The Hollywood Waitress

Chapter 7

 As soon as I got a whiff of mint in the hallway to my apartment, my heart sunk when I remembered what -- day it was.

Welcome to…‘Wacky Wednesday!’

 An evening, that consisted of badly (homemade) cocktails and 90’s skater boy music.  Shirley, (my slightly crazy, and off the wall flat mate) was the one to start, the trend. I reluctantly agreed to it when we first moved in together and boy did she make me regret it.

 Initially it was supposed to be a group of us that would get together mid – week and when I say a group – I mean some of Shirley’s friends from New Zealand.

But as the months went by it ended up with just me Shirley and Michael (her soap dodging boyfriend) who did nothing but lie on the couch, Beats headphones cupped to his face bopping to whatever string of expletives roaring out of Marilyn Manson’s mouth.

‘Jenniifeer!’ she slurred, mint leaves in one hand, chopping knife in the other, ‘the, bestest flatmate a girl could ever wish for, fancy a cocktail?’

 ‘I’ll stick to coffee, thanks,’ I replied opening the pantry door, ‘you did go to the store today right?’

Her dark brown eyes dimmed which is what they always did when she was guilty of not doing something.  ‘Erm, yeah I went to the store,’

There was an awkward silence as I looked inside the pantry.

 ‘What’s with the evils?’

With my red as a beetroot face did she REALLY need to ask?

‘The cupboards are completely bare, Shirley!’

‘I did go to the store,’ she said dropping head to the floor, ‘I just forgot to get,’

‘EVERYTHING you forgot everything! ‘Except for these,’ I grabbed a handful of mint leaves from the counter, ‘you could never forget these, could you?’

‘Sorry Jen,’

 ‘You know what?’ I grabbed my bag from the floor and slung it back over my shoulder.  ‘I’ll go myself!’

‘Geez, I said sorry. What’s wrong with you lately? You’re so het up all the frickin time!’

‘Do you blame me, seriously? I mean, look what I have to deal with!’

‘What’s that supposed to mean, huh? If you don’t like living with me it’s simple, MOVE OUT!’

And with that I snapped.  ‘Are you kidding? Me move out? ME that has to deal with you and your weirdo boyfriend every Wednesday which I HATE by the way,’

God I was so mad (and also a little guilty for ruining her favourite day of the week).

‘FINE,’ she bolted towards the kitchen counter, grabbed a handful of mint and began –shoving the leaves into the bin, ‘Wacky Wednesday is officially OVER! Did you hear that Michael?’

Who was she kidding? Michael barely knew what day it was half the time. ‘No more hanging out with Jennifer, she’s too good for us now she’s famous!’

 I nodded in disgust, to upset to even look at her.

‘No really Jen,’ her dark eyes grew into small slits and with the contrast of her red hair and pale skin she resembled a psychotic version of Nicole Kidman. ‘What’s up with you lately?’

The whole psycho - analysis trip drove me crazy and it was the ONE thing, Shirley could -- do really well, even when obliterated.  ‘It’s not that Jason guy is it, the one that called in earlier?’