“I didn’t hear you. Dryer,” she replied, picking at a few strands of her hair.
“What about today, why didn’t you message me?”
“I did.” Lauren frowned.
“Yeah, once and then nothing.”
“Oh sorry, I didn’t realise you sent more. Been a bit preoccupied,” she yawned, rolling her head in a slow arc, stretching her neck.
“No worries. I just thought you had the shits with me. Glad I worried for nothing.” Alex sunk into a recliner and massaged her temples with two fingers on both hands, closing her eyes.
“Uh-oh. I’ve seen that look before. What’s up?” asked Lauren.
“Just a stupid fight Matt and I had at the end of an already shitty day. It got me thinking. I love him, but he drives me crazy sometimes. He is sweet but so immature. After three years I thought he would’ve calmed down a bit. He just says stupid things.”
“Like what?” Lauren asked, yawning.
“Oh just some stuff about you…”
“So? I put just as much shit on the old ranga limp dick, as he does on me.” Lauren said, winking at the look Alex gave her. “It’s all good.”
Alex took a few seconds before letting a small laugh out, mainly through her nose. “It’s just…”
“It’s just what, babe?”
“Stuff about my parents.”
“What about them?” Lauren looked suddenly concerned.
But Alex couldn’t answer. She felt a tightness in her throat as she thought of how best to explain.
“What about your parents?” Lauren hissed, planting herself down next to Alex.
Alex shook her head quickly, clearing the tightness away. When she spoke, there were no tears, but her voice was a little husky with the threat of them. She went through what Matt had said, before adding, “The thing is, I know he’s right in a way.”
“No he’s not. It didn’t happen to him. Who’s he to say what you should feel? You should tell him to go fuck himself.”
“Hey, I am not saying I want to break up,” Alex countered.
“No, you’re saying you want a husband, a house with a white picket fence and kids, but can you really do that with him?”
“Of course I can. Just not right now.”
“So who are you waiting for to be ready, him or you?”
Alex did not know how to answer that. “It’s easier for someone who hates the idea of a relationship to see things in black and white. But the world is grey.”
“Yeah, about that, I assume you met the guy coming down the stairs?”
“I was centimetres away from meeting the floor when he bumped into me, if that’s what you mean.”
“Oh. Are you ok? It’s just that I heard Matt’s voice outside and shooed him out. What would you say if I invited Ryan to T with us next week?”
“Ryan? Really? The surfie dude you hooked up with yesterday? I thought I recognised him. Is this a thing?” Alex asked, mouth pointedly agape.
“It’s nothing yet.” Lauren shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s just the right mix of naughty and nice to keep me interested so far. Very up and down in bed, but we’ll see.”
Alex laughed. “Up and down?”
“Yeah, it’s hard to explain. It was all right this afternoon, but last night, from what little I could tell, was way better. Still, I think I like him.”
“Wow, you found a guy that can keep your interest on the same night I tell you…”
“That you’re having second thoughts?”
“I’m not really having second thoughts, I’m just blowing off steam. If it was a big deal I would talk to him. But it’s just the little things that are annoying, not who he is.”
“Just as long as you’re happy. Anyways, I am off to bed. I have work tomorrow, and the labels will not sell themselves, unfortunately.”
“Oh by the way, you got a message from work, they want to know if you’ll be in a charity donation for that Youth Off the Streets thing.”
Lauren groaned. “Another charity? Christ, you do it once and then they hound you forever.”
“Well, I told them I would give them some, so you can go halves if you like?”
“Really? But you don’t even work there.”
“So? It’s a good cause.” Alex shrugged.
“Ugh, I hate you so much sometimes. Can’t you be a selfish, conniving cow just once?”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Sleep tight, Glinda,” said Lauren, leaning down.
The girls kissed each other good night.
“Ugh, Matt vapours,” Lauren said, pretending to spit.
“Essence of Ryan,” Alex replied, scrunching her face.
Both girls giggled and Lauren disappeared into her bedroom.
Alex yawned, ready to crash for the night herself. She took her phone out of her bag to charge it and send a quick goodnight message to Matt. She had one new message already.
I saw the guy get into his car. Do you believe me now? Matt 1 Alex 0
She instantly wished she hadn’t read it.
*
Lauren pressed the numbers in a flash, holding the phone up to her ear as she paced back and forth across her room, thoroughly pissed. The number rang out.
“Don’t even think about it,” she muttered, slamming her thumb down on the redial button. Finally after three rings, Matt picked up.
“What?”
Lauren spoke in a harsh whisper. “Don’t what me. What the hell is going on with you and Alex?”
“It’s really none of your business.”
“Fuck that. I walked past her room just now and she was crying.”
“She was?” To give him credit, he did seem uneasy now.
“Yes! So out with it. You aren’t here to fix this, so I have to.”
“Well, if you must know it was over you and your target of the week. I wanted to have a nice weekend away with her, but no, she drags me to T and has me sit next to her when
