Pearl River Community College's award winning literary magazine

Special Edition—Spring-Summer 1998

Short Story Section

by Carrie Badon

Reality set in. Lauren searched the dresser for her watch. She found it next to a framed picture. The picture appeared to have been taken at a high school dance. It was 10:15 a.m. She had missed her 8:00 a.m. class for the seventh and final time. The teacher had warned that if she missed once more, she would be dropped off the roll. Now she would lose her scholarship and be kicked out of the dorm.

She pulled up the covers around the person that lay close to her, then grabbed an extra blanket from the bed and wrapped herself in it. Hesitantly, she placed her feet on the frigid wood floor. The chill shot through her body, making her shiver uncontrollably. She stopped in front of the small heater to warm herself. The only noise was the chattering of her teeth.

Lauren fought with the blanket as she gathered clothing from the floor. She found the nameless kitten curled up in her sweater. She lifted the kitten and placed it in bed next to Jason. It purred and curled up close to him as she continued to search for her clothes.

She found everything but her bra. Bras seem to have minds of their own. In a final attempt at finding it, she checked quietly under the bed. She tugged at a white strap that peaked from beneath.

Lauren tip-toed to the bathroom and threw the blanket and clothes in the corner. She stepped into a hot shower and scrubbed as if to remove the cold lingering fingerprints from her body. She wrapped herself in Jason's towel and wiped the steam from the mirror. Her tears burnt tracks down her face.

"Why am I here? Why can't I just let him go? How could I let him use me again?"

Lauren walked to the kitchen to use the phone. She had forgotten to call her roommate the night before and let her know where she was.

"Hey Dana, it's me... Where was I last night? What? Are you my mother?... I know, I'm sorry. I really should have called... Mrs. Thomas called? So I'm out of her class, right?... That's great. I've got a call on the other line. I'll talk to you later, Okay? Bye."

"Hello."

"Is Jason there?" inquired an unfamiliar female voice.

"He's sleeping. Who's this?"

"Nicole. Who are you?"

"Lauren."

"Well Lauren, when he wakes up, tell him I got his message, and I'm sorry that I couldn't come by last night. I had practice."

"I'll tell him. Bye."

"Bye."

Lauren weakly put down the phone. Last night she had been told that she was the only

one and promised things would be different. He told her how much he missed her, needed her, and loved her.

"Nicole is out of the picture. I promise. We haven't talked to each other in weeks. Let's try one more time."

He spoke those words like the pro he was. Lauren had heard them before and knew that they were just "lines." She understood deep inside that things would never change, but the love in her heart outweighed the judgement of her head. She fell victim to his lies again.

Lauren sat on the bed next to the sleeping Jason. She lit a cigarette and watched the end glow in the dimly lit room. Next

to her on the dresser stood the picture of Jason and Nicole. He must have forgotten to hide it this time.

"Out of the picture. Yeah, right."

Lauren shook her head and then knocked the frame over. She was surprised the breaking glass didn't wake him. He had always been a heavy sleeper. She took one last drag from the cigarette and put it out on the picture. Lauren brushed the

hair from Jason's pallid face and kissed him softly on the forehead. Then she whispered the words "I love you" in his ear.

He stirred and muttered incoherently. She opened the drawer of the dresser and pulled out his gun.

There would be no guilt because there were two bullets in the revolver. She smiled weakly and wiped the tears from her face. She curled close to him and the bug-eyed kitten; murmured a couple more "I love you's" as she pointed the gun at his head.