“What about you?” Mark asked.

“Not so much,” Shane replied.

“Lady troubles?”

“The worst. ”

Mark smiled and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out a bottle of beer and held it up. “Want a beer?”

Shane grinned, did she ever. “I’d love one.”

“Jenny?” Mark said.
Jenny nodded. “Yes please.”

Mark grabbed another bottle out of the refrigerator and walked over to them. “Your beverages my ladies.”

Shane took the cold beer from him. “Thanks man.”

“Thank you Mark,” Jenny said.
“So what are you still doing up?” Shane asked him.

Mark insecurely ran a hand through his hair. “I uh…  I had some company.

Jenny nudged Shane in the side. “I think he means a lady friend,” she teasingly whispered.

“I think you might be right,” Shane replied, noticing the reddish color that Mark’s face was turning.

Mark looked away, uncomfortable with the attention. “Yeah,” he said.
“She’s uh, she’s actually still here. She’s…” He pointed at the
studio. “You know…  So I should…” He started to walk back to
the kitchen.
“Have fun,”  Jenny said.

Shane laughed. “Goodnight Mark.”
Mark opened the back door and stepped out of the house. “Goodnight,” he called back, before shutting the door.

“Well, that’s it.” Shane set her empty beer bottle down on the coffee table. “That was the last beer in the fridge.”

Jenny looked at the table and then at Shane. “Was it really necessary for you to drink all of those?”

Shane started to count the bottles, but gave up after five. “Not really, no.”

Jenny shook her head. “You’re too much sometimes, you know that?”

Shane laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She stood, took a moment
to get her balance, and then said. “Alright, I’m gonna try to get some
sleep. ”

Jenny glanced at her laptop which was lying on the floor at her feet. “I think I’m gonna stay up for little while. ”

“Yeah?”

Jenny nodded. “Yeah. I kind of feel like writing.”

“Okay.” Shane bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Shane.
”

Shane stared at the glowing red numbers being displayed on the clock
next to her bed, 5:20. It was 5:20 in the morning. She’d been lying
there for an hour and a half.
“What the fuck is my problem?” She thought. “Maybe it’s this shit with
Alice… No, it’s not Alice. We’re good. Whatever’s going on, it’ll
blow over. There’s nothing to worry about… Yeah, just keep fucking
telling yourself that.”
Shane swung her legs out of bed and stood. She turned her lamp on, walked over to her dresser and opened the top drawer.
“Where the fuck is that bottle of Oxy?” She thought as she rummaged
through the drawer. “Thank god,” she muttered,having found it hidden in
an old cigar box. She took the cap off and shook two pills out of the
bottle and into her hand. She considered popping them right there, but
her throat was dry, so she decided against it. She recapped the bottle,
tossed it back into the drawer, and headed to the kitchen. When she got
there she poured herself a glass of water and downed the pills.
Jenny was asleep on the couch, her laptop open and glowing on the
coffee table. Shane walked over and closed the laptop. She noticed that
Jenny didn’t have a blanket and went to get her one.
When she got back she was shocked to find her friend thrashing and
moaning on the couch, deep in the throes of a nightmare. She dropped
the blanket and rushed over to her. “Hey, Jenny, hey its okay.” Shane
crouched down and gently shook her friend’s body, trying to wake her.
“Come on Jen, wake up…”
After a moment Jenny’s violent movements stopped and her breathing
began to slow. She opened her eyes, they were brimming with tears. She
sat up and covered her face with her hands unable to hold them back.
Shane wrapped her in a hug. “Schhh, you’re okay…  you’re okay. You were just having a bad dream. ”