Diamonds and Why Men Buy Them [Mike Fuentes]

2. An Old Friend

As I stand on my usual corner with my sign, I miss the rain. The heat leaves my body sticky and weak. My mouth is dry, but I lost the money gathered the day before. Sometimes a kind biker or runner comes past and spares a bottle of water. That is not the case today. People walk past, giving me their usual judgmental stares before casually strolling along. I put my sign away and walk to a different part of town hoping for more success. I wish I could find my money, I need a drink.

I reach another corner with a bench. I sit down and sigh. A harsh odor is released from my mouth so I immediately close it. A man sits next to me. This is probably a bus stop, or like me he is resting. I feel him look at me, but I don't return the glance.

"Mickey?" I hear next to me. I turn my head to see a familiar face. "That is you! What's up girl?"

I smile weakly. "Michael, how are you? It's been a while."

"It's been years! I'm just hanging out, enjoying life the best I can without killing myself." My eyes go wide and he laughs, "I play drums and rap for a living."

"Oh, is it fun?"

He shrugs. "It can be fun, it depends on what crazy shit we do." He chuckles. He looks at his phone. "Hey, I have a while. Do you want to get a bite to eat?"

I smell terrible, and my clothes are dirty, and my breath is putrid. I try to decline as respectfully as possible, although some food would be wonderful. "No thank you, I'm waiting for my bus."

"I can take you home, Mickey. Come on, my treat."

"I've been outside all day, I smell like sweat. I don't want to-"

He scoffs. "I bet there are far stinkier things in this world. Come on." He gets off the bench and starts to walk but stops and looks behind at me still sitting. "Well, aren't you coming?"

I hesitantly get off the bench and follow him. We enter a small café that smells like cupcakes and toasted sandwiches. Hopefully it's enough to mask my smell. We order drinks first and I just ask for a water.

Michael stops the waitress from leaving. "Come on, you can get something else, like a soda."

I don't want to take advantage, but he's offering. "I'll have a lemonade, please."

She leaves the table. Michael sniffs around. "I can't smell you, we're all good!" He sniffs his own armpits. "Maybe it's because I stink, whoo!" He puts his arms down. For the first time in a long time, I laugh. I almost forgot what my laugh sounds like. Michael smiles. "Looks like I'm doing my job right."

The waitress returns with our drinks and I immediately grab the water, downing the whole thing before she took our order. They both look at me strangely, and I tell Michael that I went to work without my wallet and didn't have anything to drink all day. We order, and I decide to get a chicken ceaser salad, because it was once my favorite and I haven't had one in a long time. I try very hard to politely eat it. I savor each bite, and chew each bite 20 times, like usual so it lasts longer. Michael is almost done before I am even halfway through, so I pick up the pace.

He chuckles, finishing his last French fry from his burger and French fry combo. "You don't have to hurry, it's fine. Like I said, I have plenty of time."

My cheeks turn red and I try to eat at a regular pace. I set down my fork. "Do you remember when we met?"

"Hah, yeah. You were friends with my girlfriend and I ended up liking you better after we met."

"She was so mad, but once she realized we were just friends she got over herself and went back to fucking multiple random men. She was happier that way." We both laugh, knowing it was true.

"Do you still hang with her?"

"No." I quickly say. He looks at me funny. I lost all of my friends when I moved in with Ryan. He wouldn't let me talk to or see anyone. "We just sort of stopped talking after a while." I lied. I've been doing that quite a lot, today. Hopefully I don't get punished for it.

I finsh my salad and Michael pays for the meal. I thank him more than once, and he just laughs it off. He offers to take me home, and I decline, telling him I had some things to do around town before I went home.

Before he leaves, he invites me to the bar. "A couple of friends and I are going to a bar tonight, care to join?"

"Oh, I don't really have the spare money to drink, right now." Now that is a true statement, seeing that I don't even have money to eat.

"It's on me! Come on, it'll be fun."

Before I can say no again, he already has a pen out writing the address on my hand. "9 o'clock, don't be late!" He shouts as he walks away.

I sigh, and run fingers through my very dirty hair. I don't want to go out with friends of Michael's like this. I then remember the shelter, and how you can take a shower there if it's not too crowded and pick some clothes. I start heading there. Time to get pretty.