I stare in the tiny bathroom mirror and wince. The little bit of mascara I had on my lashes last night has made a new home right below my eyes. Speaking of eyes, mine are red, bloodshot from the booze and lack of sleep no doubt. Then, there’s my hair—hair that looks like a squirrel took up residence on the left side. My left braid came out at some point in the night.Maybe when he was tugging on it from behind?I shiver thinking about him, Billy. God, he was good in bed.
With a sigh, I take out the other braid, strip, and turn on the man-shower. It’s one of those basement showers with a small showerhead, concrete and a drain at my feet, and a shower curtain that’s seen better days. The water pressure is good and it’s hot, so it’s not bad. At least I have my own bathroom. Everyone upstairs has to share one. See? Silver lining.
I wash my hair, face, and body, then stand under the spray and let the water cleanse me of my dirtiness—like the things I did last night with my sister’s boyfriend. A sudden bout of nausea hits me again, so I bend and aim for the drain.
Stepping out, I wrap a towel around me and walk into the large open room that some would call a basement but I refer to as my bedroom. For now, at least.
I’m startled by the sound of my sister’s voice. It’s happened. She’s tainted my happy place. “For once, could you not make a spectacle of yourself in front of my guest?”
“A spectacle?” I drop the towel and walk naked over to what I refer to as my closet, but it’s really a pipe that leads to somewhere upstairs.
Sighing, she sits daintily on the old sofa set against the south wall. “God, you’re so….”
I quickly turn around and face her, letting my girls out for some air. “I’m so… what?” I pause. “Amazing? Intelligent?”
“Childish.”
“Misunderstood sounds better.”
“What’s to misunderstand?” She snorts and stands. “You’ve always behaved like this. I blame myself.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
With her hands on her tiny hips, she scoffs. “I’m not to blame for that,” she points at my nude body. “Eat a carrot now and then, huh?”
“Fuck you, Gizzy.”
“Stop. Calling. Me. Gizzy.”
“No.” I turn around and grab the first thing I see that looks comfortable—an oversized sweatshirt. Throwing it over my head, I drag it down past my hips. I’ll wear leggings. It’ll be perfect for today.
“You’re going to put a bra on, right?”
“No.”
“Your chest is too large to go braless.”
“Jealous?” I stare at her small B’s.
“It’s disgusting. Nobody wants to see those things swaying around in front of their face.”
That’s not what Billy said last night.Okay, so I didn’t actually say that, but it’s true. He liked my boobs in his face. Just saying.
“Why don’t you worry about you and… what was his name again?”
“William.” She makes a sound like I imagine a bull would make when they’re about ready to charge. “That’s why I’m down here in this pit you call a bedroom. Try to present yourself as a responsible member of society.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve got a job.”
“Working at the grocery store part-time does not count.”
“Of course it counts.”
“You have a college degree.”
“In linguistics.”
“That’s your fault you didn’t choose wisely. You were more interested in parties than classes anyway.”
