Let Me Be the One

"Baby, I'm tired." I stifled a yawn as I hung onto Toms jacket. I fought against the urge to rub my eyes in case of ruining my makeup but I really was exhausted.

I had gotten up at 3:00am to go to my neighbours house to find their damn poodle and make it shut the fuck up. You may ask why I am doing such a deed, so early in the morning. The answer is simple: contrary to popular belief, I am actually a good human being.

Mrs. Brown was quadriplegic and I went over every so often to take care of her. Her husband was killed in the same accident that snapped her back bone and all that she had left of a family was her poodle, Snuggle Muffin. I liked to call him, Snugs.

I gave him so NyQuil (maybe not the best idea on my part) and then went back home. I ended up accidentally locking myself and blah, blah, blah. Long story short, I didn't go back to bed and now, as I stand here, it is midnight and all I want to do is curl up and die.

"C'mon Vera, it's my best friends birthday. I can't just leave now." Tom sighed and I pursed my lips.

Of course, it's Samantha Fucking Pickets birthday. And of course, we could never leave at 12 fucking O'clock. Forgive me, it's actually 12:01 now. How could I have been so dense?

"Fucking..." I trailed off, knowing that calling Samantha a bitch in front of Tom wasn't going to get me anywhere. And the truth is, Sam wasn't a bitch, she was the sweetest girl I'd ever met. She's really funny and enjoyable to be around as well.

And I hated her for it.

"Sammy! What's it like being 21!" Tom yelled when the birthday girl entered the room. Ugh, I hate her so much!

"Well, I'm finally allowed to get drunk off my ass, so it's going pretty good." Samantha shrugged and pulled her brown hair behind her ear. That bitch better lay the fuck off my man!

The worst thing about Samantha was the fact that she was pretty. Like, not model pretty but kind of in that foreign way that she looks so damn innocent that the guys just can't help but flirt. Even better, she had absolutely no fucking clue that she was pretty.

I stifled a yawn as I looked around for something to sit down on. These damn heels were killing me, I thought that I'd be back home by 9 but noooo, I'll be asleep at around 3:00 if I'm lucky.

Ten bucks says the dog starts barking again.

I found a couch and nearly collapsed on it. Fuck, I was tired and I had no damn way of getting back home. Last time I accept a ride from Tom.

"You look tired."

I looked up to see a man, around my size, standing there, holding a Solo cup. The sides of his hair were dyed blonde and the rest hung in front of his face like a black waterfall.

"You could say that." I muttered and the guy gave me his beer. "Thanks, I really needed one of these."

"So how do you know the birthday girl?" the guy asked. He was wearing a white button down with a red tie that hung loosely around his neck.

"She's my boyfriends best friend." I nodded towards Tom who decided that was the perfect moment to plant a kiss on Samantha's cheek. She screamed in disgust and tried to pull away while I scowled. Could I have ten minutes without them flirting? "What about you?"

The guy shrugged, "She's my friends brothers ex-girlfriend. Somehow I got roped into coming."

I smiled at that. He didn't know Samantha. I don't know why that made me happy, it just did. "I'm Frank by the way, Frank Iero."

I smiled, "You can call me Vera, or Vee... Or whatever the fuck you want to call me."

Frank laughed, "What's your real name? You don't sound like you're from around here."

"I'm from Holland, my full name is Verwoesting. I moved here when I was 16 and lived in Jersey ever since." I shrugged. I hated my name. I wanted something normal, like... I don't know!

"Why'd you move?" Frank asked.

I shrugged, "Dad got a new job. We just packed up and left."

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU..." Screaming filled the room as Tom wheeled in a large cake. He made it himself, he knew her favourite cake was cherry chip, so he sent hours baking a three layer cake and covering each layer with smarties.

Smarties were Samantha's favourite candy. When I had first met her, she was slouched on Tom's couch shovelling the chocolate in her mouth. She didn't gain a pound.

"Your boyfriend seems to really care about Samantha." Frank stated and I nodded.

"Best friends forever." I muttered. "Do you happen to have a car? Like, any means of transport? I have work tomorrow and I'm about to pass out."

"Sure, let's go." Frank shrugged and helped me to my feet. The booze mixed with my heels made me stumble a bit so Frank grabbed my waist and carefully led me to the door, all while we laughed at how I failed at walking.

The last thing I heard before the door shut was Samantha announcing, "Hey, Tom, why is Vera leaving with that guy? Maybe you should go after her."

The door slammed and Frank led me to his car. I slid into the passenger seat and nearly fainted with exhaustion. I swear on my fathers life that if Snugs wakes me up with his constant barking, I'm putting a bullet straight through his fluffy head.

Just kidding, I love that guy almost as much as I love Mrs. Brown. But Mrs. Brown just doesn't bark like crazy.

"So where do you live exactly?" Frank asked. My house actually wasn't far from Samantha and Toms. I gave Frank directions and yanked my heels off to find some lovely blisters.

"Last time I do something nice for someone I don't even like." I grumbled.

"You don't like your own boyfriend?"

I snorted, "I love my boyfriend! I'm talking about the little witch of a friend, Samantha."

"She seemed pretty nice to me." Frank shrugged and I sighed.

"She is, that's the problem." I yelled and flung my arms around. "Okay, you know that couple that have been best friends for ages and they finally get together and everyone's like 'aw, how sweet. I always knew they would get married and have little babies' but there is always that one bitch of a girlfriend that the boy has and she's literally the one thing they have in the way of just pouncing each other?"

"Erm, yes?"

"Well, I'm that bitch of a girlfriend. And I can fucking see that Samantha is trying to steal my damn man!" I hissed and Frank looked a little freaked out.

"Wait, why are you a bitch then?" Frank back tracked and I tugged at my blonde curls.

"Because! I can't help it! It just comes out and I'm usually not that bad but the second Samantha steps into the room I want to snap someone's neck." I explained. Okay, maybe I wasn't completely sober and was coming off as a bit of a freak to him.

"So why don't you just dump him. If he clearly wants to be with Samantha..."

"Because I love him." I sighed and pulled at my hair again. "It's not fucking fair."

"Uh, Vee, are you okay?" Frank asked as he pulled up to my driveway. I sighed for the millionth time and rubbed my face in frustration.

"I'm drunk as fuck." I muttered. I did have a few drinks before Frank gave me his and I hadn't even felt the booze settle in until I realized I was acting crazy. "I'm not usually like this."

"I believe you." Frank chuckled. "But I seriously think you need to go to bed or you'll go insane."

I smiled and mouthed a thank you. I meant for sound to come out, it just didn't. I let my self out if the car and managed to stumble up my porch and open the door. Once I locked it and tossed my heels on the ground, I limped over to the couch and with a grunt, I collapsed on my leather couch.

My was unconscious before my head even hit the pillow.