Jess woke up to the morning light streaming through the gaps in her window curtain to her bed. She kicked away the blanket covering her body and found herself wearing a t-shirt of her favorite band.
'Did Luke change her clothes or did she do it?' She squinted her eyes at the bedside table to see the time. No Face showing nine-fourteen. She writhed, stretching her arms over her head trying to wake up her muscles.
She pressed the side of her head that felt as though it was being cracked with a headache. Her mouth tastes like someone puke in it. She gags in disgust.
Rolling to the left side of the bed, she got up and went to her bathroom to brush her teeth. She felt like throwing up with the image of her from last night puking up and went to bed without brushing her teeth.
"Let's not drink again," she told her reflection on the mirror above her lavatory. And grinned at the image of herself with a mouthful of toothpaste, because she knew for a fact that since Luke is staying at her house again, getting drunk is inevitable.
After brushing her teeth, she stripped her clothes and stepped under the shower. Warm, cold, hot, then warm again. That's her secret for chasing a hangover.
When she was done with the quick shower, she pulled a fluffy towel from the towel rack, and an image of Noah with nothing but a white towel wrapped on his hips flashed on her mind.
"Stop with your nonsense, Jessica!" she snarled at herself, scrubbing her hair dry rather forcefully, debating the need to step back under the shower for a cold one. Her mind went somewhere so inappropriate too early in the morning, about a man that is like a forbidden fruit in the garden of desire.
She put on another t-shirt from her favorite band, before making her way to the kitchen. Luke wasn't as drunk as her last night. Probably, he is already up and if she is lucky had breakfast prepared.
Standing in the short hallway separating the two bedrooms from the living room, she already smelled the mouth-watering aroma of Luke's out of this world blueberry waffle.
Sometimes, she murmured an insincere apology for wishing Luke not having a boyfriend so he would stay in her house and cook her breakfast every day. But not today, with the smell of the freshly made waffles on the air, she ain't apologizing for Luke having no boyfriend.
"Behold the girl who is NOT terrible in bed! Good morning!"
"Shut it! That joke is already getting old," she gave him a warning glare.
Luke just raised his hands in mock surrender before pulling a chair for her and pouring her a freshly squeezed orange juice.
"Eat well." He said smirking mysteriously.
"Wipe that smirk off your face," she replied, stabbing the waffle on her plate with her knife. "It irritates me."
Luke threw his head in laughter. "Oh, Little Jessie..." he said, clicking his tongue and giggling like a five-year-old.
"I'll let go of your obnoxiousness for today. Not because we're friends but rather out of respect for your waffle."
"Amen to the waffle. Enjoy it."
Jess chewed on the waffle, giving Luke a curious look. The smirk on his face won't leave and it's really irritating her. It gives the impression that she did something stupid that he found hilariously funny.
"Did I do something last night?" she asked, devouring her second serving of the delicious waffle.
"Hmm, nothing really," he said, keeping the mystery just to annoy Jess. "It is something that is already old," he giggles again seeing her eyebrows furrow in annoyance. He cannot keep a straight face anymore and laughs like there's no tomorrow.
She clumsily put down her knife and fork on the plate and pushed them away from her. She leaned on her chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Spit it out, before I throw you out of my house." she threatened her friend. Yet, a shadow of blurry memories from last night began to take shape in her mind. It's like a foggy winter morning that is getting clearer and clearer every time Luke giggled.
"Let me help you jog your memory." he went to an uncontrollable fit of laughter again, "It includes words such as; bed, terrible, and a phone call." he stifled another burst of laughter from himself.
Jess felt a sudden coldness engulfing her body when her alcohol-infused brain slowly recalled an image of her shouting on the phone.
She pushed her chair, and with her hands on her gaping mouth, she gave Luke a begging look. She slowly shook her head, denying the truth that slowly came to light, just like the morning light that slowly crept under the gaps of her curtain window today.
"Nooo…" she uttered in dismay.
"Oh, yess! … Yes!" he replied grinning like the Grinch on Christmas morning who succeeded in ruining Christmas.
"Ahhhhhh!!!!"
She dropped herself under the table screaming her lungs out. While Luke was laughing like crazy, he slapped the breakfast table. In pure anger, she kicked his legs under the table. He got up and fled.
"Get out of the table, Little Jessie. There is no use hiding. I checked your phone, you called Noah's number directly not using any messaging app. The poor bastard would get your message loud and clear!"
"Kill me, please! I'm begging you!" She whimpered in regrets.
"I can't. Your apartment is equipped with the latest CCTV technology. It has already captured and recorded my face since last night. How do you expect me to get away with your murder?"
"Why didn't you stop me from calling him?!" she yelled from under the table.
"Well, next time tell me if you are going to call Noah. And if you want me to stop you from your stupidity. But, need I remind you that in this friendship we support bitchiness?" mockery is evident in his voice.