Adventures of the Unlucky

Trigger warning: Cancer. Sam?” I softly call from across the party as I see my best friend’s long blond hair whip back and forth on the dance floor. She stops dancing and looks around confused as I furiously wave to her. Finally, she spots me and prances over like a pony that just got a new bow in her hair. “Sam, I need to speak to you. I don’t want anyone to hear though.” I quietly tell her, afraid that if I speak any louder, my secret will somehow be broadcasted for everyone to hear. “Sure! What do you want to talk about Ari? Is it about why you’re so late?” She practically screams at me. “Please be quiet…,” I plead with her, “Can we go somewhere without so many peo-“ Suddenly someone bumps into me from behind, causing me to stumble into Sam. I whip around to confront the culprit only to find them on the ground, a tray of broken glasses all over the floor. I just sigh and help them up while they apologize profusely, making several excuses in between apologies. “Don’t worry about it.” I take my hand away from her arm just to come away with it covered in blood. “You’re bleeding. Can someone grab me a cloth please?” From out of the crowd, an arm hands me a paper towel, which I squeeze tightly onto her arm. “Thank you so much, I just think I got sliced a little on a piece of glass.” She tells me. I see a few people push their way through the crowd with medical supplies, so I give her the paper towel, telling her to press down hard, and slip into the crowd. I pull Sam along with me, who, though a little confused, doesn't fight me. I drag her to the very back of the party, to the quietest area. “Sam, I went to the doctor earlier and…” I pause, not wanting to continue. “Ari! Is that you?” I hear someone call out, interrupting my thoughts. I let out a sound that’s between a sigh and a sob, tears fighting for control harder than ever as I think I’ll never get the chance to tell anyone the secret that’s been digging a bigger and bigger hole in me all day. Before I get the chance to even think about walking away, the offender is already standing in front of me, a big dopey smile on his face. “It is you! Do you remember me? Bob Tarlile, I was in your science class a few years back…” He pauses expectantly, waiting for me to say something. When I shake my head slowly and shrug, his smile droops a little but almost immediately perks back up. “We graduated together! I used to be a little heavier... we went to prom together!” His face suddenly clicks in my brain after hearing about prom but to avoid any kind of conversation I simply say, “I’m sorry, I believe you have the wrong person.” I even muster up a small, apologetic smile. This time his smile stayed fallen. My heart tore open even more at his expression, if that was even possible, and guilt grabbed ahold of me. Nonetheless, I sigh in relief when he’s finally gone. Not wanting anyone else to interrupt us, I grab Sam's hand again and lead her out back. “Poor Bob… why did you tell the poor baby that? You know him!” I huff in frustration, “I didn’t want to talk to anyone, as guilty as I'm now feeling. And I'm sorry for dragging you out here but I’ve been TRYING to tell you something important. Earlier I… Look, Sam, can we go to your house? I can’t tell you out here in a gross alley and I don’t want to see my parents just yet.” I kick a nearby beer can that looks like the Lochness monster puked on it before Bigfoot stepped on it. “I wanted to just tell you here because I know how much you were looking forward to this party but… I….” I trail off again, unsure of what to say. Her smile dampens a little and she scans my eyes for a moment, searching for the answer to the secret that lies there. “Don't apologize and say no more! Except… my parents are at work, and they dropped me off. I hope you drove?” I nod and lead the way out of the alley and to my car. I attempt to start the car but, to my horror, it revs up a few times before dying. I try several more times before hitting the dash in frustration and burying my head in my hands. “Don’t hurt the car, I can just call my dad.” I hear her pull out her phone and then utter a soft oh no. I glance up to see a sheepish look on her face. “Do I even want to ask?” She shifts uncomfortably, “I forgot to charge my phone last night and it’s dead. Can you call someone?” I just stare at her. “Oh right, you don’t have a phone, sorry…” I just continue to stare at her with a deadpan look. “It’s not my fault! Everyone I know but you, even my grandparents, have phones!” She storms out of the car and starts trying to open the hood, despite knowing literally nothing about cars. I roll my eyes with just a small smile on my lips before I hop out as well. “Do you have jumper cables?” She asks. “Of course.” I dig through my car with a sinking heart. “Well… I did, anyway.” Now it’s her turn to stare at me. “Miss high and mighty forgetting something? Impossible!” I let out a small, only slightly hysterical, chuckle. “You’re an ass, you know that? I'm sure that someone inside will have jumper cables, we'd need to ask for help jumping the car anyway.” I tell her. But Sam just shrugs and grabs my hand, “My house is just a few blocks from here and it’s beautiful out, let’s just walk!” I begrudgingly let her have her way after making sure several times that my car is locked. The thoughts thundering in my head block out any sense of time as we walk, a mile feeling like a second and an inch feeling like a year. Because of these loud thoughts, I barely hear a man come up from behind us and say something. “Excuse me?” Sam asks him politely. He creeps closer to us “You girls must be lost. Need some help?” he quietly asks. I notice his eyes are dark and dirty, with his clothes matching perfectly, but all I can think of is how horrible his breath is. Me and Sam glance at each other, exchanging words without ever opening our mouths and at the same time, we run. My heart pounds in sync with my footsteps as I hear him chasing us. Foolishly, I look back and my heart sinks to my feet as I see three men total now chasing us and gaining speed. I reach into my pocket, fingers fumbling, and grab my pepper spray. All in one motion, I stop, whip around, and spray every single drop in the can straight at their faces. I start running again, their screams echoing off the houses around us. Immediately after I turn back around, Sam, who had stopped after noticing I wasn't by her side, started running again. After a moment, I catch up to her and we both run together. I see her house come into sight, and I don’t slow down until we are both inside with the door locked. I glance over at her, the both of us panting, and start laughing. Slow and quiet at first, but louder and stronger after she joins in. We both collapse to the ground and laugh, tears running down our cheeks. I turn to her mid laugh and finally admit the horrible secret I’ve been holding in all day; “I have cancer.” To my surprise, she starts laughing harder, “Well isn’t that something...” Slowly, she reaches up and pulls hard on her hair, tearing it off. I gasp as I see a bald head under her beautiful blond hair, now turned into just an awful wig lying on the floor. “How long?” I quietly ask. “A few months. You?” She answers just as quietly. “Just found out today.” We’re both quiet for a while, processing, well, everything. She finally turns to me and pulls me into her arms. I immediately return the embrace, knowing that no matter what happens, at least I’m not alone.