Saturday Sun (GirlxGirl)

Chapter Six // An Unexpected Friend

I felt all my tension melt away as the hot water rolled off my body. I was still angry, but it calmed me down a bit. On any normal occasion I would've slept on the couch, but I didn't want to see any of them when I woke up, so I walked home. It was 2AM when I got back. I was done with that confusing mess of a day, so I slipped on my pyjamas and flopped down on my bed. I was asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

I wasn't ready to see Soda or Steve at work that Friday, so I called in sick. I slept for a very long time that day. It was 2pm when I woke up. While I was eating my breakfast, my mind went back to Cherry Valence. I didn't want to think of her, but I couldn't stop myself. I got weirdly excited for that Saturday night. It was just some girl, but I was really exited about it. Just as I was weirding myself out with my thoughts of Cherry, I heard a knock at my door. Thats bizarre, I thought, I hardly ever get visitors. I threw on my house coat, fixed my hair as best as I could, and answered the door.

To my surprise, when I opened the door I was met face-to-face with Johnny.

"Oh! Johnny! Come in, come in."

I led him to my living room. We sat down on my couch. I got my record player set up and put on a record. As I was setting it up Johnny started talking.

"Uh, sorry if this is a bad time. I was kind of worried about you. No one has seen you all day. And there has been a whole lot of arguing going on at the Curtis household. I just couldn't handle it."

"Don't worry about it! It's not a bad time at all. You're welcome to come here anytime."

"Thanks. But really, where have you been?"

"I just really can't think about Soda or Steve or Two-bit right now. I had to walk five blocks naked because of them!"

I flopped down on the couch next to Johnny. I buried my face into my hands.

"I feel disrespected, ya know?"

"I can understand that. But your problems won't go away if you hide from them either."

"I'm not hiding from them, I'm just temporarily avoiding them."

Johnny gave me an eye roll.

"Look, I'm not exactly used to having friends," I said.

"Not used to having friends? What do ya mean 'not used to having friends'?"

"You guys are kinda, sorta, my first and only friend group. There. I said it."

"You've never had friends before?"

"No! I haven't! I hate to say it, but it's true. The idea of me having friends is new to me, and I'm trying not to mess it up."

"Oh my god, that sounds awful. I'm sorry Audrey."

"No, don't be. It was probably my fault anyways. At first I was the weird kid, then I was the quiet kid after I bet up that guy way back when, then I was the kid with dead parents a couple years back..."

"Jesus Christ. How are you living here if you don't have parents?"

"My brother is a legal adult. I don't really like him. He doesn't like me. Our deal is that we both have a place to go at the end of the day. I make the money, he pays the bills and taxes with that money. In return I get to live here instead of being put in a home."

"...I'm sorry about you're parents."

"Don't be. They were both assholes who were never around. I hated them with a burning passion. It was kind of a relief when they died actually."