Clarity
it was worth it everytime
I could hear Micki’s feet pounding down the little hallway towards the kitchen, where I was happily sipping on my coffee and texting back Matt, who had made go a little uncomfortable as I shifted in my seat. Jesus, it was a text Steph—one that was really, really hot. I looked up to see Mick enter the kitchen. She had her hair in a loose braid and you could tell she didn’t even try to fix it. All she sported on her body was an off-white t-shirt that said I’m not weird. I am limited edition.’ Covering her feet was a pair of socks.
I watched as she groaned, grabbed a large traveling coffee mug and filled it with just black coffee. I made a face as she sat down sipped on it as I filled my mouth with my Special K Red berries cereal. “So, Mick, where’s Em?” Her brown eyes gazed at me and she mumbled a response. “What?” I asked my mouth filled with cereal.
“She went home.” She said, her eyes casting towards our small table in our little kitchen. I turned my head to the side, as if that could help me figure her out even more—she seems little less…volatile than she usually is on her mornings. If you haven’t guessed yet, either, Micki was bi-sexual—but she loved women and there wasn’t anybody could do about it, and if they tried I’d kick their ass.
“Mick,” I said softly just as my phone beeped. “What’s up? Did something happen?”
Her miserable gaze found mine and she frowned. “She dumped me.” I gasped and set my spoon back into my bowl. “She just left me,” I could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes as she looked at me. She bit her bottom lip, a sign of her trying to get control of her feelings. “I don’t know what went wrong—one minute, we were trying some new things out and then…then she said that she was done. Did I do something wrong, Stephie?” I looked into the eyes of my best friend, stood up from the chair and wrapped my arms around her.
“Listen,” I said as I let my chin rest on her shoulder—she was like a sister to me, always has been and always will be. Sure she had her bad times, but the good times we had together outweighed them. And I would be damned if someone thought they deserved the right to shatter her heart. “It’s Emily’s mistake, not yours—she’s missing out on my best friend, who just has to be so amazing that she just couldn’t stand it.” I pulled away and watched as she turned towards me, her plump lips forming into a smile.
“You corny bastard,” She muttered as she wiped at her tears. I laughed as I stepped away and grabbed my phone as I sang out ‘but you love me anyways’. “So, how’s this Matt guy?” There was a pause, “Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that his name is almost identical to the new professor we’re going to be getting in our noon class?”
I removed my eyes from the very dirty and very affecting text Matt sent as I looked up at Micki, hiding the tingling feeling that I was beginning to get between my legs. “They just have the first name, plus I don’t even know his last name.”
Micki almost spit out her coffee as I sent a quick response: This is unfair, Matt. I don’t even think a vibrator could fix this up. “You don’t know his last name?” She spat out as she removed herself from the chair. She fixed her t-shirt and her big, round Hispanic eyes gazed at me with awe. “You had sex with this guy, and are texting him all the time—and you don’t even know his name?”
I bit my bottom lip as my phone chirped. “It’s not that bad, Mikayla.”
“Stephanie,” She said, her face going stern. “A one night stand I can get, but you’re still talking to him. Why haven’t you asked him his last name?” I rolled my eyes as I put my empty bowl in the sink, chugged the rest of my coffee and put it down next to the bowl before turning around to answer her.
“Fine, I’ll ask okay?” I said with a smile. “Everything is fine!” I grinned, turned on my heels and opened the message on my iPhone. My cheeks flamed a bit red as I read through it.
Well, maybe I can help you with that? I’ve got sometime before I go to work, maybe you can stop by and I’ll get rid of it for you. ;).
I stopped in front of my door as I held my breath. I really couldn’t, right? I checked the time and saw that it was 9:15 and it would only take another fifteen to grab something and go, right? I mean, his condo was close by and I could make it to my class in time.
I groaned and forgot I needed to stop by Financial Aid to drop off some paperwork I forgot over winter break. Deciding that it was a cold shower I needed to take, I typed out a response and headed towards our shower.
__
I fixed my sweater as I pulled my jacket over my body, the air as cold as ice. As I stepped out, I thanked God that I remembered to wear two layers of socks and tugged my bag onto my back as I made my way back to my car to drive it to the building where my class would be, because I didn’t feel like walking like a block and a half just to get to the right building. Fuck this city campus.
I started up my baby and grinned as she roared to life, hit play on my radio and looked at the time. It was only 11:26, so I had some time to kill before I got to class. I decided to take a ride to Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee.
I was in the middle of belting out along with Halestorm as my phone chirped to my right. It was a red light so I grabbed the little penguin shaped thing and grinned when I saw it was Mick.
