Subordinary
by Xadia Cherrie
“I just scored a job interview!”
“We just closed on the house.”
“My graduation is coming up, I’m so excited!”
“I am going to Greece this summer, I can’t wait!”
It seems like Chance has new and exciting updates about his life every week. Promotions, new cars, new clothes. He always had something going on for himself. As his friend, Damien feels obliged to feel happy for him, congratulate him, and celebrate him. However, whenever it was Damien’s turn to talk about his life, he could never find anything good to say. He had just finished his favorite telenovela series this past weekend but that was pathetic compared to Chance’s cozy wood cabin in Maine. Oh! Well, he did plan on rearranging his living room today! But who cares about Damien’s dingy living room when Chance is yapping about his vacation in Tahiti. Damien’s measly achievements never held the same weight as Chance’s daring escapades. It is best that Damien never utters a single word about his pathetic life to avoid being one-upped by his unusually fortunate friend. Plus, life is more interesting when it is met with extravagance and fortunate comings. So here we are, celebrating another one of Chance’s sweet victories. As the two friends sit down for dinner, Damien finds himself struggling to remember what he and his friend are even celebrating today.
“So, what’s the occasion?” Damien smiles at his friend, hoping he forgives his forgetfulness.
“I invited you to dinner tonight because I have something to tell you.”
This sentence has painted Chance’s lips multiple times. As usual, Chance must have invited his friend out to inform him of a life update that somehow surpasses the last. Damien racks his mind, thinking of what this one could possibly be. Another trip? Another promotion? A newly purchased item from a ridiculously expensive brand? None of these come close to trumping Chance’s last announcement at dinner.
“I’ve been let off from my job.”
Oddly, Damien had to restrain a smile from creeping onto his face. He took a long pause before responding to his friend.
“I'm sorry to hear that. How could this happen?”
Damien tried his best to listen to his friend’s story. Something about his coworker snitching to the boss, blah blah blah. If he was being honest with himself, Damien didn’t have a single care in the world about what his friend was talking about.
“Franklin’s just a dirty, good for nothing, little… But anyway it’s going to be hard paying the rent at my properties now and I was wondering if I could stay with you until I get back on my feet.”
Damien’s scattered mind brings its attention back to Chance. He finally has something above his lucky friend. He feels a strange sense of relief at his friend’s failure. Finally some bad news, finally something that places him above Chance. His whirlwind of troubling thoughts was cut short by the wry expression placed on his friend’s face. Damien was so lost in his own emotions that he didn’t register that he had been laughing hysterically at Chance for quite some time.
—
Slipping his pink bunny slippers off his feet, Damien grabs a book before sliding into bed. Norse mythology has always been his favorite. Of course, it is not as popular as Greek or Roman mythology but it is still good. Damien enjoyed reading each godly adventure. Loki wanted everything Odin and Thor had, admiration from the public, good fortune, respect. No matter how many tricks and schemes he planned against Thor and Odin, Loki never felt fulfilled within himself. Damien couldn’t imagine why Loki was so envious of the two. Surely if he was good enough to work alongside Odin and Thor then Loki himself must’ve been just as impressive. Sure, his feats may not have been as spectacular as those of his peers, but they were feats nonetheless. Damien closed his book and turned his bedside lamp off. Thinking about these silly characters made him sleepy.
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Xadia Cherrie is a sophomore Animal Science major from Boston, MA. Her post-graduation goals include going to vet school and obtaining a DVM, but she enjoys creative writing as a side hobby.
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