Two Back-stabbers, My Aunt, A Job and A Therapist

!!!WARNING!!! This story contains sensitive content: substance abuse, violent language and behaviour, mental health

I wake up to the sound of an espresso machine whirring away, my head is foggy, my eyes struggle to open against the blinding light coming in through the thin curtains hung at the window. My lips are sticky, possibly because I am severely dehydrated. I groan as I slowly get out of bed, staggering towards the bathroom. I look in the mirror and for a split second, I do not recognize the person staring back at me.

My hair is disheveled, I've got dark circles under my eyes, enough to make me look like a raccoon and my skin looks ghostly.

I turn on the tap, spalsh my face with cold water, the sensation of it slightly hurting my pores, but the effect of it awakening my senses, is a welcomed relief.

I comb my fingers through my hair and go downstairs in my pyjamas... Wait! Pyjamas? How did I get in these?... I struggle to remember what happened last night, but it all seems shrouded in an unfathomable mist.

I remember going to a party, having a few drinks...maybe more, I say as I feel the solid weight of my own tongue in my mouth, heavily dehydrated. I remember dancing and then... All I can remember is being brought home by somebody who put me to bed, probably even got me into my pyjamas.

I hear noises from downstairs, where the espresso machine was working just a minute ago. As I go down the staircase, I hear talking, but in hushed tones. I think it's...Yes, it's my best friend, Tina, talking to Marcus, my boyfriend.

I decide to sit on the steps and listen closely to their unfurling conversation in the kitchen, since lately my gut has been telling me that they've been keeping something from me.

"She's completely out of control! You saw the shit she pulled last night! You were there!" Tina says in an upset tone, but still whispered.

"I know, I know, but what do you want me to do? You know how she is... Never listens to anybody...try to give her advice and she'll do the opposite. I care a lot about her, I mean, it's been 3 years now since we first met and started dating, but I gotta say...and you know this, my feelings for her are almost gone, they're like feelings that you normally have for a friend...Not like the feelings I have for you, Tina! "

Oh, fuck! This is unbelievable!!! My eyes widen in shock as I clap my hand over my mouth, trying to control my temper and not turn it into an outburst, since I want to hear more. I purse my lips angrily, biting my lower lip and almost drawing blood as I tighten my fists, enough to make nail marks in my palm.... What the actual fuck??!!

I try to take a deep breath, so I can listen more and find out if my best friend is a lying back-stabber as well, or maybe it's just my b...ex-boyfriend, that is.

"I know, Marcus, baby! But I've known her longer than you have, and even though this is betrayal on our part, I don't want to hurt her. You know that she's been going through a tough time. She can't seem to find herself, her way, she's tried a bajillion jobs, never sticking around too long, never working long enough anywhere. She's been my room-mate ever since college, and don't get me wrong, I like having her around when she's not all bitter and drinking, but I'd like to have this place to myself and maybe after we finally talk to her, I can have you as well, all to myself. "

Jesus!!! Lying, conniving traitors... I barely stifle my instinct not to run into the kitchen and choke the life outta both of them.

"So when should we tell her, Tina, baby?"

"I think it's time, today! We let her sober up, and then we sit her down and tell her the truth."

"The whole truth?"

"Well, maybe not all of it... We tell her the truth about herself and how she's been a crappy friend and girlfriend lately, and then we tell her that we sort of fell for each other during this time. No need to hurt her feelings with all of it! She doesn't need to know that this has been going on for 6 months and that we have already slept together. "

"Right! Sounds good!"

Motherf... I explode, my rage at full throttle at this point. I get up off the steps in one explosive movement, burst into the kitchen, banging the door against the wall as I open it wide.

"You lying, betraying sons-of-bitches! I heard everything, every word!"

"Vera, whoa, simmer down, girl... What do you think you heard?" Tina asks trying to calm me, but also putting her hands up as if trying to protect herself, 'cause she knows my temper can be wild.

"Don't give me that crap, I heard that you two have been together for 6 months, even got it on under my nose. I know everything now!"

"Alright, alright! Calm down! This is not her fault... It's mine! I reached out to her one night, when you were like...this, and she comforted me, that's how it started." Marcus says trying to look all confident, but failing miserably.

