Sunil woke up with his third hangover this week, the kind that left his tongue like sandpaper and his skull full of static. He stared at the ceiling, letting the ache settle in. Just one more day, he told himself. He always told himself that. And he always knew it would be more.
The room smelled faintly of cheap perfume and spilled whiskey. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, just lucid enough to get ready before his shift. Exhaustion clung to him like sweat, but the expectation was always the same he had to look his best. The boss wouldn’t tolerate carelessness, not from him. If she found out how sloppy he’d been lately, he’d get an earful no, more than that.
Home wasn’t much better. Loving, yes, but the constant stress. It only made him more miserable. He felt like a ghost drifting through the hallways of his own life. Alone.
He slipped on one of his showier outfits, sequins scratching his fur as he pulled it over his head. A quick snack from the kitchen half a banana, a slice of toast before bolting out the door, hoping to avoid his parents’ disappointed eyes. He didn’t need another lecture about staying out too late, not today.
The street smelled of rain and cigarette smoke. As he walked toward the bus stop, he thought about what his life had become. If he could just save enough,enough to leave, enough to start over maybe he’d finally make it. Maybe..
His phone buzzed, pulling him from the spiral. A text from Vinnie, the gecko who had a knack for showing up in his life when he least expected it.
*Good afternoon, beautiful mongoose.*
Sunil rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop a small smile from tugging at his lips. He tapped a quick, short reply. The last thing he needed was to let someone get close. At a distance, they couldn’t hurt him. It was better that way.
The bus screeched up to the curb. Sunil climbed aboard, slumping into a cracked vinyl seat. The city blurred past the window. Another day, another shift, another performance.
Maybe this time will be different, he thought. Just one more day.
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