Best be getting me one too, bitch. See you in class! Xoxo
I rolled my eyes and noticed that the light was green so I went straight and saw Starbucks was on my right. I turned on my blinker and waited for the moment to turn into the little area. When I was parked, my phone went off and I noticed it was Micki. “Hey, bitch.” She said into the receiver. I rolled my eyes, grabbed my wallet from my bag before turning the ignition off.
“Whattya want to drink?” I asked as I pulled my jacket closer to me and got out of my car, locking it just in case—you never trust the city fellows. The last time I left it unlocked, my stereo system was ripped out of my car. That bitch costs me a shit ton of money, and I was not willing to lose the new one I just bought. I opened the door and walked in, already smelling the wonderful smell of Starbucks.
“I want to try something different. What about that Purple People Eater Frap-thing?” I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the line. In front of me stood a tall man, with black leather jacket, in a light pair of jeans and his head was hatless. “Alright, Mick, I’ll see you later.” I hung up the phone, put it in my back pocket ad looked back up to see a pair of brown eyes gazing down at me.
“Bar girl?” He asked, one of his eyebrows rising. I looked at the tall, dark and handsome man for a second and looked confused. He grinned, “I am the fedora-wearing-Johnny-Depp guy.” My head went to the side as I tried to remember the explanation.
Oh! I let out a laugh as we moved up in line. “Oh, Hi!” I said as a laugh left my lips. He grinned and shook his head. “Funny seeing you here.” He laughed and I saw him turn and put his hand out. On his knuckles I could make out the tattoos I saw before. Grinning, I stuck my hand in his large one. “I’m Stephanie, but please if you must call me Bar Girl.” He chuckled and shook my hand.
“Brian, but I do like your description. Apparently, even in his age, Depp is a sexy fucker.” I laughed as I flipped my red hair over my shoulders and he grinned.
“That he is, Brian.” It was his turn to order his drinks, and I thought—I couldn’t imagine seeing his ‘type’ here in Starbucks, but brushed it off—I shouldn’t be ‘stereotyping’. After I ordered Mick’s drink and my own Very Berry Refresher, Brian waited with me while they were getting ready. “So what brings you here?” I asked, making small talk. He leaned against one of the open tables.
“I’m a music teacher in one of the high schools ‘round here.” I nodded and smiled.
“That’s cool.” I said. “I took you more of rock star kind of person, though.” A laugh left his lips and I grinned.
“Yeah, I guess.” He shifted his feet. “What about you?”
“Got class in,” I looked at my watch—it was only 11:45, but I was cutting it close. “Fifteen minutes down at the college.” He nodded.
“Becker, right?” I nodded and he grinned. “One of my buddies has a job there, can’t remember what he teaches though.” I laughed and heard his name being called. He grinned at me. “See you ‘round, Steph.” I smiled, said my goodbyes and waited for my drink.
__
I parked my car, grabbed my bag and ran towards the building. I was going to be late, I just knew it. With my heart pounding in my chest, I made my way for the stairs because the elevator would just take too long with my luck and I would be waiting there for eons just for a single elevator. Plus, it was only the second floor so I could make it up two flights of stairs in ten seconds.
I almost fell with both drinks in my hands as I looked up at the clock—I almost said fuck it when one of the workers gave me the wrong drink because it would take a little more out of the time I had to get to class. I reprimanded myself as I made my way to the door. It was open and I let out the breath I was holding, seeing Micki in the back talking to some kid that was sitting beside her at the other white table. When she looked up, I saw her shoulders visibly loosen and I walked into the room. I put my bag down at my feet, pulled out the free red horribly uncomfortable chair and sat down with a very audible sigh.
I handed her the stupid drink and narrowed my eyes. “I almost left without that bitch, just so you know.” She looked at me as I fanned my face, beginning to sweat from running up the stairs. I knew my cheeks were bright red, my already red hair probably making it much worse. I tore off my jacket and heard her laugh.
“Should have, you barely made it.” She muttered as she brought the straw to her lips. An audible moan left her lips and I looked at her weird, my hands freezing on the hem of my sweater. “This is ecstasy.” She said, her brown eyes closed as she brought the straw to her lips again.
I rolled my eyes and began to take my sweater off, but for some reason it got stuck. I couldn’t remove the brown thing and I felt so embarrassed, as I was sure that my stomach was sticking out for the whole class to see. “Damn, if you wanted to be a stripper why didn’t you just say so?” Muttered Micki as I felt her fingers on my shirt just as a voice broke through the chatter.
