Chapter 14
1137 Words
Iris
By the time I finished from work, Serena still hadn't called me back but she had sent a text that said to drop by her place of work, where she does her night shift when I'm done from work. Apparently she had some great news to tell me.
I got to the train station that'll take me to my neighbourhood after a few minutes' walk, and I pondered for a moment what she could want to tell me. From the tone of the message, it was obvious it wasn't bad news so I wasn't really worried but I was curious, which has helped with taking my mind off my blunder earlier today.
Damn it. Now I've reminded myself of it.
Thankfully I haven't got fired, but from now on, I doubt they'll give me major projects like that to do ever again. I'll probably just have to fetch coffee for the rest of my time there before I decide I can't take it anymore and quit.
That would be their game plan, wouldn't it?
I got on the train once it arrived and tried to steer my mind off everything for a little while. My blunder, my boss, his twin brother, whom I haven't thought of in a while, thanks to my busy schedule.
Ugh, why was I thinking of him now?
I shook my head and put in my earphones for some music to distract me till I got to my destination.
****
On getting to her place of work, which was a club, by the way, I wasn't allowed to go in because, according to the bouncer, I looked like I was here to invite everyone to a corporate meeting instead of to party and get laid.
Shit. I hadn't thought of that and couldn’t just call Serena out to tell me this news. She was probably behind the bar handing out drinks and busy.
So she could have just waited till she got home to tell me this news, but…
Anyways, I moved off to the side as the line in front of the club moved on and took my hair out of its very tight bun. I loosened a few buttons of my t-shirt, revealing my generous bosoms, and moved up my skirt till it was around the middle of my thighs.
Okay, that should do it, no?
It did it.
Within a few minutes, I was inside the club, wandering past sweaty bodies and loud music to the bar counter, where I immediately found my friend.
"Iris!" She yelled happily when she saw me.
"Hey..." I gave her an imaginary hug across the counter. "How are you doing?"
"Great." She was beaming actually.
"Is everything okay?" She left me for a minute to respond to another customer before she could answer my question and I took a seat and looked around the space as she worked.
District 8. We had visited here a lot of times during college due to it being close to our apartment while in school and Serena taking a job here three years into our programme. The place actually held a lot of memories for us.
"Okay." She yelled above the music when she came back.
"So you said you have some news; is everything fine?"
"Yup. I got into the dance academy programme!"
"The dance academy programme?" It took a moment for that to register in my head. "Oh, the academy you signed up for?"
"Yes." She nodded her head vigorously. "I saw the email this afternoon and called but you weren't picking up so I thought I would tell you when you drop by and then we can spend some time together later today after my shift."
"Spend time together," I scoffed. "We literally live under the same roof, which means we see each other most of the time."
"Not lately. You've been so busy and I know you have work tomorrow."
"Yup, so you know I can't spend much time here together with you or drink. I have to wake up early tomorrow."
I stood up then, actually quite pissed that this was the reason she had asked me to stop by. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for Serena. Heck, I would be jumping in excitement for her right now because I know this was something she had wanted for a while now as a pivot in her career if I weren't so stressed and sour from work.
She could have texted it over the phone, told me when she got home or called.
Okay, she did call.
Anyway, I'm headed back home.
"I'm leaving tomorrow." She said before I could take a step, though, and I turned back to face her, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow. The program starts in a few days and I'm required to fly over tomorrow in order to meet up. I'm on scholarship also, so I can't just decide not to go..."
I stared at her for a full minute, not saying anything and trying to process what she had just said. "You're serious?"
She nodded or was about to when a customer came to our side of the table and she had to answer.
No way. I told myself as I stumbled to a nearby stool to sit down. There's no way she's leaving tomorrow.
Wh...How... Why? Like, could my life get any shittier right now? And to think that...
Nope, I hadn't even been thinking about anything because of work, remember. I've been so swamped; we hardly spend time together anymore, as she said, and now she was just leaving.
I grabbed a flute of God knows what from a row of other flutes that were lined up on the counter and gulped it down in one go.
"f**k!" That was strong. I picked another one up.
****
I don't know how long Serena remained swarmed by customers and waitresses who kept going and coming with drinks but by the time she came back to me, I was pretty much drunk.
Not drunk-drunk. Tipsy? My head felt light and the room felt like it would stumble with any movement I made. Hey but it's all good.
"Jeez..." Serena echoed as I lolled my head on the counter, trying to get my bearings. "What did you... Oh my God, how much of this did you take?"
"Five," I heard somebody answer before I could form my answer.
Ugh, such a snitch.
"Five?" She placed her hand on my head to turn it to hers.
"Serena..." I murmured. ...You're not actually leaving, right?"
She was playing. After how many years of being there for each other, she was just going to leave??
I lolled my head back to the counter when she didn't reply and muttered again.
"Fuck... I need to pee.”
- Writer
