Page 2 of City of Wind and Lies

Maybe I have abandonment issues. Actually, I’m sure I do. But is it really so crazy to want to be wanted? Is it such a big ask that someone chooses me and they keep choosing me simply because I’m enough?

I zone out on the way over to Drea's, which admittedly isn’t the safest thing to do while driving, but Drea's my best friend- I could navigate to her house with my eyes closed. I can feel my bottom lip quivering as I pound my fist against the door of her condo in Pilsen.

"Christ! I'm coming!" I hear her call out, but the anger that’s rippling through me is battling the waves of hurt thrashing around and I can’t physically stop beating on the door.

"What do you want!" The door swings open, Drea's face dropping instantly when she takes me in. "Wren?"

She steps back, widening the space and letting me step inside before asking any questions. I drop my bags at the door and head straight to her couch, burying my face in the pillows. I hear her lock click back into place on the door, then feel the cushions by my head dip down as she seats herself beside me.

After a beat, Drea finally breaks the silence. "Did he hit you again?"

I press up on my elbows, wiping my nose across the shoulder of my satin blouse as I meet her gaze. "No," I sniffle.

Her shoulders relax as she twists to face me. "Then what happened? You're still in corporate Barbie mode, so it had to come on out of nowhere."

"I caught him cheating."

Her eyes widen. "Absolutely not. Go change, I'll get wine, and then I want all the details so I can properly plot revenge."

I do as she says, plopping back down on the couch in my faded purple Northwestern t-shirt and gray snowman sleep shorts just as Drea comes back with a half-full bottle of tequila in her hands.

"That's not wine," I say, eyeing the bottle.

"And it's almost August, not Christmas." She points the bottle at my shorts before tipping it back and taking a pull.

Her eyes scrunch as she shakes her head, her messy brown waves falling in her face. Dropping down beside me, she passes me the bottle. "Now tell me everything."

My head throbs as bright shards of sunlight stab at my eyelids. The smell of fresh coffee fills my nose and I slowly peek my eyes open to see that I must have passed out in the living room, the almost empty bottle of Jose Cuervo still resting on its side on the glass coffee table.

I massage my temples with one hand as I push myself up to sit. "Never substitute wine with tequila again," I groan.

"You're being dramatic," Drea says with a roll of her eyes, placing a plate of conchas and a mug of coffee down in front of me. She leans back on the couch, crossing her tanned legs underneath her and sipping on her own mug of coffee.

My hands curl around the warm ceramic mug, wisps of steam tickling my nose as I bring the cup to my lips. The sweet and bitter liquid instantly improves my mood as it heats my belly. I tear off pieces of the concha and dip it in my coffee as Drea gives me the details of her disastrous blind date her parents set her up on last night.

"How can someone who makes such delicious food, have such terrible taste in picking out guys for you?"

"Right?" she sighs. "But as long as they’re paying the rent here, I'll go to dinner with whatever son of their friends they want."

"You're lucky, you know," I say, placing my empty mug on the glass tabletop.

Drea gives me a tight-lipped smile and nods. We don't talk much about me growing up in foster care and not knowing my parents. We've been best friends since freshman orientation, and her family welcomed me with open arms when she brought me home on Thanksgiving break.

"You know, that second room is all yours. You should have just moved in with me at the start of senior year instead of with he who shall not be named."

I grab the dishes from the table and pad off towards the black-and-white contemporary kitchen. "I know, but half the rent is still twice as much as at my place."

"His place," she corrects as she opens the dishwasher for me. "He conned you into paying for his shit after he got fired, remember? Then didn't put your name on the lease."

I slowly let out a breath as I load the plates and cups into the lower rack. She's right. And after our talk last night, I realize my relationship with Trey was over long before he slipped and fell into Stashia's vagina.

"And you know ma and papá don't want your money. They’re still hoping your responsible nature will rub off on me."

I purse my lips and shoot her a look as I close the dishwasher and press 'start'. Our eyes meet and we both burst out laughing. Drea isn't irresponsible necessarily, she’s just enjoying being twenty-three and single right now. Something I guess I should try, too.

We spend the rest of the lazy Saturday afternoon on her roof, lounging in deck chairs and soaking up the sun. It's nice. Like Trey said, I have been working a lot lately, even if he tried to use that as an excuse for his wandering dick. My summer internship at Daniels Financial will be ending soon, and I still haven't found a full-time accounting job yet.

I'm just stepping out of the shower and sifting through the random array of clothing I managed to bring with me when Drea waltzes into the room. "Ya got some black slacks and a white button-up in that pile?" she asks as she flops herself down on the bed.

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