The Fluke

1 - Jules

It's 9:15 on Friday night and I'm thirty seconds away from face planting onto my bed and possibly suffocating myself to end my misery. I sound dramatic, because I tend to be dramatic, but it really is warranted this time. After the longest day of the longest week of the longest month of my life, nothing sounds better than the sweet release of death. Goodbye February, hello Grim Reaper.

As the image of my lifeless body being lifted into a body bag fills my mind and I smile at the thought, I reach my bedroom and dive onto my bed. Maybe suffocation by bedsheets is a bit extreme. I can settle for two uninterrupted days of peace and quiet, too much reality television, and as much cheap wine as I can get my hands on. God knows I deserve it after the last few weeks.

I roll over onto my back and stare out the window above my bed, the fat Seattle rain drops making the idea of staying in bed for the entire weekend even more appealing. I kick my wet shoes off my feet and sit up as they drop to the floor. I reach into my pocket and pull out my cellphone. Indian food never sounded so good.

The moment my finger unlocks my phone the screen lights up with an incoming call and I'm met with a photo of my friend Val. Her blonde curls wild, her blue eyes crossed, her face cracked in half with a perfect smile. I contemplate ignoring the call, but knowing Val she will not relent until she gets to me even if it means showing up at my door and knocking it down.

"Hello?"

"Hi. I'll be outside your building in less than two minutes. We're going out!" I can hear the excitement in her voice and I know she wants to take me out to cheer me up but it is the last thing I want to do. I should have ignored the call.

"I'm not going out anywhere. I'm already in sweats in bed saying my goodbyes and preparing to end it all," I lie. I slump back and my head hits the pillows.

"Prescott, you and I both know how this is going to go. Just put on something slutty and be ready in five." She always refers to me by my last name when she's in full-fledged Get-Shit-Done mode. I can hear cars sloshing through puddles on the street, and due to her apparent excitement, Val is slightly exasperated.

"Val, honestly. You can come up and join me for Indian take out and we can drink wine until we can't see straight but I'm telling you now that I won't leave this apartment."

"Don't you dare order take out! Buzz me up!" She clicks off and a few seconds later the buzzer by the door is ringing. I shove off the bed and go push the button to buzz her up, unlocking the door to my apartment so she can let herself in. I rush back to my bedroom and drop my pants, grabbing the crumpled sweatpants I crawled out of this morning. Over 12 hours ago. I am too tired for what's coming.

The door flies open and Val's voice reaches me loudly, "Jules! Let's go!"

I stalk out of my bedroom, dragging my feet and putting on my most exhausted expression. "C'mon, Val. All I want to do is stay home. I haven't had any down time since, like, last year." I flop onto the sofa and throw my arm over my face. My dramatics usually don't work on her but you never know.

"Oh, stop being such a boring bitch." Val drops her dripping umbrella on the floor by the door and crosses the room, disappearing into my bedroom. "If you don't get up and change yourself then I get to be in charge of what you put on."

I jump up and trail after her into my closet. She's thumbing her way through my wardrobe and scrunching up her nose at everything she passes.

"Don't you own anything, I don't know, sexy?" She holds up a particularly hideous number. I see what she means but it still annoys me so I snatch it from her.

"I wore this to a funeral, thank you very much." I eye her outfit. "I apologize if my style isn't from the I-Won't-Keep-You-Guessing Emporium." Sky high heels, bare legs, a dress that barely covers her ass and keeps nothing to the imagination. Classic Val. She looks great, don't get me wrong, and I would never call her a slut. Val has a very high moral standard. She may not dress like a nun, but she doesn't take just anybody home.