Unlucky Susan

Taleela's POV

When I get home, it's almost three o'clock in the morning. The streets are empty except for the lights pouring out of the street lights down on the tarred roads.

Our street is safe and passable anytime, so I am not scared as I walk down the avenue toward our apartment building.

A cat scurries under a car, and I smile, knowing how much I would want a cat right now if not for Susan's allergy to furry objects.

And as for Susan, she's probably with her newfound interest because she's not going to return home tonight. I wish her luck, though. I pray that Achilles doesn't break her heart as other dudes do.

Then, I remembered a day last year. We were about to write our final exams for the sophomore. Susan was in love with her new explorer boyfriend she met at the club one night. He was everything she needed and wanted in an ideal guy.

Handsome, tall, dark-skinned, charismatic, naughty, a friendly and good guy in one combo, sweet and romantic, marked all the love languages good.

Susan was satisfied and thought of quitting her stripping job to be with him and become a changed woman.

In all honesty, I found it utterly stupid for her to be making such a decision in a short time of fewer than three months. But, I did not blame her. I understood how being in love could be. It would make you stupid and blind to a lot of truths.

A few days before our exams, she already told me how she was planning to quit stripping. She was to do that on the night of our final exams. You know, finish sophomore finals while finishing with stripping for good.

Only for her to return home that afternoon in tears. On that day, I had no classes, so I decided to stay back and pore over my unread books. Seeing Susan crying had me on my feet in seconds. I forgot about the book I was reading. I was concerned.

Guess what she told me?

Huey, her perfect boyfriend, was married with four little kids.

I didn't believe it at first. I started laughing hard. My apologies to sweet Susan.

She narrated that day's ordeal to me.

She starts with Huey lying about being a tourist in Greece. He lived in the next state and was there for a job he'd be doing for a few months. When she arrived at his alleged condominium, she found a lady breastfeeding a baby and asked who she was. The lady, being a nice woman, told Susan that she was his wife of Yuri.

That was where she got confused. Who was Yuri?

Yuri was Huey. All this while, he had been lying to Susan and ripping her off with so many different and stupid excuses I had told Susan about.

I felt horrible for her because she invested quite a lot in the idiot in just a few months of meeting him.

I petted her till she fell asleep. Then, I went back to reading for my exams. Long story short, she failed two courses and was made to resit.

Oh, I do not think Achilles is a bad guy, but I do not trust him with my fragile friend, Susan.

I'm at the front of our door in no time. I slip my hand into the side pocket of my tote bag and draw out my bunch of keys. Selecting the piece that would fit into the keyhole, I unlock the door. The lights turn on as soon I step foot into my room.

I shut the door and locked it before I proceeded into our two-room apartment. The living room is a mess, but I ignore it. I'm too tired to begin arrangements at this time of the night. Besides, I have class later this afternoon. I have all the time in the morning to make arrangements.

Knowing how lazy Susan is, I don't think about making her clean up everywhere in the morning. I make a mental note to clean around in the morning.

I drop my tote bag on one of the couches and walk straight into the kitchen. I turn on the lights and go to the fridge to get cold water. I want every atom of the alcohol I took into my system almost an hour ago to be gone.

I fill a glass cup with chilled water and gulp it down. I'm hungry and sleepy, so I choose sleep over food. Enduring hunger just because you want to maintain a healthy diet and not eat at night is not something easy. It took a whole lot of time and failed attempts before I got to this level. I will not break that in just one night.

So, I shut the fridge and turned on my heels, not forgetting to turn off the lights.

Immediately I fall flat on my bed. I fall into a deep sleep.

"Wakey, wakey! Sleepyhead!"

I groan and turn away from the bright light pouring into my room from my window, taking my pillow along with me and shielding my face from whatever is to disturb my sleep this morning.

I know it's Susan. And I understand why she is so energetic even after spending the night with a man and lacking hours of sleep.

Today is one of her favorite fashion shows.

The so-called Linda is in a few of our classes, and Susan is head over heels in love with Linda's fashion sense. We're all in the art department, but Susan focuses on theatre arts, like me. Linda attends some of our classes to show everyone that she can excel at anything she sets out to do.

In all honesty, I do not like the girl one bit. I think she's flamboyant, but Susan believes she is charming.  Well, everyone's got their perspective and all. But, I am sure that she's proud and likes to show off.

"Remember today is Fashion week, and Linda will be one of the participants?"

I give her no reply. Instead, I work on going back to sleep. Linda's Fashion nonsense is none of my business. I want to sleep in today and maybe go to the grocery store to stock up on our empty freezer.

Just as I am about to fall asleep, I feel my blanket being pulled off my body and groan in annoyance.

"Can a tired lady have a good morning's sleep?!" I yell and immediately sit up on my bed. When I open my eyes to look at my friend with a glare, she is laughing hard and almost rolling on the floor.

"Fuck you, Susan. Fuck you!" I grit out and climb out of my bed menacingly. Immediately, Susan begins to step back and away from my room. I ignore her and go into my bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth in preparation for this morning's chores.

What I see in front of my mirror scares the hell out of me. No, it can't be me looking like a bird's nest was built atop my head. My hair is everywhere, and my face looks quite rough from tossing around the whole night. I shake my head and wash my face and teeth before going back into my room to brush my hair.

When I get to the sitting room, I am met with surprise. Susan is sweeping.

I shake my head and wipe my eyes to be sure that I am not still on my bed, dreaming.

"Susan?" I begin. "This a dream or something?"

Susan looks up at me and shrugs. "I just decided to do the chores today. I've been hard on you with my laziness, and I feel guilty. I came home this morning, and everywhere was a mess."

"Wow, surprising," I mutter and start walking to the kitchen to make breakfast myself. "How was last night?"

I hear a dreamy sigh behind me and then see my friend, eyes closed, hand on her chest. "Last night was everything. Achilles is so sweet!"

I am taken aback. "In just a few days of knowing him? That's interesting."

Susan notices the tone I reply to her, and her expression drops from one of excitement to a dull face.

"Okay, Taleela, I know it's too fast  and all, but I like him." She explains.

I shrug. "I understand. Go with the flow, okay? Just don't make mistakes as you did in the past. I wish you luck!"

Immediately, she beams at me. She is back to being excited. "So, he will be around for Linda's fashion show. That's why I am excited."

I raise a brow. I am preparing oats for us both, and I turn to give her a look of surprise. "Are you for real?"

She nods. "Yeah. I am cleaning everywhere, so you'll be lucky enough to dress me up!"

I drop my spoon and pull at my hair, groaning loudly to the universe for help.