AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shouldn’t we go early? You know, in case the lines are super long.”
“Are you kidding? If we go to the club early, we’ll look way too eager. We need to time it so we’re arriving just as it’s getting full. The more people there, the more people we get to rub elbows with.”
“You’ve got your strategy all worked out, I see.”
She grins as she sits down across from me. “If we’re lucky, maybe you’ll find another guy to ditch me for.”
I glare at her, irritation licking at the nape of my neck. “Are you ever going to let that go?”
“I’m clearly joking.”
“No, you’re not. I can hear it in your tone.”
“Oh my God, I was just kidding, okay? Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
I set my jaw. “Why are you being so annoying today?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me fine, Cee. What’s gotten into you?”
“I’m just excited to go to Velvet, that’s all. What’syourproblem?”
“The fact that you’re making my birthday outing all about you.”
Charlotte frowns. “What? Are you kidding me?”
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don’twantto go out? This sort of thing just isn’t for me. Just because Mikhail said we could use his name to get in doesn’t mean wehaveto.”
My roommate crosses her arms. The conversation is escalating too quickly, but I can’t control it. She of all people should know why I hate celebrating my birthday.
“Would you rather sit around here and mope?” she asks, her question cutting harder and deeper than I was prepared for.
“So youdoremember.”
“That your Mom died on your birthday? Of course.”
Anger boils in the pit of my stomach. “So you’re deliberately being a bitch?”
“I’m not trying to be a bitch. I’m trying to help you. You’d be holed up in the apartment all day if it wasn’t for me.”
I feel like crying. What the hell has gotten into her? What’s with the sudden animosity? I must have said something wrong, or maybe she really is still pissed about the fact that I ditched her. Whatever the reason, it’s her damage. I shouldn’t be made to feel guilty about wanting to mourn my mother.
“You just want to go to Velvet to try and make your big break,” I accuse. “If you’re that desperate, go by yourself. You don’t need to drag me along with you.”
Charlotte gets up from the table, her cheeks red and her eyes watery with angry tears. “Fuckingfine! Happy fucking birthday.” She storms off down the hall and slams her bedroom door shut like a petulant child.
I, too, want to run to my room and slam the door in a fit of rage. I need to get the hell out of here before I say or do something I might genuinely regret. With a frustrated grunt, I trudge over to the laundry machine shoved into our small hallway closet, pull out a fresh shirt and pair of jeans, and throw them on before heading straight out the door.
Happy fucking birthday, indeed.
* * *
I’m having the absolute worst day. First my fight with Charlotte, and now I’m wandering around in the rain without an umbrella. I contemplate returning home, but then I’d have to deal with my cranky roommate. I don’t know what the hell got into her, and the more I replay our argument over in my head, the more I start to question if I was the one out of line.
I honestly can’t tell. At the end of the day, I’m probably going to apologize. Fights happen over stupid things all the time. Charlotte’s still my best friend. I’m sure we can figure things out together once we’ve both had a chance to cool our heads.
With nowhere else to go, I head to CyberFort.
