She was having trouble sleeping. The dog kept waking her up to go out, so much so that she had just started leaving the back door open, chancing the fact that she would get more bug bites all over her body.
She managed to be so tired one night that she passed out around 11:00 PM instead of the usual 2:00 AM. Around midnight, right before her "do not disturb" kicked in, KSL called.
"I just finished with the show and my family, and I'm so tired. Please keep me awake while I drive home."
They shot the shit about things in general, and suddenly his tone changed, and she knew what was about to come up was the real reason he called.
"Tell me more about this rumor thing with (his roommate)"
"Shit KSL, I thought we were done with this. I only told you because It was just valid enough to not want to fully trust her, and I thought you should know and that we should be careful at your place."
Back at their first show, Goldie overheard this girl say she was screwing KSL. It had been a long time ago, 8 months. Goldie didn't even really remember exactly what happened. It might not have even been her, it might have been another girl.
"You know I'm going to bring it up with her right?" KSL said.
"Please," she said "You have a lease with her for a year, why in the world would you try and start some shit? What good will really come of it?"
He wouldn't be deterred. He got more and more aggravated at the fact that people kept talking shit about him. She smiled as a line from Rent came to mind, but then turned her attention back to him. She told him people will always talk, and he shouldn't let it affect his life.
"Maybe we better stop this thing we are doing. Then people would stop talking about it. We should stop."
She was floored. THIS was the reason they were going to stop sleeping together? Because other people had been talking about since before they even kissed? What kind of flimsy ass excuse was that? She quickly moved from floored to infuriated. How dare just give up no-strings-attached sex with her. She had given him every opportunity, been a total Cool Girl about it, made excuses for him through his break up and move out and the start of his show.
Fuck. Him.
"Okay, so you are saying because of what other people think, it's over?"
Suddenly she heard voices in the background. He had just walked into his apartment.
His voice suddenly became fake-joyful. "Whoa! Hi Guys! Penny, I'm going to have to let you, there are people in my place."
She took the phone away from her face and hit the end button. She hadn't hung up on anyone in decades.
She was furious. How dare he treat her like this? Sex aside, he was being an asshole of a friend right now. He was taking her for granted, not being respectful, and she was done with it.
She was funny, smart, caring. Always looked out for her friends, very loyal. She had her faults of course, but he was lucky to not just have her as a friend, but as a lover. He'd be DAMN lucky if he ever got her as a girlfriend. Which was real thin at this point.
She was just about done with his shit.
Now she was never getting back to sleep.
