Luella

05 | friday

L U E L L A

NEXT DAY
11:03AM

"Kate, open up!" I yelled, slamming the door with my hand a couple more times for her to wake up.

I woke up really late thinking I was ready for another college day with circles and bags under my eyes. Then I remembered my clothes were with Kate in her apartment. So I had to dress quickly and threw on her skinny jeans and the small t-shirt from the night before, deciding I should return them to her and get my own. I felt so embarrassed I had to borrow clothes from someone I had just met.

Finally, and eventually, after twenty minutes of knocking, the door swung open and revealed a grumpy, tousled-hair Kate frowning at me with confusion. She scrapped her head as she opened her door wider for me.

"Luella? What are you doing here? What time is it?" She slurred, having just woken up.

"I'm so sorry to wake you up, but I really need my clothes. Like, right now." I said quickly, not sure if she could sink in what I was saying. "Please, just tell me where they are so I can go to work."

"Work?" She exclaimed confusedly and I sighed. I don't have time to explain. I'm already going to get a few words thrown at me when I get there -if I get there -whenever I get there. "Doesn't your shift start at like, four?"

"Six, but yeah. Hospital work. Right now, I have college work and-"

"You go to college? I thought you-"

I huffed, mumbling profanities under my breath. "Kate! The clothes."

She frowned at me, ignoring the ticking clock. "I'm not giving you those clothes," She starts and I open my mouth to protest but she interrupts me. "No, they deserve to be burnt. You can go in what you're wearing!" She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No, thanks. These are your clothes, Kate. I appreciate it, but I can't take them. I work as a maid in LU," I explain quickly and embarrassedly as the last words run out of my mouth. "I can't take them." I repeat.

Kate doesn't seem fazed by my work status as she sighs. "Alright, so? You're not taking them, you're borrowing them. And oh, one last thing!" She touches my elbow as a 'wait here' and basically jogs to a room and comes back a second later with a black tube in her hand.

I'm not a complete idiot, so I know what that it. I've always wanted to try mascara on and it's exciting and all, but I'm also really late.

"No. Kate-"

"Shut your fat mouth and close your eyes,"

I smile at her friendly banter and do as told, my heart flattering as I feel a gentle caress to my eyelashes.

"Okay," she says, closing the tube. I open my eyes and flutter them playfully. She giggles. "I would lend you these, but they're waterproof and quite expensive."

This time I laugh and hug her. "Thanks, Kate."

"Now, go," she grins. "You woke me up so you can go to work. Better hurry before I get the knife."

"Oh, my God, yes!" I squeal and wave at her quickly, running down the stairs.

The walk to college campus was hurried and nerve-wrecking as I play all the possible scenarios of being fired in my head. I definitely do not want that. The streets are somewhat quiet today -which is odd, because normally I would see people running to work or school, trying to catch the bus or getting stuck in traffic. Today it's quieter than usual but it's not completely deserted as well. It was almost peaceful -but not for me.