Used

Now

“Don’t play victim,” she muttered in a venomous tone. His mood went from sadness and guilt to full-fledged anger in a heartbeat.

“Don’t act like you’re a fuckin’ saint, Kelly, because you’re just as much of a shitty person as I am! You’ve done just as bad of things too!”

“What, so this is some kind of sick game of revenge to you, is it?” She screamed at him, her voice echoing in the alley and her face growing red hot with anger despite the cold midnight air. He looked at her incredulously.

“Come on, don’t be-”

“Don’t be what?!” she screamed still. “Last I recall, I never did anything close to what you did to me tonight. You betrayed me! I spent three years doing everything I could to break down my walls with you so we can have a trusting and open relationship and you do that to me!” Her voice cracked at the end as tears flooded into her eyes. “I trusted you,” she said.

Pete once again turned back into a guilty puddle of mush. He reached for her, grabbing onto her wrist, but she snatched herself out of his grip. She spit on the ground, missing his shoes by a few inches.

“Go to hell,” she whispered, shaking her head as she walked back to her car.

*

Her fingers itched as she desperately ached for a cigarette to be between them, but Simone, her roommate, would slit her throat if she found out that was happening. She promised she would quit. It just sounded so good, and that night set her off. She couldn’t believe the nerve that man, boy rather, had. He was no man in her standards.

Just as the thought entered her mind, Simone walked through the door, grocery bags in hand.

“Get the door for me, will you?” she asked as she rushed to the counter to set the bags down. Kelly got up and ran to the door to close it before their cat, Pluto, could run out. He was black, and Simone found him at the pet store, immediately falling in love with him. He was named after the cat in an Edgar Allan Poe story.

Kelly walked into the kitchen feeling like a slob, wearing an oversized t-shirt and shorts. Her dark red hair was tied up into a messy bun and she prayed to whatever god was out there that Simone wouldn’t notice the mascara that was smeared around her eyes.

Simone turned around, handing her a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and a spoon. Kelly hugged her short friend with all the strength she could muster.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Kelly said, still hugging her.

“I know."

“You’re the best,” she told her as she pulled away and grabbed the ice cream from her hands, ripping off the lid and digging in.

Simone smiled. “I know.”