Shyness doesn't become you

Elizabeth sighed as the sun set on another boring Christmas night. Her rooftop, lightly draped in sparkling snow, was perfect for watching bright red sunsets behind the tall apartment buildings surrounding her own. Her cocoa was getting cold, and as the sun was already almost completely hidden behind one of the tall buildings, she decided to return to her lonely apartment. Another Christmas alone….

Her parents had gone on a Caribbean cruise this year, and her sister, Stephanie, was backpacking through Europe with her boyfriend, Kevin. “They should be in Paris tonight,” she thought, with another sigh.

Ever since she moved to Boston 4 years ago, she barely saw her family anymore….let alone any of her friends. At first she would go back to Louisiana to visit, or her friends would come up, but as time passed the visits became shorter and farther apart and she had less and less time to spend with them. Pretty soon, here she was, alone in her small, quaint apartment.

Locking the door behind her, she felt the familiar brush of her cat against her legs. Bending down, she picked him up, knowing he wanted to be picked up and cuddled.

“Alright, alright, I know….movie time” she mumbled her cat.

Liz was a movie buff. One of her favorite things to do when she was alone, which lately, had been pretty much always, was watch movies. It did not matter the genre, she watched everything and could quote scenes from her favorite.

“So, what’ll be tonight, Snuggles, ‘The Perfect Man’ or ‘Pretty Woman’?” her cat cocked an eyebrow up at her, is if saying, duh stupid, I really don’t care.

‘Oh God’ she thought, ‘now I’ve officially lost it’ talking to her cat about movie selections must be a sure sign of craziness.

“No wonder I don’t have any friends” she thought to herself, “well that, or it can be because I work way too damn much.”

Ever since she was a little kid all she can remember was dreaming of one day being a doctor. While all the other kids where playing hide and seek or hopscotch, she was in her room reading. Her teachers thought she was smart, and had the brains to do what ever she wanted, but Liz was never sure. Her parents kind of pushed medicine at her, and she was good in sciences so it became a natural choice for her. Now, here she was, a 4th year med student, who worked all hours of the day when she wasn’t studying, and during her free time, curled up with her cat on her couch to watch movies.

“I’m becoming pathetic, I need a life Snuggles, or better yet, I need a boyfriend”. Now that was a thought that had been popping up in her mind lately.

She hadn’t had a boyfriend since junior high, and that lasted a total of 2 weeks since she dumped him for being too demanding of her time. She had priorities, med school had always been the first thing in her life, before her family, her friends, and certainly before any boyfriend, yet she was still amazed how she had managed to make and keep at least one good friend in her life.

The ringing phone startled her out of her thoughts. Smiling at her caller ID, she answered, “Hi Lucy! Please tell me you’re coming to visit!”

“Liz! FINALLY!! I’ve been trying to reach you!! You need to finally get yourself an answering machine for Christ’s sake.” Lucy mumbled, more to herself than to her best friend.

“I know I know, I’ll get around to it eventually, Merry Christmas by the way” Elizabeth said, getting up of her couch and walking to her kitchen.

“Yeah, yeah, back at ya, I hate Christmas remember. Always, listen, I have good news!” Lucy exclaimed, sounding slightly out of breath.

Liz met Lucy in their elementary school play yard, where one of the older boys used to tease Liz until she cried. Lucy walked right up to him and punched him in the face screaming “ Pick on someone your own size”. The boy so stunned a little pint like Lucy barely reaching his shoulders, was talking to him like that, walked off, his friends laughing in the background. Nevertheless, from that moment, Lucy and Liz were instant friends, Lucy always being the protective friend towards Liz, and Liz always helping Lucy with her studies. It was a strange relationship when seen from the outside. Lucy with a more assertive, outgoing and blunt personality, while Elizabeth on the other hand, was more quiet and studious. However, no one was able to tear them apart…unless it was exam time of course.

“So are you going to finally tell me this news, or are you going to come here and tell me yourself?” Liz smiled to herself. There was never a dull moment when her best friend came to visit, that was for sure.

“I have a boyfriend Liz!! And this one I’m keeping” Lucy laughed to herself. Lucy had had tons of boyfriends growing up. However, none of them lasted very long. It was hard to keep up with a girl like Lucy, or keep her interested for that matter.

“Sure Luce, like I haven’t heard this before” Liz answered.

“Oh shut up Liz, I’ve even bringing him up there to meet you! He absolutely has to meet my smart, sexy and way to damn shy best friend. Especially if you’re going to be my maid of honor at our wedding” Lucy joked.

‘Whoa’, Liz thought to herself, as she reached for a class to pour her orange juice in, ‘Lucy never brings her boyfriends to meet me. She usually says they will just get in the way of “our” time. She must really be serious this time’.

“That’s great Luce!” she exclaimed, “When will you guys be coming up?” she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy toward her friend though. She had a boyfriend…a boyfriend she was introducing to her best friend…that was serious for Lucy.

“Actually see…we just landed at the airport and you absolutely need to come pick us up!” Lucy added quickly.

“Lucy!” Liz banged her glass on the counter and frantically began picking up her clothes off the couch, “You said you were bringing him here! Not that you already were here!” Lix exclaimed as she then started fixing the magazines and books on her coffee table.

“Yeah, well, you know how I like to shock you. It’s just too much fun. I can’t resist” Lucy smiled over the phone, excited to see Liz. Look, we’re just going over to baggage claim now, so, will you be able to pick us up or are you going to a shift or something?” Lucy asked.

“Actually, I have a few days off which is perfect since you just got here” Liz mentioned.

“Great, see you soon” Lucy replied.

“Oh, and Lucy, I’m happy you’re here” Liz said, seriously. She had really been feeling lonely lately.

“I know sweetie, me too.” Lucy said.