“Good morning everyone!” He said cheerfully, his raspy voice meeting my ears. My heart stopped beating for a second and then it picked up pace. I froze—I knew that voice, all too well. “I’m Matt Sanders and I’ll be taking over for Professor Woods for the remainder of the year.”
Suddenly, I found myself wanting to stay hidden in my sweater.
I watched as she groaned, grabbed a large traveling coffee mug and filled it with just black coffee. I made a face as she sat down sipped on it as I filled my mouth with my Special K Red berries cereal. “So, Mick, where’s Em?” Her brown eyes gazed at me and she mumbled a response. “What?” I asked my mouth filled with cereal.
“She went home.” She said, her eyes casting towards our small table in our little kitchen. I turned my head to the side, as if that could help me figure her out even more—she seems little less…volatile than she usually is on her mornings. If you haven’t guessed yet, either, Micki was bi-sexual—but she loved women and there wasn’t anybody could do about it, and if they tried I’d kick their ass.
“Mick,” I said softly just as my phone beeped. “What’s up? Did something happen?”
Her miserable gaze found mine and she frowned. “She dumped me.” I gasped and set my spoon back into my bowl. “She just left me,” I could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes as she looked at me. She bit her bottom lip, a sign of her trying to get control of her feelings. “I don’t know what went wrong—one minute, we were trying some new things out and then…then she said that she was done. Did I do something wrong, Stephie?” I looked into the eyes of my best friend, stood up from the chair and wrapped my arms around her.
“Listen,” I said as I let my chin rest on her shoulder—she was like a sister to me, always has been and always will be. Sure she had her bad times, but the good times we had together outweighed them. And I would be damned if someone thought they deserved the right to shatter her heart. “It’s Emily’s mistake, not yours—she’s missing out on my best friend, who just has to be so amazing that she just couldn’t stand it.” I pulled away and watched as she turned towards me, her plump lips forming into a smile.
“You corny bastard,” She muttered as she wiped at her tears. I laughed as I stepped away and grabbed my phone as I sang out ‘but you love me anyways’. “So, how’s this Matt guy?” There was a pause, “Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that his name is almost identical to the new professor we’re going to be getting in our noon class?”
I removed my eyes from the very dirty and very affecting text Matt sent as I looked up at Micki, hiding the tingling feeling that I was beginning to get between my legs. “They just have the first name, plus I don’t even know his last name.”
Micki almost spit out her coffee as I sent a quick response: This is unfair, Matt. I don’t even think a vibrator could fix this up. “You don’t know his last name?” She spat out as she removed herself from the chair. She fixed her t-shirt and her big, round Hispanic eyes gazed at me with awe. “You had sex with this guy, and are texting him all the time—and you don’t even know his name?”
I bit my bottom lip as my phone chirped. “It’s not that bad, Mikayla.”
“Stephanie,” She said, her face going stern. “A one night stand I can get, but you’re still talking to him. Why haven’t you asked him his last name?” I rolled my eyes as I put my empty bowl in the sink, chugged the rest of my coffee and put it down next to the bowl before turning around to answer her.
“Fine, I’ll ask okay?” I said with a smile. “Everything is fine!” I grinned, turned on my heels and opened the message on my iPhone. My cheeks flamed a bit red as I read through it.
Well, maybe I can help you with that? I’ve got sometime before I go to work, maybe you can stop by and I’ll get rid of it for you. ;).
I stopped in front of my door as I held my breath. I really couldn’t, right? I checked the time and saw that it was 9:15 and it would only take another fifteen to grab something and go, right? I mean, his condo was close by and I could make it to my class in time.
I groaned and forgot I needed to stop by Financial Aid to drop off some paperwork I forgot over winter break. Deciding that it was a cold shower I needed to take, I typed out a response and headed towards our shower.
__
I fixed my sweater as I pulled my jacket over my body, the air as cold as ice. As I stepped out, I thanked God that I remembered to wear two layers of socks and tugged my bag onto my back as I made my way back to my car to drive it to the building where my class would be, because I didn’t feel like walking like a block and a half just to get to the right building. Fuck this city campus.
I started up my baby and grinned as she roared to life, hit play on my radio and looked at the time. It was only 11:26, so I had some time to kill before I got to class. I decided to take a ride to Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee.
I was in the middle of belting out along with Halestorm as my phone chirped to my right. It was a red light so I grabbed the little penguin shaped thing and grinned when I saw it was Mick.
Best be getting me one too, bitch. See you in class! Xoxo
I rolled my eyes and noticed that the light was green so I went straight and saw Starbucks was on my right. I turned on my blinker and waited for the moment to turn into the little area. When I was parked, my phone went off and I noticed it was Micki. “Hey, bitch.” She said into the receiver. I rolled my eyes, grabbed my wallet from my bag before turning the ignition off.
