As the tv blasted some low-rated reality show, Claire sat on the edge of the couch, sipping a glass of orange juice, feeling a bit uncomfortable in her own home with Haisley shamelessly slumped into the lazy chair right next to her.
“You’ve got something with a little more- kick?” Haisley suddenly asked with a wry smile as she eyed her glass of juice.
“I’ll go see what's on offer.” Claire said and stood up to amble towards the kitchen. Nosing around in the cabinets, Claire stumbled upon a shelve with a still intact bottle of blended whisky, richly powdered in a layer of dust and a half-full bottle of mint chocolate Baileys. She snatched up the bottle of Baileys, hesitated for a few seconds and decided to bring the whisky along too.
“Well, you don't pull your punches there are you, Claire?” Haisley said with a tone of praise in her voice as both bottles, glasses included, were put on the table. Haisley eagerly hoisted herself up from the slumped down position in the lazy chair, sat up straight and rubbed her hands as she scrutinized both bottles.
“Lets see now,” she said. “I think I'll go for uhmmm… that one!” her index-finger reached out to point the bottle of whisky.
“I do need some Coke, please. To mix it with. I hate to burn my throat.” Haisley said.
Claire nodded, “Be right back.”
As both girls were sipping away their second glass of whisky and coke and its strong booze was taking effect on their brain, easing their social inhibitions, the somewhat tensed atmosphere gradually cooled off, morphing into an ambiance you often see with long lost friends during an evening of catching up.
“By the way, Alden seemed to be pretty smitten by your appearance this afternoon in the hallway, didn't he?” Haisley teased. “He should be though. You may not realize it yet, Claire. But your natural beauty is off the charts compare to the school’s average. A good deal less than mine of course, but still.
“do you like him? Alden? He's quite the hot stud, isnt he?” she winked at Claire.
Claire was only capable of producing a sheepish smile as she averted her eyes.
“Well, don't trust him!” Haisley's voice snapped. “he’s one filthy pig whose testicles deserve to be assaulted by the most aggressive form of cancer!
“Give me another one, please?” Haisley gestured with her emptied glass towards Claire.
“Sure thing.” Claire said, picking up the bottle to grant Haisley another refill. Claire noticed that her hand-eye coordination had become somewhat sloppy due to the booze, for she spilled a good amount of liquor on the table before it was aimed in the glass.
Haisley chuckled, “First time drinking?” she asked.
Claire could only blush as she grabbed a few pieces of paper out of a tissue box to clean up the mess.
Haisley heaved a deep sigh, “God! What I would give to have that asshole human-sized in the palm of my hand right now.” she held up her hand, palm up and glared at it with a wicked smile.
Claire saw Haisley slowly folding her hand, clutching it tightly into a firm grip as her long nails dug deep into her skin.
“Just… like… that.” Haisley said.
“I’m afraid I can't help you with that,” Claire said. “I can however show you something pretty awesome though, if you like.”
Haisley gave her an intense look. “Show me. Now.”
After climbing the stairs, Claire ushered Haisley into her mother's bedroom, which looked as always clean as a whistle.
She was about to walk up to the backdoor, but stopped in her track and spun her head as she saw Haisley walking up to a glass cupboard in some corner of her mother's room.
“Are these manufactured?” Haisley asked while squinting through the glass. Claire came standing beside her as she was scrutinizing various glass shelves filled to the brim with miniature cars and boats and other kind of objects.
Claire shrugged, “I have actually no idea.”
“They’re too small to be picked from the human world and far too big to be constructed by those dust-peeps.” Haisley continued. “I never understood why anyone would bother the trouble of making these things. Let alone collect them.
“They do look awfully real though.” Haisley said.
Claire made her way towards the backdoor, “You’re coming?” she said.
“Huh? Yes, yes of course. Lead the way.” Haisley said as she wheeled to follow Claire on her heels, barely able to tear her gaze from the cupboard.
Claire opened the door to the backroom and realized dusk was setting in for the chamber was already quite gloomy.
When both girls entered, their hearts jolted with joy by the sight of the flickering light show carpeted on the floor, giving the room a magical atmosphere as they watched the illuminated Lilliputian landscape from high above. Innumerable headlights could be seen, deriving from thousands of nano-sized cars as they were teeming about within one of its vibrant cities or tracking along country roads and freeways.
[Impressed whistle] “Now this is a sight you don’t see very often.” Haisley said.
“I know, right?! It looks amazing like this!” Claire beamed. “first time I see it during nighttime.”
“Do you mind?” Haisley asked eyeing the Lilliputian landscape.
“Not a bit.” Claire made a gesture and stepped aside as she saw Haisley walking up to the landscape’s edge. Haisley took one long swig to finish the glass of whisky and coke she brought along and crouched down, unknowingly scaring the shit out of hundreds of Lilliputians as she placed the empty glass in close proximity to a remote village near the border.
Claire sniggered when Haisley almost lost her footing. “First time drinking?”
“Shut up, you!” Haisley replied as she repositioned herself to prevent her knees from plunging down like meteor strikes on the fragile Lilliputian region on the floor.
Claire stood there, arms crossed, feeling proud as she watched Haisley, one of the most popular girls of Westview High, drooling in the sight at something that was hers.
“Care to join me?” Haisley asked, looking up at her with a smile while she tapped her hand on the space beside her in an inviting manner.
Claire did not know if it was the booze or that it was her own skill as a host which made Haisley feeling all settled in, but it seemed like her brazen attitude was slowly peeling off, revealing more of the person beyond this façade of confident swagger.
Claire smiled back in return, nodded and crouched down beside Haisley. They both watched in silence, all transfixed at the luminous fairytale-like landscape widely spread out at their feet.
“When I was a kid,” Haisley said, while keeping her gaze focused on the miniature landscape below. “I always imagined myself as a highly honored queen ruling a land of Lilliputians, being adored by thousands… pretty silly, right?” she chuckled.
“You can rule them now, if you like.” Claire replied. “none of these dustmites are going to back talk your orders, rest assured.”
“There is actually something else I would love to experience even more.” Haisley said as she looked Claire in the eyes. Next to sensing an aura of kindness which Claire was not accustomed to feel with a girl like Haisley, her hypnotic glance radiated also something else. Just when things started to click in Claire’s head, she felt Haisley’s soft lips making contact with hers.
Claire could only look back, slack-jawed, as Haisley's lips retreated from her's after a few seconds.
“You don’t like?” Haisley asked, raising her eyebrows. And without waiting for an answer, her lips were already connected with Claire’s, more passionate this time as she pushed her body almost out of balance. Claire’s hand annihilated a small village right next to her when she was forced to put it down to prevent toppling over. Her body resisted for a brief moment like it was holding on to the thought that a thing like this shouldn’t be happening. Then the urge to dive in this thrilling adventure became too strong.
“That’s more like it.” Haisley gasped as Claire was starting to kiss her back. A near full cup of booze fell out of Claire’s hand, clattering on the floor, creating a massive tidal wave for the little people as both girls were wrapping their arms around each other. Their bodies tumbled over, flattening an entire Lilliputian region, as Haisley was lying on top of Claire, kissing her, admiring her, caressing her youthful cheeks.
“Don’t stop looking at me, Claire.” Haisley's hot breath moaned as her fingers fiddled with a few summer-soft strands of her auburn hair. “Just, don't.”