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Bang. Bang. Bang!

“I’m not leaving! I don’t have anywhere to go and no one to see. I’ve cleared my schedule,” she shouted at the door. “So, if you want to play this game, I’ll be out here freezing my ass off because my so-called friend is shutting me out!”

Carla sighed and pursed her lips.

“Real friends would never do this to the other, by the way!”

Carla rolled her eyes again.

“If you don’t open up, I’m calling the cavalry, then all of us, London included, will be over here beating down your door!”

“Jesus,” Carla whispered.

“The only reason I haven’t called the cops to make sure you’re still alive is because I’ve called your job. I know you’ve been there!”

Carla gave her another few minutes before she finally opened her car door and stood, removing herself from the warmth that cuddled her inside. Her voice was dry and unenthusiastic when she spoke.

“Will you stop screaming already?”

Whipping around, Tina marched off the porch right up to Carla, looking her over as if to inspect her.

“Well, what do you know! She’s alive!”

Carla sighed. “You already knew that, remember? Don’t be so dramatic.” Stepping around Tina, Carla walked to her steps, climbing the porch to her front door.

“Oh,I’mbeing dramatic?” Tina followed her closely. “You are being dramatic, sitting in that damn car while I’m on the porch screaming at you to open the door!”

Carla stuck her key in, and seconds later, they were entering. The door slammed behind them as Tina pushed it up, shifting her purse from one arm to the other.

“Hey!”

Carla dropped her work bag on the floor, then turned to face her friend.

“What is going on with you?”

“Let’s see, I’ve managed to fuck up the relationship between Jacob and me, I’ve possibly fumbled my bag, and this may just be another instance where I lose my apartment because who knows how long I’ll be working to pay my rent. Even with my savings account being plentiful without work, it will eventually dry up. And, who’s going to want to hire a nude, high-ass teacher when it all hits the news? I’ll tell you who,” Carla continued to sob, “No one! And why would they? I’m the most irresponsible person I know, and I can’t even believe I’ve learned nothing from this game of life, but hey…” she shrugged, “Here we are!”

Tina’s eyes were wide. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?!”

Carla sighed as Sasha ran to greet her at the entrance. “How much time do you have?”

“I’m staying over. Let’s just call it a girls night in.”

“I could use one of those, but I gotta be honest. I don’t know how much fun I’ll be.”

“I’m not here for fun. I’m here to be your shoulder to cry on if you need it. Also, for healing.”

“Healing?”

Tina removed a freshly rolled joint, and Carla tossed her hands in the air.

“I don’t want it.”

Tina’s eyes grew. “What?”

Carla gave Tina a rundown of what happened after she went to the bar with Lennox, ending with being caught at his side by Jacob.

“Oh, my God.”