I grab a pan from the counter and they both flinch... "You stupid son-of-a-bitch! Do you think I care how it started or who's fault it is? Is that supposed to make me feel better, huh? Aaaah!" I yell at them and throw the pan in Marcus' direction, purposely missing him, because even though I am boiling mad, I'm still a good person, no matter what...that and I don't wanna go to jail.

"And you..." I instantly turn to Tina and stare her down, with my teeth menacingly bared, but my eyes welling up with tears, tears caused by her bitter betrayal, for she was like a sister to me.

"You lying, deceitful bitch! I loved you like a sister, treated you as one and you don't even have the guts to tell me that you fell in love with my boyfriend?... Aaah!" I smash some of the plates on the kitchen floor, shards flying everywhere, even around my bare feet, miraculously missing them.

"Look at you! You're out of control! I haven't been able to talk to you honestly and like the way we used ever since you started drinking every night... Yes, we betrayed you, and we're deeply sorry we hurt you, but... you gotta go, you have to leave. It's time for you to stop making excuses and relying on me to help you... I want you out of the house in a month, Vera!"

"Oh, that won't be necessary, I am getting the fuck outta here today!" I say breaking another plate, this time a shard getting stuck right in between my toes, grazing the skin and drawing a little bit of blood, but the rage and adrenaline pumping through my veins, won't let me take care of anything other than storming out of the kitchen and going to pack my bags.

I finish packing just one bag, planning to send for the rest later, I storm downstairs and out the door, car keys in my hand, fighting the urge to tear the house down as I go.

I get in the car and drive off... Where? The only place I knew where to go...my aunt's house, she'd surely put me up for a few days.

After 6 months...

It's my lunch-break, I rush towards the elevator in my fancy heels, trying desperately not to fall on my face and press the button frantically. I get in as soon as it opens the doors and press the ground floor button, supposing that everyone is going that down anyway...No protests... Good! I was right!

I am in a huge hurry to catch my friend's food-truck opening, which is happening as we speak, outside the Advertising Agency where I've been working for the past 5 months... World record for me, but... Yeah! I'm doin' good! I smile to myself.

I reach the ground floor and rush towards the doors, I walk outside and there's my friend's food-truck. I walk over there and I already see a huge line formed, but luckily, Javier has already made my order and put it aside, he throws it at me and I catch it swiftly, smiling at him.

"Hey, Javi? Is this my fusion cajun taco?"

"Yeah, mamá, enjoy! I gotta work, busy, busy, busy! Don't know who tipped all these people off!" he says smiling and winking at me, obviously referring to the ad I did for him and the constant instagram posts I did about him and his food, for the past 3 months.

As I turn to go find a bench so I can savour my taco, I bump into two people. And to my shock, it's the back-stabbers, Tina and Marcus. Their eyes widen upon seeing me in my two piece outfit and high heels, which was totally uncharacteristic for the old Vera.

"Hey, Vera, is that you?"

"Sorta... It's me, but it's the new me!" I say drawing my eyebrows together, waiting for I don't know what... An apology, maybe, but neah, don't care that much anymore.

"Wow, you look great!" both Tina and Marcus say at the same time.

"Thanks! You know what they say...living well is the best revenge." I say smiling with a mean undertone in there somewhere.

"Do you work in this building?" Tina still curious about my fate continues to ask.

"Yeah, I work in advertising now and this is my friend's food-truck. His food is the greatest!" I say looking at my taco, hoping it won't go completely cold.

"Well, I am glad you got your life together... You look great! I'm happy for you!" Tina says sighing as Marcus just sits there like a puppet, not saying anything...God, what did I ever see in that man?

"Um, yeah, thanks! It only took two back-stabbers, my aunt, a job and a therapist to get me on my feet, but hey... I am living my best life now. So thank you! See ya later, bitch!" I say, nostalgia in my voice as I turn around to find a place to eat my taco.

"Not if I see you first, bitch!" she calls after me, I don't look back, but I know her so well that I can hear the playful tone in her voice mixed with some regret.

I find a bench, unwrap my taco, which is still warm enough to eat, reflect for a second on my lost friendship with Tina, regretting it just a little, but think about how far I've come in such a short while, so I shrug it off and bite into my taco. "Too bad!" I say to myself out loud.