Not so Mug-nificant

“It’s about time you showed up.” Sydney closed the apartment door behind her to find her roommate Faith standing in the kitchen leaning against the counter, arms crossed and tapping a foot on the tile. Her long black hair was tied up in a messy bun, strands sprouting out at odd angles. As usual for a Thursday, she was wearing a simple blue shirt and black leggings. Her dark, Asian eyes were creased with annoyance as she continued tapping a bare foot.

Sydney crouched down on the wooden floor and started untying her soccer cleats, sandy hair still a sweaty mop. “Yeah, sorry, practice ran a little later today.” She tugs off one shoe and glances around. “Where’s Mochi? Here kitty kitty!”

“I don’t know and I don’t care.”

Startled at her tone, Sydney looked up from her shoelaces. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe this?” Faith held up the pieces of a broken mug, fixing a cold stare on Sydney. The mug had been purple with the phrase “a day without reading is like… just kidding, I have no idea” printed on it. On the other side had been a cat that looked like Mochi, nose deep in a book. Only now the cat and words were broken into a bunch of pieces.

“Um?” Sydney said, tilting her head to the side.

“Don’t play dumb. You broke my favorite mug!” Faith replied sharply.

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw you juggling your soccer ball before I left for class. My mug was on the counter. When I got home, my mug was broken on the floor.”

“Well, it wasn’t me,” Sydney said lightly, flashing Faith a confused smile, revealing her bright pink braces bands. Her roommate was never angry like this, and she wanted to relieve the tension.

“You owe me a new mug. I loved that mug.” Faith was undeterred.

“Fa, I’m not going to replace your mug if I didn’t break it,” Sydney said simply. She tucked her shoes into her soccer backpack.

“Then who did?” Faith demanded, setting the pieces back on the counter. Sydney stood up and stretched.

“You probably broke it and just don’t want to buy a new one,” she replied.

“Oh yeah? Like the time I “stole” your hairbrush? Well turned out you just lost it!” Faith said, refolding her arms.

“What does that have to do with your mug?!” Sydney replied, exasperated.

“You refuse to take responsibility for your actions! Faith exclaimed.

“Says the one who denies breaking her mug!” Sydney snapped.

“If I had broken it, I wouldn’t be blaming you!”

“Yeah right!” Sydney stuffed her cleats into her backpack and threw the bag onto the small brown couch.

“Careful before you break something else,” Faith said, her tone bitter.

“I. Did. Not. Break. Your. Stupid. Mug,” Sydney replied, equally bitter.

“Yes, you did! Just admit you broke it and replace it. It’s not hard,” said Faith.

“Take your own advice.”

“I wouldn’t have broken my mug in the first place! I’m not the one who kicks a soccer ball around in our tiny apartment!”

“Right, because god forbid Ms. Perfect might make a mistake!” Sydney shouted.

Faith looked taken aback by this, her eyebrows creasing. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing is ever your fault! Whenever something goes wrong, you always blame me! Litter box didn’t get cleaned? My fault. Trash is overflowing? My fault. Just because you’re going to be a lawyer and I’m a soccer player doesn’t make you better than me! Admit you broke your own mug!” Sydney exclaimed in reply, her anger boiling over.

Faith’s voice was quiet at first, but as she spoke, she got louder until she was yelling. “So that’s how you really feel, huh? Well, maybe you should just move out!

“Maybe I should!” Sydney yelled in return.

“Then do it!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

Sydney stomped past the couch and kitchen, heading into her bedroom. She gave Faith a final look and slammed the door shut. Faith winced at the noise and listened as her friend locked the door. A second later, she found herself racked with guilt.

Mochi, their fluffy white cat, emerged from her hiding place beneath the couch and rubbed against Faith’s legs. Then she leaped up onto the counter and started pawing at the broken pieces of the mug. Faith ran a hand through Mochi’s fluffy fur, trying to calm down. She regretted her words to Sydney. If she moved out, Faith would be utterly lost.

She sighed. “Mochi, you know you’re not supposed to be up here…” Faith drifted off and stared at Mochi. Her eyes widened as realization struck. She smacked her palm against her forehead and muttered, “Of course! I’m an idiot…” Placing a protective hand over the pieces of the mug, she called for Sydney.

“Sydney, come out here!”

“Ha, no thanks!” came her friend’s reply from behind the door.

“You’re right, you didn’t break my mug!” A few moments of insufferable silence crept by. Faith bit her lip.

Sydney unlocked her door and poked her head out. “Huh?”

Faith gestured to Mochi. “I think Mochi might’ve swatted it off.” Silence settled over them again, Sydney keeping a straight face void of emotion. A lengthy apology started forming in Faith’s mind, leaping to her tongue just as Sydney spoke.

“Thank goodness. I really didn’t want to move out over a mug.” She cracked her usual, carefree smile. Faith released the breath she had been holding, relaxing her posture.

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly, offering a small smile of her own.

Sydney crossed the room and draped an arm around Faith’s shoulders. “Well sheesh, when you say it like thaaaat…I guess I’ll forgive you. Darn that cat.”