Smash Into You

Chapter 23: Corduroy Dreams

I huffed as Lucy yelled at me, pointing out that I had ditched her for Lauren for the past 3 days, which isn't true. Well, maybe a bit, but honestly I was at Lucy's house for the past week before I started going back to Lauren's. So it's hardly fair that she was talking to me about how unfair I'm being just because I didn't spend a week and three days with her. Actually, where was the logic in it all?

"Lucy, I spent all last week with you, literally," I tried to explain as I held the phone to my ear, frowning even more when she only complained that half of that time was me hanging with Lauren before I even came over.

Also true, but that's because after work we went to hang out, and then after that we relaxed, before I actually went to Lucy's for the rest of the night. If anything it's my apartment and bank account that should be complaining because I'm literally never at home.

"Listen, I'm not playing favorites," I soothed, rubbing the back of my neck, "It's only fair that I hang out with Lauren after the week I just spent with you."

Wrong answer. She yelled that it wasn't about favoritism, but the fact that I spent more time with my best friend than my girlfriend. Also not true. I evened it out as much as I could, but recently the scales were in Lucy's favor. The more she complained, the more I stayed away from Lauren just to make her happy. It was getting to the point where I haven't had dinner with my best friend for about two weeks now.

Growing annoyed, I argued, "Luce, if it's bugging you that much why don't you try to hang back out with us? It was YOUR idea to split the time up. I told you how you don't need to do that."

It would seem I was preaching the 'How to do everything wrong in an argument with your girlfriend' book to my face while talking to this woman, because yet again she was screaming that it wasn't about evenly hanging out, but the fact that I was neglecting her, and have been for a while.

I just about had enough. With anger boiling, I shouted back, "I haven't been neglecting you! I was just at your house every day for the past week THREE days ago! Now suddenly I'm not there you seem to forget the time we spend together? How fair is that, Lucia?!"

I didn't get an answer, because she ended up yelling about something else before hanging up in my face.

What the fuck? My hands were shaking as I attempted to control myself enough not to smash my phone to the ground out of pure frustration. Instead, I turned and took the apartment steps two at a time before I reached Lauren's door.

"What the fuck!" I shouted as I stormed inside the apartment, slamming the door closed behind me.

Lauren, who was in the kitchen, poked her head out with her eyebrows raised, surprised by my outburst. I was too frustrated to explain to her what exactly I was yelling about, so instead brushed past her and went straight to the living room couch, plopping down with a hard stare at the TV.

Lauren took her time reaching the living room, two beers in her hand. When she managed to walk right in front of my vision of the TV, she drawled simply as I glared, "Now out of the year or so we have been friends, this would be the first time you have come screaming about something without actually being here for an hour or more."

I continued to stare, my eyes admiring her figure as she stood there.

"Now, would you like to explain to me what your problem is?" She asked softly, bending down to look into my eyes, "Or would you just like to drink and say fuck it?"

"Fuck it," I mumbled, taking the beer she handed me without any other questions. I took a sip as she plopped on the couch beside me, taking a sip also.