Above & Beyond ✔

6. Friday Night

I could fall asleep while walking down the campus hall. Completing my assignment at almost three in the morning gave me only a few hours to doze off before my class started. Luckily, my last class finished before noon on Fridays, so I could go straight home and claim my bed for the rest of the day.

To keep myself awake, I browsed about all the stupid stuff as our professor was busy answering questions from students. We only did a quick summary and general discussion today; the last day of the term. I wished nobody had raised their hand because this was a freaking Friday, the day people left school as early as possible, but of course, the world worked against my desperate wish.

It was still twenty minutes until the class ended, and I contemplated leaving in the middle of the discussion. Weighing my options, I opened the email icon on my screen out of habit, and a pang of disappointment hit my gut. There was no reply from him. Despite my disagreement with Mr. Andrew's insensitive point of view, I weirdly looked forward to his messages.

Maybe I was just bored, or it might have been the effect of lacking sleep for days, maybe weeks. But I couldn't shake the thought of sending him one last email; a thank you email, perhaps?

The phone vibrating in my hand made me jump, and I almost tipped off my chair. Glancing at my surroundings, I was glad no one was paying attention.

Dean: Going to see Dad for lunch. Your mom will be there too. Coming?

Me: I'll have to skip. Need my sleep.

Dean: Alright.

Me: Say hi to everyone.

Me: Hey Dean, is everything ok?

Dean: Huh? Why wouldn't it be?

My fingers hovered over my phone screen, wondering if I should tell him about Susie's concern.

Me: Just checking. We haven't hung out for a while, we should really go this weekend.

Dean: Yep. Gotta go. Can't type.

Me: Have fun! Don't be too hard on your old man.

Dean: *straight face*

***

"You're not going to fall asleep again, right, Jen?" Lea shouted from her room. "It's time to get ready!"

I lay on the couch with my feet up against the wall and the remote control in my hand. My eyes were fixed on the TV screen playing Oprah's show. After my precious six-hour nap in the afternoon, I was pretty much awake with a tummy full of chicken schnitzel and potato salad Lea made for dinner.

"Get ready for what?" I asked.

"Don't tell me you forgot about our plan! We are going out tonight." She stuck her head out of her bedroom door. "Get your ass to your room and get dressed!"

I whined as I changed the channel again. "Can I take a rain check? It's almost ten! Too late to go out now, isn't it?"

"Exactly! It's ten o'clock on Friday evening, which is a time for people to have a life, especially someone who spent the entire week buried in her studies and a shitty part-time job."

"Since you reminded me, I have to work tomorrow, you know that, right?"

"Not until two in the afternoon. So?" In one blink of an eye, Lea was in front of me with her hands on her hips, blocking my sight from the TV. It was rather funny to see her upside down like this. Her black long-sleeve sequin dress gleamed against our living room light, causing her purple hair to glow from the reflection. The sight reminded me of my mom's favorite singer, Cyndi Lauper.