari, this is a joke right?” The voice echoed through the phone.

She grabbed at the floor or anything to make the sting go away. The pile of laundry watched her wallow and sulk. “Nope. Right in front of me. Just like that.”

“You can’t keep acting like it's nothing,” her co-worker spoke from the other line. “This isn’t them just messing around anymore. It's a code red. And, let me tell you, a code red is not good." He paused in disbelief before sighing, "I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“What am I supposed to do, Javier? They're doing it because it's gonna get us out of here. Maybe I'll have a shower that works or- or not have to eat week-old scraps. Shit- I just want them to be happy. They need to be happy.” Dark curls spilled into her face, but she couldn’t find the energy to brush them away.

“You’re not happy either, Ariadne. You're not happy. Why should you worry about them?”

She hesitated.

“Ari?”

She simply stared at the phone in her hand.

“Ariadne, you there?”

Nothing.

“Ight, I can still hear you breathing. Don't expect this to be over though, Herman." There was a pause and then he whispered something in Spanish. "Ferne and I will come and pick you up soon. Try to look nice and sober up. She’s really excited to see you again.”

Ariadne looked at the wine bottle sitting across from her. She didn’t like feeling this way. It was painful. Biting. But she had made a promise to herself.

“Ferne likes lilacs, right?”

He chuckled over the phone. “Fucking loves ’em.”