Cream

• 

Cream – A Friend’s Worst Nightmare

I met cream through my aunt when I went to visit my aunt during the off times I had in college. At first, I was not at all interested in establishing any level of connection with Cream as we seemed to be on two different life paths. Yet, my aunt believed that I would make a good friend for Cream since Cream was suffering through a battle with depression. Although I knew the roads of depression quite well, I simply did not have an interest in connecting with Cream, but slowly over time, I came around to her.

Cream often spent a lot of time with my aunt. They would spend time gossiping about the drama going on in the neighborhood. Cream was two years older than me. She was tall and could be somewhat captivating. She had an allure about her that was a drawing particularly to the opposite sex. Underneath the surface, I honestly could not see the appeal because she she seemed to offer nothing intellectually. On the surface, she often walked around looking unkempt. Her hair was often matted and uncombed. Her clothing would be baggy and hanging off of her. She walked around as if she had no care in the world – not even for herself.

Yet, when Cream dolled herself up, she was absolutely gorgeous. She was quite physically attractive. She had the type of body that many women seek for in surgical enhancements. She did not even workout. Her body was just built and sculpted as a gift to her. I could understand why men were often lost in her aura and stuck on her breathtaking beauty. Cream had it all, and many women envied her. However, I can say that I was not one of them.

As I got to know Cream, I found that I liked her personality. We had a lot in common although at first glance, I did not believe so. I did not realize how much about me she already knew about me. She learned a lot about me based on what my aunt had told her. She studied me. I did not think much of this at first. I simply thought she really liked me. The more we got to know about each other, the closer we became as friends. I was there for her, and she was there for me (or so I thought).

Yet, as I look back over this so-called friendship, I realized just how I was the empathic sponge she used and cast to the side for her own purposes. Behind my back, she did plenty of dirt – basically digging a grave for me to fall into later on. She was truly never happy for my success. I could always tell by the painful gleam of envy in her eyes. Her happiness was my joy, but my happiness was her displeasure.

She stole money and things from me, and I would not find this out until later. She slept with guys that I liked just so those guys would no longer show interest in me. In fact, she and her siblings attempted to set me up on a date with a guy whom she claimed was too ugly for her. Yet, on my way home from work to prepare for this date, I would find her in bed with him. So much for him being too ugly for her, right?

If there was any attention paid to me at all, she would cast an angry look upon me and give me the silent treatment. She would try on my clothes when I was not around and borrow the ones that she really wanted to wear out for a night on the town without asking me and return them after the fact – all stretched up. I found it crazy that she ridiculed my style but wanted so badly to wear my clothes. Her attitude towards and about me never ceased to amaze me. More often, I was left puzzled and saddened by her behavior towards me.

I will never forget when she, her mother, and me were standing in front of a stoop when guys driving past us yelled out, “hey beautiful” to which she replied, “they were talking about me of course” to which her mother replied, “you are not the only beautiful person standing here” to which she replied, “they are not talking about her” (as she referenced me). Her mother was appalled and apologized to me, but I knew the deal. Cream was not sorry; she meant what she said.

When I graduated college, I moved in with Cream as a roommate for about a year, and my life went downhill from there. The depression I battled increased the longer I lived with her. I hated several aspects of our living situation. Cream was lazy and did not like to clean or cook (even though she could). I hated the way she used people – particularly men. She juggled them well, and they seemed none the wiser. She was the queen of all scams and loved to have accidents in various establishments so she could sue and collect money for earnings. She was a great actress and played the part of the victim very well. I hated being around her as I never wanted to be associated with her schemes.

I worked hard jobs and long shifts, but when I returned home, I could never rest. She always invited people over to the apartment. These people stayed over late and ate the food I bought for myself. If I complained, I was accused of being rude and unhospitable. I was considered the party pooper or stuck up. Being an introvert, I was always drained of my energy reserves with so many people around. Living in that environment was exhausting. I remember going to the public library a few times and sitting in one of my favorite corners s that I could curl up with a book and sleep.

Life with Cream was always drama-filled too, and I hated that I ever moved in with her. She sucked the life right out of me, and when I finally wised up and saw that our paths were totally different and what we wanted out of life were different things, I planned my move away from her in silence. It came as a shock to her when I announced my move three days in advance, but I wanted out. I was ready to leave. I was done with her, and there was no turning back for me.

I remember her last words being that she was sorry that things did not work out for me very much, but I was a good friend to her. Yes, I was a good friend to her in the form of a doormat, and by the time I wised up, I had decided that her stomping her feet upon me was enough. I had enough. I no longer cared to nurture our so-called friendship. It was no longer worth my care. She told her family that she could not believe I was so excited to leave her and that I really hurt her feelings. All they could say was that they told her so and that she should have treated me better. They gave her no sympathy. Neither did I.

I went back to visit my aunt about 10 years later, and I had an opportunity to meet up with Cream. I was so glad we were no longer friends. I was so glad we ceased keeping in touch. Although a lot had changed for us both, I was not surprised by who she had become, but I was saddened by what could have been. However, I am glad I got a clue and got away from her. Who knows where I could have been if I foolishly kept myself around her? Ironically, she married the guy who she and her siblings attempted to set me up on a date with when we were roommates. They are married now with two children. Go figure!

Cream …