Dark Entity-Ginger and Jackie

        Jackie nearly tripped over the threshold, rushing into the room.  She shut the door and checked to make sure Ginger was in the bathroom, before plopping down on the bed to wait for her to come out.  It wasn’t long, before she came bouncing out of the bathroom, wearing only her towel. “Are you going to talk to me now, or are you still pissed off at me?”

        Ginger walked over to her bed, where she had her clothes laid out neatly. “You can save your lectures for someone else.  I think it’s more than a little hypocritical if you ask me, and I’m not in the mood to listen to it.”  She dropped her towel and started to get dressed.

        “You’re my best friend, Ginger.  I’m worried about you.”

        “Friends… I remember us being a lot more than that, Jackie.  But that’s when it suited you, right?  You never minded my promiscuity, then.  The fact that you want to judge me now, is a blatant insult.” She finished putting on her clothes, then walked over to the sink.  She started brushing her teeth, as Jackie walked up, and sat down on the counter beside her.

        “I never meant it that way, you know that!  The way you’ve been acting since we left home, isn’t normal behavior for you, Ginger.  You propositioned Collin, for God’s sake, and in public!  Now, you want to run off by yourself to a club and pick up the first guy who talks to you.  How could I not be concerned?”

        She finished brushing her teeth, then turned to Jackie, “What’s the problem? You act like this is the first time. I do it all the time.”

        “No, you don’t!  You always go out with one or more of us, and when you take those men home with you, Hawk is always there, in case you need him.  What exactly was your plan for tonight?  To go home with a stranger?”

        “Maybe. You know what, I don’t have time for this.”  She picked up her brush and the blow-dryer and started fixing her hair.

        Jackie waited patiently for Ginger to finish with the blow-dryer.  As she turned off the noisy machine, Jackie begged, “Please, Ginger!  Think about what you’re doing.  I only want you to be safe.”

        Ginger pulled out her make-up and went to work on her face.  “I am thinking about it, and I’m gonna enjoy banging some guy in the back seat of his car.”

        “Fine, I get it!  You don’t care, and I’m wasting my time.  Will you at least tell me where you’re going, so I’ll know where to start looking if you don’t come back?”

        Ginger whipped her head around to give a smart retort, but stopped short, when she saw Jackie’s face.  She was shaking, her eyes glued to her knees, and tears ran freely down her cheeks. Ginger sighed softly, and whispered, “I’m sorry, Jackie.  I didn’t mean it.”  She hugged her friend.  “I know you care about me.  I’m just being a bitch.  I’m fine, really.  I just need some time away, that’s all.”

        Jackie gently pushed her away and slid off the counter.  “Are you going to tell me where you’re going, or not?”  She never looked up at her friend, as she waited for her answer.

        Ginger sighed in resignation, “The Boiler Room.  It’s in Gainesville.”

        Jackie pushed passed her, and whispered, “Thank you,” then walked into the bathroom, and slammed the door.

        Ginger tried to open it, but it was locked.  “Come on, Jackie, don’t be like this!”

        “How do you want me to be?  You’re being reckless and expecting me to just let you.”

        “Fine, be that way!  You’re my friend, not my mother.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”  Ginger grabbed her makeup bag and her purse slipped on her heels and left.