Belle of the Ball

Chapter Two - Highly Unlikely

I walked into my apartment, Sammy (my small shih tzu mixed puppy) barking up a storm.

"Sammy! Hi baby!" I whispered. "Hush, you're going to wake up Nancy." I said, bending down and picking up the energized dog.

"Too-fucking-late." Nancy—my roommate—said, coming around the corner with an awful case of bed hair and wrinkled night clothes.

"The hell are you home so late for anyway?" She asked, rubbing her swollen eyes.

"I worked a later shift tonight—oof! Sammy." I said, thanks to his little licks touching all over my face. I quickly put him down, then he almost instantly started jumping up on my legs again.

"You want a treat boy?" I asked, going straight to the kitchen. Normally after he got his treat, he was a lot calmer—and sleepier.

"You've been working late a lot lately." Nancy said, following me to our cramped kitchen.

"I know, these student loans are kicking my ass; but guess what?"

"What?" She asked, letting another sleepy filled yawn escape.

"I ran into my ex today. At the diner."

Nancy's eyes immediately turned to the size of saucers, and her mouth dropped open. The girl sure did love some good juicy gossip at twelve in the morning.

"Wait you're kidding..? You mean Ben?"

"What! No? I mean...Jeremy." I said, throwing Sammy his doggie treat, then putting the bag back into the cabinet.

"Jeremey..? The one we went to college with? The one who cheated on you with that back stabbing, needle loving—"

"Yes, yes, that Jeremy."

"Bitch! Why are you being so nonchalant?" Nancy asked, apparently full of energy now.

"Why are you being so loud?" I asked, then covered my lips with my index fingers. "Neighbors..." I whispered.

"Forget them, when do I ever get good gossip?"

I rolled my eyes, then walked away from her. I loved Nancy—but sometimes the girl could be a handful. I probably should've waited until morning to tell her...

"So what did you guys talk about?" She asked, after I began peeling off my work clothes. Changing in front of her was so easy now, we had about as many boundaries as twins in the same womb.

"Nothing much...the basics. Like careers, and relationships—ya know, whatever." I flung the grease stained shirt over my head, then threw it to the ground, finally feeling somewhat freed.

"Oh?! Is he seeing anyone? Is he a dead beat with no job?" Nancy smirked. "I bet he is, that's what happens to cheaters."

"Actually—" I said, stripping from my jeans. "He's apparently the owner of a multi-million dollar company, with a model for a fiancé.

The deafening silence was reaction enough. Nancy was just as shocked as I was when I first heard about it. Normally she wasn't one to be so...quiet either.

"No way—he totally made it up." She finally said.

As much as I wanted to shower to remove the stench of grease and pancake batter from my body; I just didn't have the energy. I pulled an oversized white tee over my head, then pulled out my phone.

"Actually. It's true. I looked it up." I said, handing her the phone.

She read for what felt like hours before she finally tore her gaze away from the small but bright screen. Her mouth was slightly ajar, and her hand was in her hair—gripping onto the strands of hair for dear life.