Read The Witness :: 12 Hours Before

12 Hours Before

“Are you sure you want to go out tonight? I know you’re still recovering from your breakup.” Lesly says.

“What breakup? I told you, Bernida and I weren’t even together like that. We were just fooling around. Besides she’s moved on, I should too.”

“It wouldn’t matter if she was just a fling,” Lesly points out.

“Can you just stop bringing it up?” I pour orange juice into my glass.

“It’s okay to be gay Melony, I won’t shun you. You pay rent just the same as me.” she sits next to me and grabs my orange juice.

I glare at her and get up to get a new glass.

“You’re a shitty roommate you know that?” I grumble as I pour the last of the juice.

“Takes one to know one.” She smirks.

“Whatever, look we are going out tonight. I promised this guy I would meet him.”

“Throwing yourself at a guy won’t make you any less sexually confused.”

“Stay out of my business Lesly,” I flick her in the forehead.

She sighs.

“Make breakfast already,” I pout.

“I thought you were making breakfast.” She looks at me.

“No way, it’s your turn.”

“I worked 12 hours yesterday, I ain’t making shit.”

We both sigh.

“Door Dash?” I offer.

“I’ll go half.”

I pull out my phone to order.

An order of pancakes later, I go to my room to plan out what I’ll wear. I sigh when I see one of Bernida’s shirts. I grab it off the hanger and smell it, it still smells like her.

“Right… just a fling,” Lesly says from the door.

I flinch and throw the shirt down, my face turns red.

“What do you want!?” I move to shut the door.

“What are you wearing tonight?” she asks.

I sigh and look back at my closet.

She follows me into my room.

“You should just tell her you actually love her and were just a stupid idiot.”

I frown at a black cocktail dress I bought to wear to BB’s birthday party, which I missed because she forbid me from showing up.

“She’s moved on already,” I run my fingers down the fabric.

“So. Maybe if you tell her the truth she’ll take you back. I bet she and that other girl aren’t even serious.”

I pull the dress out.

“What happened between you guys anyway?”

“Why are you so nosey?” I turn to her.

“You two made a cute couple, besides I liked having the apartment all to myself. You were always gone with her and I could walk around naked and watch Netflix in the tub and eat grapes. It was bliss.” She batts her lashes.

“Shut up,” I throw a scarf at her.

She laughs.

“I don’t know,” I sit next to her. “She wanted to get serious. Tried to give me a promise ring and I freaked out. I told her that this was just a phase to me, that I was still trying to figure myself out. She got pissed.”

“Uh, yeah, you two had been dating going on three years. I’d be pissed too.”

“I just… I don’t know. I can’t see myself getting serious with a girl. I always thought BB was casual. I never intended to introduce her to my family or whatever. She was just someone to keep me company and stop me from getting lonely. I didn’t… I didn’t expect it to hurt this much.”

“Just admit you messed up,” Lesly shakes me by the shoulders. “It’s obvious to anyone with eyes you love her, and she loves you. Just call her and tell her you’re sorry. Tell her what you just told me. Tell her something! Don’t just ghost her. It’s because you are ghosting her she found some new girl. She’s trying to get your attention.”

“You really think so?” I meet her eyes.

“Yes! Stop being dumb. It’s okay to get serious with a girl.”

I eye the dress in my arms.

“Mel, you know I’m right.”

“No, she’s with someone else now. I won’t bother her anymore.” I sigh and pull away from her.

She huffs in annoyance.

“I’ll wear this,” I hold up the dress.

“You are so infuriating!” she stomps out of my room.

I grab my phone and scroll to BB’s number. I bite my lip and hover over the call button before chickening out and writing a text instead. I sent a simple,

Hey.

She opened the text a few hours later and left me on read.

I guess I deserved that.

Whatever, I can’t keep dwelling on it. I get dressed and do up my hair and makeup to meet this guy. Lesly drives me to the club. When we get in I find him waiting by the bar. He’s okay looking I guess, not really my type but looks are only half the battle. If he has a good personality he can be okay looking all he wants. Personality is always more important.

“Him?” Lesly makes a face.

“Shut up, at least give him a chance.” I walk over to him.

She rolls her eyes.

“Hi, Chip?” I ask.

“Melony?”

“Yeah, you look a little different from your pictures,” I say.

“Yeah, the camera always makes everything look better. You look good.” He compliments me.

“Thank you.”

“You two have fun,” Lesly walks off to give us space.

“That’s my roommate and my ride.”

“I see, maybe I can be your ride later.” He leans closer to me.

“Haha, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I force a laugh and push him away.

“Oh come on, a man like me, you got to scoop me up because I go pretty fast. Ladies love me.”

I force a smile.

Dear god.

He’s awful.

Oh well, might as well get free drinks out of it.

What a shame. He was so much nicer in text form. If he thinks he’s getting laid tonight I have some bad news for him. Not now, or ever. No amount of drinks can make me sleep with that. I highly doubt the ladies love him.

Throughout the night he keeps trying to touch me and the more drinks he has the sleazier he becomes. I ditch him and go and look for Lesly, I’m ready to blow this popsicle stand. But she’s nowhere to be seen. So I call her.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Where are you?” I scream over the music.

“I tried to find you, I had to go. A family emergency. I tried to call you and I text you.”

“What!? You left me!?”

“I tried to find you, I’m sorry. My brother got into a car accident. I had to go and get him. Can your guy friend give you a ride?”

“He’s drunk! Lesly!?”

“Okay look, I’m with my brother at the hospital, I can leave in half an hour. Can you wait that long?”

“I mean, I guess I have no choice.”

“If you’re done just walk to the Walmart or something. It’s like a ten-minute walk. I saw it when I was leaving. Just go and chill out there until I leave.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll walk there. I’ll call you when I get there.”

“Okay, I’m sorry but in my defense, I did look for you and call and text.”

I sigh.

“Be careful.”

“I will. Take care of your brother. I’ll let you know when I get to Walmart.”

“Bye, stay beautiful.”

“Stay smart,” I say before hanging up.

Our signature roommate call ending. I’m the pretty one, she’s the smart one.

I look for my guy but find him bent over and vomiting on the floor.

Ew.

I make a face and quickly walkout.

Good thing I didn’t drink that much.