Unfortunate timing

Sienna glanced down at her arms with frustration. Her whole body had broken out in a rash three days before and it would take weeks for it to fully clear up. She had known better than pick at the spots but had been unable to help herself. What were already eye sores were now real sores, a few of them scabbed over from her incessant picking. Her predicament was made worse by the fact that it hindered her from getting what she really wanted—to get laid.

Getting laid was no easy task even when her skin was clear, but now, looking like a child with chickenpox, the feat felt insurmountable.

She knew the rash wasn’t contagious. It was something she’d dealt with since she was seven, rearing its head at the most inopportune times, like when she wore a strapless dress for a piano recital or the time she decided to host a pool party for her birthday. She opened the app and contemplated canceling, but she’d already rescheduled on him two weeks ago.

She scrolled through their discussion: the flirting and banter felt promising. She swiped over to his profile and zoomed in on his top photo. The tattoos, battered tee and old camera draped around his neck screamed Bushwick bisexual in a way that made her mouth water. He could absolutely ruin her life and she would let him. Bagging such a man though, could it be done in her current state?

At least it’s winter, she countered to herself. She could wear a turtleneck and concealer and take him back to her place. With the lights off, he would undress her and be so blinded by the beauty of her naked body that he wouldn’t even notice she was more speckled than an egg. She’d sweat off her concealer, sure, but it wouldn’t matter as they lay splayed across her mattress. The sex would have been so good, he’d be panting and looking at the ceiling, not at her face.  

She bit her lip. “still on for tn?” She quickly pressed send before she could overthink it and stuffed her phone in her pocket. No backing out now.

She sank onto her bed, taking notice of her vibrating headboard. Going back to her place wasn’t ideal, but it was the only way she could ensure full control of the lights. Sienna’s roommate, Ari, constantly played their music too loud, the bass rattling the wall the two shared. She’d tried bringing it up to them but was met with dismissal. They needed to hold space for their creative process, they’d told her. Even if that process meant blasting EDM music from their bedroom until 2am, apparently.

She sat up and looked at Cheeto, who was giving himself a thorough bath, lapping at his leg loudly. She’d impulsively adopted him shortly after graduation and when closed out of her room, he would cry as if he was being impaled until she opened the door. The wails were a definite mood killer, so she often opted for the bone-in-room option, meaning her dates were subjected to Cheeto gnawing and crunching for the entirety of the hook up.

The odds were certainly stacked against her, but she checked her phone once more.
​
“def on”