Things We Said Today

Chapter Seven

Nora pushed a heap of clothes off my bed and settled onto it with a grunt. "I can't believe you have a date; this is huge!" She clapped enthusiastically, bouncing a bit in her seat.

"I'm not that much of a lost cause jeez." I scoffed, picking up a pair of light-wash jeans before deciding otherwise and tossing them back onto the floor.

"You haven't dated anyone since last year, Lucy. This is a big deal, regardless of whether you choose to acknowledge it as one."

I groaned. I had almost kept the date a secret from Nora just so I wouldn't have to hear her go on like this. I didn't think Skeeter... or Levi, or whatever his name was, would end up being my "perfect match", so it almost seemed like a waste to let Nora get all excited about it only to disappoint her later. I needed her to help me pick out an outfit, though... so my apprehension was ruled out by that necessity.

"You have to tell me everything the moment you leave the bar. That moment!" She emphasized while I continued to sort through the piles of clothes on my floor.

"I will, don't get your panties in a knot just yet, he might ditch me before the date even starts."

"He would have to be an idiot to do that." Nora sneered.

I grabbed a pair of black jeans from the pile at my feet and snatched up a white tank top that was on the floor near the bed. "What about these? And a jean jacket or something?" I asked, holding up the clothes for Nora's approval.

"Try them on and let's see."

I pulled off the sweatshirt I had on and replaced it with the tank top before I pulled the jeans on. "I mean... we're just going to a bar, so I don't want to look too formal or anything." I said as I grabbed a jean jacket from my closet and shrugged it on over the tank top.

"Hmm." Nora tilted her head to the side as I modeled the outfit for her. "How about—" she grunted as she slid off my bed and stumbled toward my closet, "this jacket instead?" She held up a long, thin taupe blazer that had been in the back of my closet, untouched, for months.

"I don't know..." I shrugged, "I kind of hate the color."

She shook her head, "It fits with the monochrome vibe."

"You're the expert." I said as I replaced the jean jacket with the blazer.

"Yes!" Nora clapped, "That's perfect. Classy but casual."

"Alright." I exhaled, fluffing my hair a bit in the mirror, trying to ignore the light tinge of purple under my eyes that was peeking through my concealer. I hadn't slept much the previous week... or the one before that. Echoes of conversations I had with Martin kept me up, along with the things Jude had said on the train that past Monday.

"You should report him to HR. What he's doing verges on verbal abuse."

I spent a lot of time trying to convince myself he was wrong, and that Martin was just stern. Jude didn't give a shit about me; he was just trying to fuck with my head... and I was letting him.

"Good luck!" Nora squealed, pulling me into a crushing hug.

"Thanks." I muttered against her shoulder before she let me go.

"Remember everything that he says so you can recite it to me afterward." She ordered.

"I don't have an eidetic memory, but I'll do my best." I chuckled as I snatched my purse from the floor near my bed and followed her out of the room.