F.R.I.E.N.D.S. [K.TH]

#8

(This is a narrative)

It was almost seven in the evening, and the cursor on her laptop was still in the same spot. She had been revising for the exams since the crack of dawn, but alas, there was no progress. Her mind would alternate to other meaningless things, like the dusty bookshelves at the back of the library that nobody ever touched. Or the librarian sorting the books back in the right places

She removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion. The coffee she had drank a while ago was making her feel sluggish, and she almost nodded off. "Snap out of it bitch." She slapped her cheeks, and turned back to her flashcards. "Okay, if there's one thing I can understand from this..."

She put her head in her hands, elbows propped on the desk. "I shouldn't have done fucking psychology if I knew my brain is too dumb to understand shit." Looking up, she had the view of people entering and exiting the library, and decided it was time to leave.

Packing her stuff, she made her way out of the library, but not before bidding the sweet old librarian a 'good night.' The sting of the cold air hit her cheeks, and she drew her hoodie tightly around her. "Should've worn a jacket. Feels like Antarctica here." She mumbled lowly, and plugged in her earpods, walking the familiar route home.

The leaves crunched under her boots, and the smell of petrichor relaxed her; the yellowing leaves rustled in the wind, and the street lights flickered on and off. She went wherever her feet could take her, and she stopped in front of a group of apartment buildings, but her eyes were set on one building that stood tall. 

Walking inside, she greeted the security guard that had become all too familiar with her visits. The lift was under maintenance (again, for the fifth time this month), and so she took five flights of rickety stairs, holding her sides. "They're so worried about the lift, but what about these fucking stairs? Actual torture devices." The door at the floor opened to a stretching corridor.

She stumbled slightly in exhaustion, the workout and the weight of her backpack making her double over. Knocking the door two to her left, the door opened. The sight made her close her eyes in shock. "FOR FUCK'S SAKE, PUT ON A SHIRT!"

"You've already seen me like this before." Shay shrugged, stepping aside to let the girl in. She was wearing a bra and shorts, the circles under her eyes darker than before. "And we just came back from the game, so help yourself."

"What game?"

"The rugby game, obviously." Shay replied. "Why would I go to a game where my boyfriend isn't playing?"

Haeri walked in, nonplussed to see Shay's boyfriend Jake watching a movie. "Hey Hae," He waved at her absently, and she waved back, aware he wasn't paying attention.

"So, why you here?" They walked into Shay's room, which was, as always, an outright mess. Haeri had tried to make the girl clean the landfill that was her bedroom several times, but the other just couldn't be bothered. "You want to smoke?" The girl offered her an already prepared joint, but the other declined.