Sadness fidgeted in front of the frozen foods, trying to quickly decipher which one Joy would prefer. Her girlfriend of 3 months was still in line, so she grabbed one and ran, trying to make it back before Joy got there. But she was too late. Oh man was she late. Not only had Joy gotten to the register, but she was talking to the cashier. And laughing. And touching her hand. And blushing. The woman had green hair, which she frequently flipped over her shoulder. Sadness felt her emotions spiral out of control, jealousy and distress clouding her thoughts. She silently walked back up to Joy and put the item on the counter, noting how both women went silent and stared at her. She shrank further back into her sweater.
Joy had a feeling something was up ever since they got into the car to get back to Sadness's place. She tried several times to start a conversation, but each one fell flat. When Sadness walked her out, her eyes never left the floor.
"What did I do cuz? What CAN I do?"
"I don't know Joy." Disgust said into the phone. "Are you sure she didn't hear about that rash we were talking about? The one you have on your-"
"SHE MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT. AND I INTEND TO KEEP IT THAT VVAY."
"Well then I've got nothing. Now can I go to bed?"
Sadness looked out the window at the downpour outside. The sky had opened up an hour ago, and it was still going strong. She was three hours past her usual bedtime, but she couldn't sleep. Until she heard her apartment buzzer go off. Surprised, she went over to the reply box.
"Yes? Who is it?"
"IT'S ME SADNESS!" Joy called over the rain. "CAN I PLEASE COME IN?"
Mortified at the freezing rain the woman must be experiencing, Sadness quickly buzzed her in. When Joy arrived at her front door, she was holding her jacket over her head like a makeshift umbrella.
"What are you doing here this late?" Sadness asked.
"I know something is going on with you. And I have to know what, because I care about you."
The matter-of-fact was Joy said it surprised Sadness. Indisputable.
"Who was that lady at the checkout today?" Sadness whispered.
"Huh?" Joy asked, leaning in closer as a wordless way asking her to speak up.
"The lady with green hair. Who was she?"
"Oh you mean Disgust? She's my cousin."
Sadness blinked.
"What? But the way you guys stopped talking and stared at me when I got there."
"Oh. That. That's because we were talking about…the rash. On my head."
"Huh?" Sadness asked, gazing at Joy with her question mirrored in her eyes.
"I have a skin condition. On my head. That's why I dye my hair blue. To cover it up."
"…I kinda like the blue." Sadness muttered, barely audible over the pounding rain.
The rain. Joy was still standing out in the hallway, dripping wet.
"Come in! Come in. You need to dry off."
"We're you jealous of Disgust?"
"….maybe a lil."
"Don't worry. She's got nothing on you."
"Get inside already."
"I can head back-"
"In this weather? The Hell you can. Come on, you can take the couch if you have to."
Joy didn't take the couch.