Disregard the Lies

Sadie heard her doorbell ring, and she slowly opened her eyes, trying to figure out who would be at her apartment this early. She glanced over at her alarm clock to see it was a few minutes after five in the morning, and she groaned, turning over, hoping that the person would just go away.

Not even ten seconds later, the doorbell rang again, and Sadie let out a frustrated yell, throwing the covers off of her. She got out of bed, walking to the door, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. She unlocked her door and opened it up to see Jonathan standing on the other side.

“You miss me?” he asked as Sadie threw her arms around him, pulling him close.

“Of course I have!” Sadie exclaimed, giving him a kiss, their first one since he left for a road trip over a week ago. “And, I love that you’re here, but why are you here?” she questioned. “I mean, you just got back from a road trip. Aren’t you exhausted or something?”

“Yeah, but I missed you,” he told her, giving her a kiss.

“There you go with those cheesy lines again,” Sadie smiled at him. “But, at five in the morning, I’m loving them,” she said with a yawn.

“Why don’t you go back to bed?” he asked her. “We can have a date tonight. We have practice this afternoon, but I’m free tonight. You can come over to my place, and I can cook you dinner,” he suggested.

“That sounds perfect,” she told him, kissing him goodbye. “I’ll see you tonight at seven?”

“See you at seven,” he said as he turned around and left her apartment, and Sadie locked the door behind him, quickly heading back to bed and immediately falling asleep.

***

Sadie walked into the building, her Ice Girls outfit in her hands. They had a photo shoot today, and Sadie wished she could just skip it. She hated the idea of being photographed in the skimpy outfits, but she had no choice. It was times like these that she had to keep reminding herself why she was doing this: to get the big story that will propel her to the New York Times.

“Hey,” Kyra said, pushing Sadie in the shoulder with her own shoulder. “How are you today?”

“Good,” Sadie said with a smile, and Kyra gave her a look that told her to continue. “Jonathan stopped by this morning, right after their plane landed,” she told her, dropping her voice to make sure that none of the other girls could hear her.

“Aww,” Kyra cried. “That’s so sweet! Oh, and I’ve got some news of my own,” she told Sadie as the photographer came into the room, telling all the girls they needed to get dressed for the shoot.

“Hold that thought,” Sadie said as she quickly went to go change. As they walked out onto the set, she asked, “So, what’s your news?”

“I’ve got a date tonight,” Kyra told her.

“Tell me everything,” Sadie ordered, as they waited on all the other girls to finish getting dressed. “Wait,” she said quietly. “It’s not a player, is it?”

“No,” Kyra laughed, shaking her head. “His name is Lance, and he’s a CEO. He’s a friend of one of my co-workers, and he asked me out,” she exclaimed, sounding like a teenage girl.

“You sound happy,” Sadie observed, a smile on her face. “And, that makes me happy!”

“I am happy. He seems like a really good guy, and I can’t wait to go out with him tonight.”

“I’ve got a date of my own tonight,” Sadie informed her. “Well, I’m going over to his house, and he’s fixing dinner. I’m excited, though. We don’t really have formal dates too often anymore. I mean, sure I go over and hang out, but it’s never an official date,” she explained.

“I understand,” Kyra said, nodding her head as the photographer began placing the girls in the positions he wanted for the photographs.

***

Sadie stared at herself in the mirror, applying the last of her makeup. Even though she and Jonathan were staying in tonight, she still was treating it as if they were going out to a fancy restaurant. She heard her cell phone ring, and she turned around, walking over to the bed and picking it up. “Hey, Kyra,” she answered.

“I need help,” Kyra blurted out.

“What’s wrong?” Sadie asked, sitting down on her bed.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been on a date?” Kyra cried. “I don’t even know how to dress for one anymore! And, I mean, what do we talk about? What happens if there’s an awkward silence or something?” she rambled on.

“Kyra,” Sadie called out, and Kyra suddenly stopped talking. “Calm down. Take a deep breath. Listen, I’m coming over,” she told her.

“What? No,” Kyra told her. “You have a date of your own. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for it?” she asked.

“But, you’re freaking out right now,” Sadie pointed out. “And, besides, I’m practically ready for my date anyways. Plus, I’m going out with Jonathan, who I’ve been going out with for four and a half months. You’re going out on your first date with Lance,” she told her.

“Thanks for reminding me!” Kyra exclaimed.

