Page 26 of Quarantined

Reid and I got high with some friends from school. We also drank a lot. All of these mind-altering substances are hitting me now. I intertwine our hands, and we stumble inside.

“I am exhausted. Good night.”

“What! No. Let’s get in our PJ’s and watch Borat. Borat! Borat!” Reid chants.

It’s our favorite tradition on our birthdays. But we will have to wait till tomorrow because I am too tired right now.

“No, dude, I am done. Too drunk. Too high,” I mumble, and Reid pouts.

“Good night, stud,” I get on my tippy-toe and give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Good night, beautiful.”

I just want to face plant on my bed right now. Swinging my bedroom door open, I turn on the lights. I almost jump out of my skin. There, sitting on my bed, is what I have been avoiding all night. Milo.

“Milo. Hi. Hey. How are you?”

Why am I so awkward? Apparently, I have been stalking this man for the last few years, albeit without meaning to do so. Now I can’t say a simple greeting.

Hi. Hey. How are you?I saw the man a couple of hours ago. And he lives here. He comes to my room all the time. What the hell, Raven?

Sober. Up. Right. Now.

Even though I am drunk and high, I have to be objective. I have to clear the fog in my mind within the next thirty seconds or so. Because Milo is looking at me like I am a crazy person.

I will my mind to sober up and formulate rational thoughts. I also have to remember my promise to Reid and keep up my new persona.

Objective: Make sure everyone in this family gets along. Make Milo, Mia, and Reid happy. They took you in. Do not be an ingrate who fucks up their lives.

Method: Compartmentalization. Separate Milo, the guardian, and Milo, the friend. Don’t be part of the Milo cult. Although, Miloism is the true religion and Milo is a God...

Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

Try again!

Consider this. Your job is for this family to get along. This is your profession and how you earn a living, getting paid with the currency of love. At this job, public displays of religious acts are deemed unprofessional. You believe in the religion of Milo. How do you proceed?

Professionalism and religious beliefs have to coexist. So be respectful to both. Just tone down religion in the workplace. If the two are in conjunction, be polite and amicable to find a solution. Show Milo, you care and respect him, but keep a professional distance.

Got it? Okay, now will yourself back to reality and back to this conversation.

My mind is moving a million miles a minute, even in my drunken and high stupor. Somehow my motor skills are not matching my racing mind. I can’t formulate words yet.

“Rave… did you hear what I said?”

No. “Yes.”

“What did I say, Rave?”

“You want to talk.” I focus all my energy on forming words.

Don’t look at him as a God. There is no reason to idolize someone because they took you in, gave you a family, became your legal guardian, showered you with love, filled your empty heart.

Oh. My. Fucking. God.I do have a problem.

I grab the water from my nightstand and chug the whole thing.

“Thirsty much.”