tree streets

[Ira missed these nights with Maria. They still happened, but a lot less frequently than they used to. And that was okay. Ira had stuff to do, girls to hook up with. And Maria had stuff to do, boys to choose. But it felt like eons since they’d sat here and gotten drunk together, watched some dumb show together. Ira always retreated to her room these days and between Parker and Aaron, Maria was over at the boy’s apartment a lot. It was tough —- juggling two guys. Probably. Ira was always just the third party in infidelity situations: just as guilty but without the aspect of probably being as easily forgiven or thrown away. Either way.]

Wow. You’d turn your own boyfriend into a dog. [Ira takes an oreo, then takes a bite, her smile not having died down even a little. Even with all those negative thoughts, her best friend was being the cutest drunk in the world. She continued with her mouth full of oreo.] I want you to remember this night. [Then, she snatched Maria’s wine glass and took a sip.] Because next time I whole-heartedly insult Parker, I want you to recall how you said he had all the traits of a dog. 

[And deep down, Maria feels terrible about the wording. Because, in all senses of the word, Aaron is not a spare. Not something left laying around for when the first one breaks. (If that were true, she would have traded models about seven thousand shots of tequila ago). But the words fit and despite the crass nature, it’s Ira on the receiving end. And Ira of all people knows that it’s an insult to Parker long before it could be one to Aaron.

Still -- she’s the girl who cheats on her boyfriend, says she’d turn him into a dog, and then jokes that she wouldn’t even be sorry about it because she has a spare one in the back. What the fuck Maria.

She makes her “yikes” face and hopes they can plow right through that moment and into the next.] Nah. Science experiment gone wrong. You come visit me in the lab one day. I’m showing you super awesome biochemistry because I am a super awesome biochemist. Kevin walks in, is thrown into a state of shock by the awe of your beauty. Knocks something over. Smash. Boom. Pow. Super powers. Or, wait -- no. Witch powers. Yeah.

[Maria’s happiness was infectious. Sure, maybe it was drunken happiness, but Ira didn’t think that made it any less real. Especially not here and now. It was nice to see Maria this happy, too. She didn’t know if cause for drinking was good or bad because the girl drank just as much as the rest of them (and maybe sometimes more —- Parker had rubbed off on her), but either way, Ira would pry later when she was sober. Now maybe wasn’t the time. Though, now maybe was the only time she’d be able to get Maria to talk about the mess that is her love life.] Yes. Celebrate me, for I am here. [She let out a breath as she spoke, readjusting her legs on the couch with Maria’s atop hers.

They both watched the TV for only a few seconds before a random drunken thought popped into Maria’s head and then out loud. And it worried Ira some. That was weird, but nothing really said cause for concern and it wasn’t something she could easily just say. “Hey, did your PE coach get a little too close for comfort?” wasn’t wine talk.

She fishes the strawberry out of the bottom of the glass and takes a bite.]  Except like, I don’t know anyone alive who wouldn’t turn Parker into a dog if they had the chance. [And that’s probably mean, but Ira of all people knows that there’s not much of a point in putting a magic spell on him anyway. He’s practically there on his own. She thinks about saying it out loud. But that’s definitely mean.] Parker’s a good dog’s name, I think. And besides, he already spends a good chunk of his time with his head in the toilet.

[She offers the oreos to Ira.] I say we should go for it.