“I’ll be there in five minutes,” Sadie promised, hanging up her phone. She slipped on a pair of flip flops, and she grabbed her keys off the table, walking out her door. She walked down the street to Kyra’s apartment, knowing that everyone was staring at her since she was wearing a nice red dress with a pair of one dollar flip flops. But, she ignored everyone, and she finally made it to Kyra’s apartment. She rang the doorbell and she heard Sophia say that she was going to answer the door, and then Kyra yell at her not to. Suddenly, the door flung open and Sadie saw both Sophia and Kyra standing there.

“Hey,” Sadie smiled at them, taking in Kyra’s appearance, which consisted of her wearing a pair of khakis and a nice polo. “Soph, do you want to watch Dora while I help your mom?” Sadie asked, looking down at Sophia.

“Okay,” Sophia said, walking to the couch and turning the television on.

Sadie grabbed Kyra’s hand, dragging her back towards her bedroom. “What the hell are you wearing?” Sadie asked with a laugh.

“What?” Kyra asked, oblivious. “You don’t like it? I mean, I didn’t want to look like a slut or anything.”

“Kyra, you look like you’re going to work. This is not work, this is a date. Let me see what you’ve got,” she told her, opening her closet up and going through her clothes. “What about this?” she asked, pulling out a light blue dress.

“No,” Kyra immediately turned it down.

“Come on, Kyra. You would look amazing in this!” Sadie continued, holding the dress up. “I think it’s perfect.”

“Sadie, I don’t think I’ve worn that since before Sophia was born. There’s no way I’m going to fit into it now. And, besides, don’t you think it’s a little skimpy?” she asked.

Sadie stared at her. “Are you kidding me?” she questioned. “Kyra, you are a freaking Ice Girl, and you wear barely anything at the games. And, you’re saying this is skimpy? And, have you seen your body? No one would even know that you ever had a child,” she continued. “Just try it on. I promise, I’ll tell you if it looks bad. But, you have to at least try it on.”

“Fine,” Kyra sighed, grabbing the dress out of her hands. She walked back into the bedroom two minutes later with the dress on, trying to pull it up higher over her chest and down lower over her legs at the same time.

“Will you stop!” Sadie cried, grabbing Kyra’s hand and pushing them to her sides. “You look gorgeous. Look in the mirror,” she ordered, and Kyra did as she was told.

“I don’t know,” Kyra began.

“No, you have no say in it. You’re wearing it, and I promise, he’s going to love it,” Sadie told her as she heard the doorbell ring.

“I’ll get it,” Sophia called out.

Kyra quickly ran into the living room, yelling, “No, Soph, I’ll get it. You know what I’ve told you about opening the door.”

“Yeah, don’t open the door without you here,” Sophia recited as she stepped back from the door as Kyra opened it. Her neighbor, Melanie, was on the other side, in her pajamas, with a box of Kleenex in her hands.

“Mel, are you okay?” Kyra asked her, moving aside so she could come in.

“No,” Melanie said, not moving. “I was just coming to tell you that it’s probably a good idea if I don’t babysit tonight. I think I’ve got a cold, and I don’t want to give it to Sophia,” she told her.

Kyra’s mood instantly deflated as she stared at Melanie. “You’re right,” she told her. “Go back to your place and get some sleep. Call me if you need anything,” she said sadly.

“I’m sorry,” Melanie told her.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kyra said. “I hope you’re feeling better,” she added, shutting the door behind her. She turned around to Sadie, a frown on her face. “I guess you came over here for nothing,” she told her. “And, we didn’t need to argue over this dress,” she added.

“No, you’re going on this date,” Sadie told her.

“What are you talking about? I’m not taking Sophia with me,” she said, looking over at her daughter whose full attention was focused on Dora the Explorer.

“I’m going to watch her,” Sadie replied.

“You can’t,” Kyra told her, shaking her head. “You’ve got that date with Jonathan, remember? I mean, you’re already dressed for it and everything.”

“He’ll understand,” Sadie assured her. “Seriously, go.”

“Thank you,” Kyra told her. “I owe you so much.”

“You better have fun,” Sadie told her with a smile as the doorbell rang once again. “And, I’m assuming that’s him?” she asked, and Kyra nodded her head. Sadie walked over to the door, opening it. “Hi, Lance?” she asked as she saw the handsome man standing in front of her with a suit on.

“Yeah, hi,” he told her with a nod as his eyes laid upon Kyra and he smiled.

“Have fun you two,” Sadie told them, as they walked out the door. She walked over and sat down next to Sophia, who looked up and smiled at her. She gave her a smile back before she grabbed her phone out of her pocket, calling Jonathan to let him know that she wouldn’t be able to go out tonight.