“Whattya want to drink?” I asked as I pulled my jacket closer to me and got out of my car, locking it just in case—you never trust the city fellows. The last time I left it unlocked, my stereo system was ripped out of my car. That bitch costs me a shit ton of money, and I was not willing to lose the new one I just bought. I opened the door and walked in, already smelling the wonderful smell of Starbucks.
“I want to try something different. What about that Purple People Eater Frap-thing?” I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the line. In front of me stood a tall man, with black leather jacket, in a light pair of jeans and his head was hatless. “Alright, Mick, I’ll see you later.” I hung up the phone, put it in my back pocket ad looked back up to see a pair of brown eyes gazing down at me.
“Bar girl?” He asked, one of his eyebrows rising. I looked at the tall, dark and handsome man for a second and looked confused. He grinned, “I am the fedora-wearing-Johnny-Depp guy.” My head went to the side as I tried to remember the explanation.
Oh! I let out a laugh as we moved up in line. “Oh, Hi!” I said as a laugh left my lips. He grinned and shook his head. “Funny seeing you here.” He laughed and I saw him turn and put his hand out. On his knuckles I could make out the tattoos I saw before. Grinning, I stuck my hand in his large one. “I’m Stephanie, but please if you must call me Bar Girl.” He chuckled and shook my hand.
“Brian, but I do like your description. Apparently, even in his age, Depp is a sexy fucker.” I laughed as I flipped my red hair over my shoulders and he grinned.
“That he is, Brian.” It was his turn to order his drinks, and I thought—I couldn’t imagine seeing his ‘type’ here in Starbucks, but brushed it off—I shouldn’t be ‘stereotyping’. After I ordered Mick’s drink and my own Very Berry Refresher, Brian waited with me while they were getting ready. “So what brings you here?” I asked, making small talk. He leaned against one of the open tables.
“I’m a music teacher in one of the high schools ‘round here.” I nodded and smiled.
“That’s cool.” I said. “I took you more of rock star kind of person, though.” A laugh left his lips and I grinned.
“Yeah, I guess.” He shifted his feet. “What about you?”
“Got class in,” I looked at my watch—it was only 11:45, but I was cutting it close. “Fifteen minutes down at the college.” He nodded.
“Becker, right?” I nodded and he grinned. “One of my buddies has a job there, can’t remember what he teaches though.” I laughed and heard his name being called. He grinned at me. “See you ‘round, Steph.” I smiled, said my goodbyes and waited for my drink.
__
I parked my car, grabbed my bag and ran towards the building. I was going to be late, I just knew it. With my heart pounding in my chest, I made my way for the stairs because the elevator would just take too long with my luck and I would be waiting there for eons just for a single elevator. Plus, it was only the second floor so I could make it up two flights of stairs in ten seconds.
I almost fell with both drinks in my hands as I looked up at the clock—I almost said fuck it when one of the workers gave me the wrong drink because it would take a little more out of the time I had to get to class. I reprimanded myself as I made my way to the door. It was open and I let out the breath I was holding, seeing Micki in the back talking to some kid that was sitting beside her at the other white table. When she looked up, I saw her shoulders visibly loosen and I walked into the room. I put my bag down at my feet, pulled out the free red horribly uncomfortable chair and sat down with a very audible sigh.
I handed her the stupid drink and narrowed my eyes. “I almost left without that bitch, just so you know.” She looked at me as I fanned my face, beginning to sweat from running up the stairs. I knew my cheeks were bright red, my already red hair probably making it much worse. I tore off my jacket and heard her laugh.
“Should have, you barely made it.” She muttered as she brought the straw to her lips. An audible moan left her lips and I looked at her weird, my hands freezing on the hem of my sweater. “This is ecstasy.” She said, her brown eyes closed as she brought the straw to her lips again.
I rolled my eyes and began to take my sweater off, but for some reason it got stuck. I couldn’t remove the brown thing and I felt so embarrassed, as I was sure that my stomach was sticking out for the whole class to see. “Damn, if you wanted to be a stripper why didn’t you just say so?” Muttered Micki as I felt her fingers on my shirt just as a voice broke through the chatter.
“Good morning everyone!” He said cheerfully, his raspy voice meeting my ears. My heart stopped beating for a second and then it picked up pace. I froze—I knew that voice, all too well. “I’m Matt Sanders and I’ll be taking over for Professor Woods for the remainder of the year.”
Suddenly, I found myself wanting to stay hidden in my sweater.