Jessica opened her eyes with the first sun ray that invalided the room, it was cold outside, as if it was snowing but she couldn't see, the window was covered with a slim ice crust. She touched her head, and whispered, "Fuck..." as she was in pain.

Finally, she took a sitting position on the bed, trying to reach for her cigarettes but accidentally she pushed an empty bottle of vodka, which crashed on the ground and shattered into a million pieces. It almost felt like these pieces went straight into her brain. "Shit!" she shouted and threw her head back, trying to relax but invalid, her headache was only getting worse.

Jessica sighed and inhaled, taking in all the strength she needed to stand up and clean the mess when all of a sudden she heard noise coming from her living room. Her eyes widened, she looked around and saw another bottle of vodka, the ashtray was filled with cigarettes and footsteps were now approaching her bedroom. It was too late when she realized that she was naked under the blanket, and finally, the door opened.

"Good morning"

"Susan?!" Jessica said and widened her eyes.

"I know... that's how I was this morning, here, drink this" she said and handed her something for her headache. Jessica put the pill into her mouth and took a sip from the glass that Susan gave her, "What happened here?"

"It was an accident..." Jessica said and swallowed the pill, "Now, tell me, what happened yesterday?"

"I..." Susan sighed and sat on the bed's edge, "I don't remember" she replied even though she knew exactly what happened yesterday.

"What do you mean you don't remember? Why am I like this? Why are you here?"

"Okay I remember me coming here..." she stopped and looked at her friend, she continued "I know how you feel, I was shocked when I saw you sleeping next to me"

"Susan... I'm naked"

"I know..."

"God..." Jessica said and covered her face with her palms. "Please, please, try to remember... Please"

"Look... I do remember kissing you"

"You mean we had..."

"I think we did"

"No..." Jessica said while shaking her head.

"Yes..."

"Really?"

Susan nodded and looked at Jessica who was trying to remember, "No, we came here, I remember that and then we talked, we were talking for hours, you said a dumb joke and I laughed and then you left, that's what happened"

"Okay, and why I'm still here?"

"You were wasted, you couldn't go home"

"I live two blocks away... but okay"

"See... nothing happened"

"And why are you naked?"

"Because that's how I sleep"

"And why was I naked next to you?"

Jessica looked at her, there was silence for a moment and suddenly she started laughing, "God... we had sex didn't we?"

Susan watched her laughing and nodded while chuckling.

THE PREVIOUS DAY.

It was a cold morning in New York, the streets were jammed and the traffic was insane, people walking up and down, stopping in front of the stores or to pick up some hot coffee. Susan was one of them and although she chose the worst day ever she knew that she couldn't postpone it any further. But as the time passed by it became hard for her to chose the perfect gifts for her family and friends, yet, she continued walking, keeping Penny into her arms.

Suddenly a familiar face appeared among the crowd, she took a moment just to make sure that she knew that face indeed and once she was sure she yelled, "Jess!"

But Jessica kept walking towards her house, something that didn't stop Susan, "Hey, Jess!" she shouted again and walked to her side. Jessica turned around, hoping that the person who called her isn't a fan. She took her glasses off and tried to focus on Susan. She sighed, feeling relieved and her lips parted into a beautiful, soft smile.

"Susan?"

"How are you?" Susan said and kissed Jessica's cheeks and finally pulled her into a hug, careful tho as she was still carrying Penny.

"I'm good... what about you? Did you talk to Ryan?"

"Oh, yes... he called me, are you going?"

"Let me tell you, I tried to avoid it but you know how this man is..."

Susan chuckled, "I know, yeah..."

"So, are you coming tonight?"

"I am..."

"Good. That's good..."

"Yeah..." Susan said and looked at her friend, smiling, "So I guess I'll see you there, then."

"At nine."

"At nine..."

Jessica smiled and started walking, she took one final look at her friend "I'm in a hurry... so..."

"Bye," Susan said and waved. She lowered her face and turned around, burying her face into her scarf. Suddenly she remembered that she had to buy something for Ryan too, he booked a restaurant to celebrate his star on the walk of fame that night and although it wasn't necessary to buy him a gift she knew that she couldn't just go with empty hands.

