Lucky Number Four (2 page)

“Oh my God, I can’t wait anymore! Please,
please, harder, harder. Deeper, deeper. I’m almost the fuck there.
Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh.”

No, I’m not watching porn. In fact, I’m lying
here in my semi-dark room listening to one. Actually, it’s the
sexual antics of my two very best friends, who were only married a
month ago.

“Oh, baby, I think I’m gonna …. Ahhhhhhhh
yeaaaaaaaah.”

“Yesssssss, I feel it. Harder, harder!”

By the sound of it, you would think this was
their first time, and really, I can’t believe they’re being so
inconsiderate. I mean, the walls aren’t soundproof. I left them
alone for a month after the wedding, trying to give them alone time
as a newly married couple. All the while I was suffering—I mean,
spending “quality time” with my family back home.

Oh, thank heaven. Now all I can hear is
muffled voices. Maybe I can finally get some sleep.

One hour later…I’m still not asleep.

I haven’t heard any more noises through the
wall, which is good thing, but now my throat is dry and I’m
thirsty. I swear if it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Jumping out
of bed, I listen at the door for any movement. Hearing none, I make
my way to the kitchen. Turning the corner, I find the fridge door
open and a naked Kevin Browning, the newlywed, standing there. I’m
frozen as he bends over and moons me. I must have made a noise
because he suddenly straightens and turns. My eyes immediately
focus on his nether region.

“Hey Dora, can’t sleep either?” His voice
penetrates my brain, but I don’t look up. “A little different from
when we played ‘you show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ when we
were seven, huh?”

Mortified at being caught staring, my eyes
fly up to meet his grinning mouth. “Geez, Kev. Couldn’t you have at
least put your boxers on?” I say as I swivel and take my hot (I
know it’s totally red) face back to my room. I cringe as I hear him
laughing behind me. “Jerk. Hope it rots off,” I mumble, making him
laugh harder.

Slamming my door, I fall back on my bed and
fume. I really don’t want his penis to drop off. He and Julie are
my best friends, and I don’t want her to have a dickless spouse.
I’m not that mean.

I hear them talking through walls and then
Julie laughing. Putting my pillow over my head, I pray for
sleep.

The next morning, work is hectic, of course,
not giving me a break because of my lack of sleep. Seven mornings a
week, I work as a barista in a wonderful coffee shop a block away
from our apartment. Five afternoons of the week though, I’m stuck
in classes at the local university.

Today is Monday, and after my five-hour
shift, I have three wonderfully boring classes back-to-back. I feel
like I’ve been in college all my life. I’m jealous that Julie has
graduated early, gotten married, and has secured a real job. But
I’m stubborn. I could’ve had my maternal grandmother pay my way,
but the price had been too high. What normal girl goes to
“finishing school” the summer she graduates from high school? Nope,
couldn’t and wouldn’t do it. What the hell is finishing school
anyway? Isn’t that like an ancient practice? So, because of my
stubbornness, I’m a year behind in terms of graduating.

Sadness floods me as I realize I need to move
out of our apartment. The newlyweds need their space, and I don’t
need a nightly reminder of my sexless existence, just another thing
to add to my feel-sorry-for-me list.

Shopping is usually an escape for me, unless
it’s for boring groceries. Why can’t we just skip eating? I mean, I
could afford to lose a pound or two. But no, it’s my turn to do the
shopping, and I have to do that often because I hate to cook. Thank
goodness Kevin is a chef and it’s his night off. With his
deliciously wicked meals, I’ll gain two pounds instead.

Entering the local supermarket, I grab a cart
and glance over at the colorful announcement board. Nestled among
the ads for items for sale, dating sites and such, I spy a flyer
with numerous perforated tabs at the bottom.

REALLY! DESPERATELY! WANTED!
ASAP!

A ROOMMATE!

MUST BE HOUSEBROKEN AND WILLING
TO SHARE WITH THREE OTHERS TO MAKE A LUCKY FOUR! AWESOME LOFT
APARTMENT! YOUR OWN BED AND FULL BATHROOM! YOU WON’T BELIEVE THE
RENT, AND THE UTILITIES ARE INCLUDED!

Wishing they had put the unbelievable rent
amount on the flyer, I grab one of the little slips of paper and
decide it’s worth a shot. I have nothing to lose. Tucking the slip
into my purse, I put my backpack in the cart and start my journey
with grocery list in hand.

A mouthwatering smell greets me at home when
I arrive with two full grocery bags and my ever full backpack. I
hear Kevin humming in the kitchen and he pops around the corner,
apparently hearing me coming down the hallway.

“Ah, she has arrived with the rest of the
ingredients for tonight’s cuisine.” He grabs the two bags from my
aching arms and plops them down on the counter. “Hey chick, you
look tired. You know you should really get more sleep.”

I want to wipe that grin from his face, but I
can never stay mad at Kevin for very long, I just can’t.

“Julie called. She’ll be late. The slave
driver wanted an impromptu office meeting. Dinner will be ready in
about an hour. Why don’t you take a nap?”

“I wish. I unfortunately have homework that
won’t do itself. Your day must have been good since you’re so happy
and all.”

“Every day is an awesome day,” he says. “I
have a job I love, a woman I love, and a roommate I adore. What
else could a man ask for?”

I shake my head at his dimpled cheeks as he
smiles. Growing up in a small town, Julie, Kevin, and I were like
the Three Musketeers. Our parents were good friends and we went on
family camping trips and vacations together. It was like having
three sets of parents, which was fun until we got into trouble, and
then it was a nightmare.

Kevin was goofy looking when he was younger,
and majorly awkward when he went through his growth spurt until he
reached his final height of six foot three and a half. His parents
encouraged him to play sports and he excelled, winning a
scholarship to a college out west. His dark brown hair, good looks,
height and adorable dimples had panting females following him
everywhere.

In contrast, Julie is blonde, fair-skinned
and, like me, short. We had a growing contest as kids and to our
delight, we grew to the same height of five feet four inches.

We would never be mistaken as twins, though.
She always looks put together and I always look thrown together. I
think she’s far prettier too. Her natural light blonde hair is
straight and falls like a waterfall down her back. Well, when she
doesn’t have it up for her job as a social worker. Mine is a red,
curly mess. It’s as long as Julie’s, but mine could never be
described as a waterfall—more like tangled vines. I don’t tan, but
Julie can and used to. Now she shies away from the sun since her
dad was diagnosed with skin cancer. Her skin is blemish free while
mine has a few freckles—okay, so I have more than a few. Sun
kisses, my dad calls them. We both have curves. Not fat, but not
skinny and no cellulite yet.

When Kevin and Julie graduated last winter
and he moved back, they fell in love. They had tried to hide their
feelings from me because they didn’t know how I’d react, but I
knew. I’d just ended a three-year relationship, and being the
awesome friends that they are, they didn’t want to upset me. I had
known these two all my life. I love them both and told them I
couldn’t be happier for them. That night, we celebrated and ended
up with massive hangovers the next day.

“Earth to Dora. Come in, Dora!” Kevin’s voice
jolts me from my musings. “Not thinking about last night, are you?”
he jokes, his dimples dancing in his cheeks.

“Yeah, I was,” I say, watching him stand
taller and push out his well-defined chest. “I was thinking it
hasn’t grown much since I saw it last.”