83...

The smell of the Pacific was pouring in through the Cadillac's window. Alexis couldn't see it yet, that infinite stretch of blackened blue, but she was starting to see shops along the side of the canyon road which would multiply until there was a crowded fury of unnecessary boutiques selling unnecessary shit; handcrafted and tacky jewelry, expensive and uncomfortable shoes, clothing that would quickly go out of style.
She ignored the lights that were becoming more garish and again thought back to the early morning in front of Lou's door. She had given Lou a quick kiss and trotted to the staircase that Mary was just beginning to come down.
Mary was dressed in a denim skirt and a navy sweatshirt brightly emblazoned with her sorority letters. Alexis wasn't paying attention to what her high pitched, bordering on shrill, voice was saying into her phone as she was sure it would take her headache and expand it. Alexis waved to Mary. Mary's eyes tried to skim over Alexis and pretend that she wasn't there, but ultimately the manners that had been hammered into her won out and Mary waved back. Alexis tried to signal to her that she wanted to talk, and this time even the etiquette lessons couldn't win over Mary's intense need to roll her eyes.
"I'll call you right back," she said into the phone before folding it closed. "Hello Alexis," she said with a smile that looked like she was trying not to let on that she had just eaten something that tasted like vomit. "What can I do for you?"
Tried patience sounds like something intangible being slowly ripped.
"Sorry to bother you Mary, I was just wondering if it would be possible to borrow that turquoise sweater that you have."
Mary looked down at Alexis as though she had just been asked to French kiss a sibling.
"Right now?"
"Yeah," Alexis said with an amazingly natural embarrassed shrug. "I have a job interview today, and it would just go perfect with this skirt I have. I just love the way it looks on you. If it's not too much trouble."
"Fine," she sighed. Emotion seemed to drain out of Mary's face as she turned away to head back up the stairs. Alexis trotted up the stairs after her. Mary unlocked her apartment door and walked in, again Mary followed.
"You can stay here," Mary pointed to the general vicinity of the living room.
"Oh sure," Alexis put on her best voice of gratitude. "Thanks a bunch Mary, I really appreciate it."
Mary walked down the darkened hallway towards her bedroom and Alexis walked quickly into the living room. She took a quick glance around the room, her eyes finally settling on the couch. Alexis pulled one of the couch cushions off and quickly undid the zipper on the back. She pulled the professor's ID, gym membership and card key out of her pocket and shoved in into the bottom of the cushion before quickly zipping it back up. She was replacing the cushion just as Mary came stomping back into the room.
"I need you to be careful with this," Mary snidely said as she handed over the sweater. "It's one of my favorites."
"Oh of course," Alexis said with mock concern. "Thanks again Mary, you're a life saver."
Mary threw on a smile that was polite enough, but with just a touch of snotty at the corners. She opened the door and let Alexis out in front of her. Alexis, her back to Mary, let a faint smile just touched with malice caress her mouth.