Suds

Suds | Season 1, Episode 9

[Last time on Suds, poor Shantel slipped into a panic attack because she didn't have a man—any man—to cling onto. Meanwhile, her man, Terrance, was trying to whisper sweet nothings into the ears of her roommate, Leilah. Shantel seeks out the next best thing, her ex, Darien. But wait, isn't he the one that sent her spiraling out of control in the first place?]

Shantel woke up groggy. She stared at the blurry numbers on the clock until her eyes adjusted to the shapes. It was almost ten o'clock at night, and Terrance still had not called her. She rolled her eyes and fished through her contacts until she found a number.
"Yeah?"
"Darien, it's me." She didn't recognize the dry voice that came from her own mouth. Shantel rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She felt herself sinking away from her cares into a thick, dark place.

"Shantel?" Darien called gently as though sensing her frailty, "I'm not trying to brush you off. You will always be special to me."
"Not special enough to be with you, though," she whispered without emotion.
"Tel, I mean, Shantel. This really isn't about you." He said speaking softly enough to buffer the painful truth she would hear in his words.
"That's right," she said sarcastically, "It's about God."
"Yes, Shantel, it is about God. Everything we were is nothing He wants me to be." He rubbed his braided locs while sitting on the sofa of his cramped, one bedroom apartment. "Me and you, Shantel, were mainly about one thing. We can't even be in the same car together without trying to go back to that place. And, I'm not trying to be mean, but outside of that, there ain't much else between us."

Shantel gasped, snapping out of her melancholy state, "How can you say that?"
"Come on Tel." Darien slapped his hand on his forehead and corrected himself, "Shantel, be real."

She sat up, swinging her feet off the bed and paced across the room. Her mind raced. Then, she stopped and cast herself into a sea of sadness. She brewed a fresh batch of tears. "So, that's all I was to you?" she whimpered, forcing out every bit of anguish she could muster. Mortified cries escaped her lips as she crumbled to the floor, rocking back and forth.

Her cries pierced his heart, and guilt bore down on him. "Shantel," he begged.
"Just forget it," she cried through excessive tears.
"Shantel," he called a second time with more desperation in his voice.
He knew her ways. Their breakup took three times to stick. She wasn't stable-minded enough to be left alone. He worried she would do something drastic to herself again. He always came running if she called. The last time, he didn't have to because Terrance stepped in as her new love.
"Shantel," he said. "Please don't—"
"Just forget it!" she screamed, clutching her hair at the root. She curled into a ball and let out a shrill scream.

The call dropped.
Darien pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the haunting sound of the dial tone.

~~

Terrance's phone rang an hour later.
"There are granola bars and vitamin water in my bag."
He chuckled. "Oh yeah?"
Leilah glanced into her rear view mirror at his headlights, then back to her own headlights lighting up the dark, two-lane highway ahead. "Yeah. I wonder how they got there."
"Probably some under appreciated person."
She munched on the granola bar. "I'm sure that person is beyond appreciated."
"Which person are we talking about?"
"The one who valiantly swept in, towed my steed, healed it's ailments, and packed provisions to send me on my way."
His brows furrowed. "You want to run that back."
"You," she mumbled.
"What was that?" he teased.
She sighed. "I appreciate—" She stopped short. "I mean, thank you—" She cleared her throat and pushed the words out. "You didn't have to stop. You didn't have to stay. You didn't need to pay. You didn't have to feed me." She laughed uncomfortably, rubbing her forehead. "And you don't have to follow me." She held onto the steering wheel. "But you did. And you are. And if it weren't for you—" She shook away the thought. "I am grateful for all you've done. Thank you."
They were 60 miles from the exit.
59 miles.
58 miles.
"Hello?"
"Had to choke that out, huh?"
"I told you I'm bad at this."
"You didn't lie."
She laughed. "Thanks Terrance."
He could imagine her lips curled into a smile. "Anytime."
She blinked back sleep. "Is it just me or is this last leg of the drive dragging?"
Terrance yawned.
"Don't fall asleep."
"I'm good. Thanks for calling."
"I'm fresh out of small talk though."
"Least favorite part of Spring Break," Terrance asked.
Leilah answered in truth, "When my Granny literally knocked me out."
"Dang," he gasped, "Did you step out of pocket with Grans?"
"Nope, mistaken identity. Your turn."

Terrance recalled the way Shantel stared at Darien on the beach. His hand gripped tight around the steering wheel.
He grimaced.
"Any day now."
"I'm gon have to pass on that one."
"Booo," Leilah objected. "I told you mine."
"Alright, free range, ask me something else. Anything else."
"If you cheat again, I'm hanging up."
"What's your question?"
"Your family. Go."
Terrance grinned as he spoke to the cute, semi-comedic girl. Her laugh was full of life and her stories brimmed with love in spite of hardship. As he answered the questions and listened to hers, Shantel slipped out of his mind and his three-year vendetta against Darien became less important.
~~

Darien parked in the tow zone in front of Shantel's dormitory feeling compelled to check on her. He couldn't bear the thought of her hurting herself and shouldering the blame.

He opened the car door and tried to swing his foot out. Then he looked down and tried to lift his foot again. His legs were heavy like lead and felt like they were cemented to the floor. He struggled to climb out of the car. Twisting. Writhing. Huffing. Still, his legs stayed. He gasped for air, his mind swirling with unanswered questions. Finally, the heaviness won, and he closed his car door, confused. He rested his head on the steering wheel and prayed.

[Stay tuned: These swirling bubbles of boyfriends and betrayal are bound to 'pop goes the weasel'.]

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