Fast Lane (G/t)

1

"What!? What do you mean I'm overreacting!?"

Ainsley woke up to screaming. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but with the pain in her head... and her everything else, it seemed, she couldn't be too sure.

"No, I'm not kidding. I. Want. One. Now, can I get one or not?"

She lifted her body slowly from the comforts of her home away from home - the bed in her university dorm room - stretched, and looked around, shocked that she didn't find a pile of her own clothes on the floor, like usual. Yet, she still couldn't locate or name the screamer. 

"Look, buddy, I swear on your life that you ain't gotta clue who you're messing w-... L-Lee? Oh, thank God!" And before she knew it, Ainsley was caught in a bear hug - a hug only one person could've given her.

"Lee, holy crap. You're awake. Phew," Ainsley's roommate and BFFL Cora relaxed as she let go and ended her phone call. "I mean, I didn't think you were dead or anything, but I was this close to calling the police."

"Yeah, I'm up," Ainsley assured, happy to see a happy face... and the source of the loudness. "You don't need to get so- Wait, the police? What for?"

Cora looked surprised at the question, backing up away from her, jaw-dropped. "'What for?'" she repeated. "What for!? You tell me."

"Coco, what are you insinuating? How would I know?" Ainsley tried, attempting to stand now, only to stumble into Cora's outstretched arms.

"Girl, look at you, and based on how I found you last night, you better have a good explanation." Ainsley hadn't a clue on what she was talking about until Cora stood her up, and she looked at herself, and gosh was she surprised. 

Her crop top was torn in places, her sport-shorts were frayed, and her torso in general... well, it looked like a cat had gotten to her, which, based on campus guidelines, shouldn't have been possible. The rest of her body had some sporadic scratches and cuts, but they seemed to have already been medicated and started healing... probably by Cora. The sight of it all made Ainsley speechless. If she could've made it to her mirror, then she would've checked herself out fully. But, alas she couldn't, so she made do, running her hands all over herself, until she touched her hair and sides. 

Her fingers came across some kind of thick, black, dried goop spread everywhere. Looking back at her bed, she saw how the substance had stained her sheets and pillows, too, so she definitely wasn't hallucinating. Replaying the events of the night before in her head, a reason for it never came to mind.

"C-C-Coco," Ainsley questioned, now trembling nervously, "Wh-What is this? What... h-happened to me?"

"Like I said, you tell me," she responded, walking across their rug decorated floors over to their shared closet space, looking for something. "Apparently, I came in at the last second of what seemed like a heck of a night." Going deeper into the closet, she called out, "What do you remember?"

"Uh, w-well, since the last time I spoke to you, I, uh, I went to my study sesh, but the peeps there had to change locations or something? I didn't bother asking - I just followed them. I should've kept track of where we were going, but I was just soooooo out of it. When it was over, everyone dispersed back to wherever - they're freaking jerks for leaving me alone, like that. Obviously, I had no idea of where I was, relevant to anywhere else, and plus it was freaking dark. I was gonna call you, but my phone freaking died."

"Ohhhh, so that's why I couldn't call you."

"Yeah. Anyway, I was lost, and I needed to get back, 'cuz' you know, no one should be out on campus alone pretty much ever, especially on... such an over-sized one. So, I just turned my music player on and started running. After that... I think I tripped or something? I know I tumbled and stuff, landed on something rough, and now I'm here." Ainsley didn't like describing herself like a damsel in distress... again, but it's what she was... again.