Three
Sadie
“Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!”
My eyes fly open as my best friend, Kate, jumps up and down on the bed like a madwoman. Once I realize what’s happening, I cover my heavy eyes with my bouncing arms, doing my best to ignore her.
“Go away. I’m exhausted, Kate.” My groggy voice sounds like I feel: over it and ready to shut down again. Is there a word that surpasses exhaustion? If so, slam my picture right on it in the dictionary.
“Oh, no you don’t. Up, up!”
“First off, I hate that you scared me awake, like I was in the middle of an earthquake. Second, do you ever run out of energy?” I sit up on my elbows and watch her land on both feet on the floor at the foot of my bed.
“You love me. I’m actually a vampire, and instead of blood, I feed off others by stealing their energy.”
Reaching for the pillow behind me, I chuck it right at her smug little face. “Ha ha. You’re so funny,” I say sarcastically.
My best friend is my polar opposite: loud, eccentric, funny, and far from reserved. Kate is also more experienced in the man department. She has a mouth that would make sailors’ eyes bulge.
She often says things others find offensive, but I love how she can be all the things I sometimes wish I could be. Kate doesn’t take anything too seriously. Sometimes I envy her lack of responsibility and her ability to live life to the fullest without ever thinking about the consequences. If I took on life the way Kate does, hooking up with people I don’t know or riding in cars with strangers, I would be repenting daily. Still, I envy it sometimes.
“Get that sexy little ass out of bed and let’s get ready.” Opening the door to my walk-in closet, she sets herself to work digging through my clothes.
“Kate, I can’t. I worked a twelve-hour clinical, and I have a ton of studying to do over the weekend. I need to sleep.”
“No, we’re going out. We haven’t spent any girl time together in weeks, and I need it. Besides, grandma, you need it too.”
She steps out of the closet, places her hands on her hips, and shakes her head at me as if I’ve done something wrong.
“Good thing I brought backup. Do you not own one thing remotely appropriate for your age? Did you buy all your clothes in the early eighteen hundreds? Are there ankles under there somewhere?” She lifts my blanket a bit and pretends to search for my ankles.
Okay, not all my clothes are that bad. I choose not to wear anything revealing. My skirts are all below my knees, and my tops all have sleeves and higher necklines. So sue me if I cover up my body out of respect. Showing off in a way that could be perceived as sexy isn’t something I do. I’m not ashamed of my body, and I don’t look down on anyone who dresses more freely, but I want to save that part of me. For him. For the man I marry. Even I can understand how that might sound stupid to outsiders. But I was raised this way, and it has stuck.
“There’s nothing wrong with my clothes. The whole world doesn’t want to see me on display, I’m sure.” I throw the blankets off. “Ugh.”
Looks like I’m going out tonight. Not because I want to, but if I say no, I’ll spend the next hour listening to Kate whine and moan about how we never hang out. I stand up and move to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
“If you ever want to get laid, you have to change what you wear. No man will talk to you if you look like you might just bite him.” She pulls out a ton of things from her bag and throws them carelessly onto my bed.
“Not fair. It’s not like I’m a prude, Kate! And you know what?” I ask around my toothbrush. “Mike likes me the way I am.”
She digs into her seemingly never-ending bag. What the heck is in that thing? She could fit a dead body in there. Her blond hair is already curled, her green eyes are makeup-free, and her curvy body is encased in yoga pants and a loose tank. She looks stunning even when she isn’t trying.
“Mike doesn’t like anyone but himself.”
I roll my eyes. Mike is a stand-up guy from my church, and he and I have been dating for a few months now. We study together multiple times a week, and on a few occasions he has called me his girlfriend. I’ve never asked him to expand on it; it just feels like something we’re supposed to do. Our dates are innocent, with a peck here and there; usually, we go to the movies, the diner, or church. Sure, maybe there’s no spark, but we’ve been friends since I moved here. That’s a relationship . . . right?
Spitting out my toothpaste, I rinse then walk back into my room. “Okay, that’s not true. And he also respects me.”
“I’ve seen you naked, Sadie Jay, and I must say, if any man looked close enough, past the eighteenth-century attire, he wouldn’t be able to keep his fucking hands off you.”
“He’s a gentleman,” I reiterate.
“Whatever. Get dressed and try not to look like you are allergic to the sun. Put on this tank! Oh, and wear this lacy bralette!” Throwing the items at my face, she winks, and I catch the flimsy bra with a shake of my head.
“Kate, please, you know I would never.” Holding the barely there material by the strap, I swing it back and forth. This must be a joke. How does Kate even wear this? Are nipples on display a new trend? This covers nothing.
“It’s my night. I get to pick your outfit, so what I say goes! Now get changed and show off your gorgeous girls.” Bouncing over to me, she slaps the top of my full, heavy breasts. I squeak, grabbing them.
“You’re so annoying,” I say, but I do as she asks. I may be tired, and she may be a lot to handle, but she’s my best friend. She’s my handful. And against my mind screaming for me to put my foot down, I give in and get ready.