Susan sighed and continued walking... It was already four when she finally returned back to her house, Penny run on the couch and lied down immediately, as for Susan she let the bags fall on the ground and chuckled with her dog, finally, she lied next to her but out of the blue her phone started ringing, "Fuck..." she mumbled on her way to pick it up, "Jack?"

"Mom, hi, what are you doing?"

"I just got home and you?"

"Where were you?"

"Christmas shopping..."

"Oh... that sounds..."

"Tiring. It was, every year I say I'm just gonna shop online but still, I'm going out"

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going out"

"Alone?"

"No... Ryan invited us out, he's celebrating for the star he got on the walk of fame"

"Well, you got to do what you got to do, right?"

"Why? You had something in mind for tonight?"

"Not really, just checking to see who's available, I wanted to watch a movie you know..."

"Call your brother"

"You think I didn't do that already? He's not home"

"Well, I'm sorry"

"It's okay, have fun tonight"

"I'll try"

"Don't you wanna go?"

"Ugh... I don't know," Susan said and returned back to her seat, "It's just that I'm so tired, I really want to stay home and not do anything"

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun, don't be like that"

"Yes... well, I'm gonna take a shower, make something to eat and then rest for a while, can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"If you're staying inside, you mind coming over to pick up the dogs? I don't want to leave them alone, although I'll be back before 12, but still..."

"Yeah, sure, don't worry about it. I could sleep at your place tonight"

"Of course, thanks..."

"I've got the keys..."

"Yeah... "

"Go take a shower and we'll talk later"

"Bye, bye, I love you"

"Me too... bye"

Susan hanged up and placed her phone to the side, she sighed and looked around. The silence was killing her and although she needed to relax she just couldn't stand it. In a couple of minutes, Susan stood up and opened her radio, she fed the dogs and got into the bathroom. It was already nine when Susan left her house. The restaurant was close to her house so she decided to walk.

Once she got inside, she took off her coat and all eyes were on her but she kept looking around and Ryan immediately stood up from the table, "Susan!" he shouted and opened his arms, waiting for her to walk closer so he could hug her.

"Congratulations. You deserved it!"

"Thank you so much for coming"

"Oh, this is for you," she said and gave a small bag

"Jesus, woman, you shouldn't have"

"Stop it" Susan smiled and took a seat next to Jessica who was talking to Sarah. She stopped when she saw her, "You came..."

"I told you I would... "

"Yeah you did"

"How are you?"

"I'm..." Jessica sighed, "I want to go home"

Susan laughed, "Come on, it's not that bad"

"No, I'm having a good time but it's so crowded here..." she replied and started laughing, "Anyway, tell me, what's new with you, it's been so long since I saw you and today we didn't say much"

"Well, I was in England for almost a month, shooting... then I went to Rome, then to Dubai and now I can finally sit back and relax"

"Jesus... how are you doing this?"

"Susan, hi!" Sarah interrupted them

"Hi, how are you?"

"I'm good, it's so nice seeing you"

"Yeah... well, excuse me for a minute, I have to visit the bathroom," Susan said and stood up, placing the napkin on the table.

"So where were we?" Sarah turned to Jessica

"Jesus, Sarah... I don't mind being alone, in fact, I got used to it"

"You're lying, I know you..."

"No, honestly..." Jessica said and took a sip from her glass of wine

"Well, what about Susan?"

"What about her?"

"You two should date"

"God... stop talking."

"Sorry..." Sarah leaned closer to Jessica and whispered, "I forgot you're not into women" she continued making Jessica smirk

"Stop it."

"Why? Don't tell you don't like her..."

"It's not that I don't like her... she's okay"

"Okay? That's all?"

"That's all."

"Well if you ask me I think you should try it out"

"But I'm not asking you"

"That's why I said <<if>>"

"I can't believe we're actually having this conversation"

"Jess, don't you want someone in your life? "

"Sarah, I'm 69"

"You're ONLY 69"

Jessica chuckled, "Okay..."

"Fine, I'll stop talking."

"Thank you"