Addictive Poison

2. SWEET AND SOUR

     The sound of my fingers viciously tapping the keys on my laptop, was the only sound to fill the void of my dark apartment. Dinah was curled up at my hip. Every so often, her tail would swipe the keyboard and I would brush it away. It was almost nine o'clock, and I was putting the finishing touches on my paper. I could tell that my legs would be sore from sitting in the same position for so long. I needed to get up and move around. I walked to the kitchen and scavenged through my almost-empty fridge. When all I could find was left-over take-out and a carton of eggs, I gave up. My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. I grabbed it and read the text from Gwen. We're going out tonight, and you can't say no. I'm rescuing you from your anti-social habits. You can thank me later! I wasn't going to argue this time, I could use a night out after spending so many hours in front of the computer screen. I can't even recall blinking. Another text popped up on the screen. Oh. And uh, would it kill you to not dress so modest for one night? Ignoring her lash at my usual attire, I texted her back, letting her know I would be ready soon.

      Standing in front of my closet, I realized I didn't think this through. I don't own anything even remotely suitable for a night out. What was I supposed to wear? I could already picture Gwen's contorted facial expression when she would catch a glimpse of my usual jeans and long-sleeve. Throwing t-shirt after t-shirt on my bed, I noticed the dress Gwen left thrown over the back of my chair. I forgot she left it here. Knowing her, she wouldn't mind if I borrowed it for a night. If it were up to her, she would have thrown away my whole wardrobe by now anyway. I picked up the dress and held it out in front of me. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Based off her style, I was expecting a low-cut and covered in sequins, type of dress. To my surprise it was a simple, long sleeve, tight, black dress. I think I could live with that. I slipped it on over my head and adjusted it to fit my subtle curves. The hem stopped mid-thigh, which was a little shorter than I was used to, but it fit nicely. Luckily for me, Gwen likes to wear her clothes a size or two smaller than she actually is. Something about the tighter, the better. More of Gwen's advice I seldom follow.

     My hair was a mess. It was tangled into a large bun that sagged at the nape of my neck. Pieces were strewn about everywhere. How do I even fix this? I thought. Digging through the cupboard under the bathroom sink, I finally found my curling iron.

     A few burns later, my hair was finally done. It was set in large, messy curls that hung below my shoulders. I'm not much of a makeup person, but I do keep the basics lying around. I swiped some mascara through my long lashes, and topped the look off with a classic red lip. Refusing to make a nuisance of myself stumbling around in heels, I decided I would wear my black, high-top converse. The last time I wore heels, was at my cousin's wedding, and I don't want a repeat of that. I've never been more embarrassed.

     There was a loud knock at my door followed by Gwen's muffled voice. When I opened the front door, she smiled. "Wow. Who knew plain-Jane could clean up so nicely?" She looked me over. "Hey, is that my dress?" Her eyes flickered over my shoes. "-And you just had  to wear sneakers. For one second, I was convinced there was hope..." She laughed.

     Outside, awaited Gwen's chariot. She drove a glossy, red mustang. It suited her personality, and her hair. She wasted no time as she pulled me outside and into her car. "So where are we going?" I questioned.

     "You'll see." She grinned after revving the engine. The car purred with life as we drove down the street. This was very different from Caleb's truck, which made a loud, choking noise every time he started the engine. You'd think as a mechanic, his car would be in better shape. I guess he's just too busy fixing clientele cars, to bother fiddling with his own. I'm surprised he has time to spend with me at all. In fact, I still can't believe he asked me out on a date... I've always had the feeling he wanted a little something more from the relationship we had, but I never expected him to act on it. I felt awful declining his offer, but what was I supposed to do? I love Caleb, but not in that way... Thankfully, he took the blow with grace. He tried to shake it off as if it were nothing, but I know Caleb. I could feel his disappointment, despite his efforts to remain cheerful for the rest of the car ride. It was probably for my sake. He was just trying to spare me the guilt. Caleb was selfless like that.