It's dark, but not in a pitch-black way. I give my eyes a few moments to adjust to the lack of light.The room is shaded like vintage television; even the poster on the wall to my left is in black and white... of two women romantically entwined.
I jolt upright and blurt out a groan, "Oh no."
Faintly, I hear a voice from my right, "You're at my house, hon. Go back to sleep." I look over and see the silhouette of Mara's body beside me in her bed.
I sigh and lay back down. I'm both relieved and nauseous. The bed feels like a boat at sea. My throat is as dry as sandpaper. My brain feels foggy as I try to recall the events of last night.
A half-empty beer glass. A blonde guy with dreads saying my name. Reina's face close to mine; her mouth moving but there's no sound. A shot that looks like a sunset. My glasses plop into toilet water. The feeling of grass on the back of my thighs and an arm around my shoulders. A green tea shot.
My stomach turns. I hate green tea.
Suddenly I hear the sound of running water. I guess I'd somehow managed to fall back to sleep. I roll over and groan again, folding my body into a ball beneath Mara's blankets.
I hear her spit into the sink. "We have to get to work, Lena."
"I have a fever."
I could hear her chuckle as she spoke. "No, you don't. That's a hangover. Get up."
I roll to the edge of her bed and sit up, letting my feet dangle off. When she turns on the closet light, I squint. I hold my hand up to my eyes and groggily ask, "Did you save me from making bad decisions last night?"'
Without answering my question, Mara calls from her closet, "You know, you actually insulted me last night."
I gasp dramatically but I genuinely don't remember doing so. "I did not! I don't believe I'd do that."
She walks out of her closet, smirking. "I'm just a bit offended you said I wasn't your type."
I rub my palms over my face. "You weren't supposed to know that." She laughs and I continue, "I just meant... you're not the type I'd sleep with."
Mara nods. "Right..." She pauses. "Because you actually know my name."
YOU ARE READING
Morose
General FictionAfter the death of her fiancé, Lena struggles to navigate grief and depression. She's barely got a handle on her emotions as she leans heavily on her friends. When history seems to repeat itself, Lena looks to find comfort in bad habits and unhealth...
