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“Hey, Mandy.” Chad, Natalie’s boyfriend, grins at me when I get inside.
So much for the relaxing night in.
I drop my purse on the hook. “Hey, Chad. Where’s Natalie?”
“Taking a shower.” He jumps over the back of the couch and grabs his game controller. “You gonna be home tonight?” he asks while his game loads up.
I sigh. “I think I’ll go out.” I reach over the couch and grab a chip from the bowl next to him. “You guys have big plans?”
“Dinner, movie, you know.” He chuckles. I do know. The two of them fuck like rabbits. And they’re not quiet.
“I might go to a club.” I chomp on the chip.
“Oh, yeah? If you do, go to Mad House. Great DJs, and the drinks aren’t watered down like most places. The door fee is a little heavy, though.”
“Thanks.” I grab another chip. “Maybe I’ll do that.”
Once alone in my room, I grab my phone to text Anya, a new friend from work. She’s not technically working with me anymore; today was her last day. But she’s nice, and I’m pretty sure she needs a night out as badly as I do today.
On second thought, I decide not to text. There’s too much of a chance she’ll decline so she can stay home. She and her husband are on the outs, and she’s staying at her old apartment. If I give her the chance, she’ll stay home and wallow. And I definitely need a partner if I’m hitting a club.
Opening my closet, I stare at my choices. Two of them. A pink dress I wore to prom and a blue dress that I bought promising I’d go out more. Neither fit anymore.
“I need a social life.” I head to Natalie’s closet.
Mandy
People crawlover each other to get to the bar. The music beats down my eardrums. This is the perfect place for a distraction.
Anya and I inch closer to the bar.
I tap Anya on the shoulder. “I have to pee! I’ll be right back!” I yell in her ear. She nods that she heard me, and I squeeze through the crowd to get away from the bar and head toward the bathrooms.
Thankfully, the owners had enough smarts among them to make the women’s room large so there’s no line when I get there. After I wash my hands, I check my phone for messages.
Been a while.We should talk.
My stomach takes a nosedive,pulling my heart with it. I blink a few times, making sure I’m not looking through wine goggles. I can’t deny I’m feeling the effects of every glass I’ve had so far.
I shoot back a response; positive it’s going to add up to a big heap of nothing. Like always.
I finish my self-soothing mantras that don’t work as well after half a dozen drinks,then dig through my purse for my lipstick to reapply. I blink a few times to bring my image in the mirror into focus then swipe the ruby red across my lips.
After a quick finger comb through my hair, I head back to the high-top table Anya and I were lucky enough to snag for the night. Mad House is aptly named. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone clubbing, but I don’t remember so many people squished into one space. The dance floor is overflowing, and I have to wiggle between dancers and the people still waiting at the bar to get back to our table.
“Who’d you kiss?” Anya laughs when she makes it back with our drinks.
I touch my lips. “No one. I reapplied.”
“It looks like you missed.”
I grab the napkin from beneath my drink and wipe at my mouth, trying to fix it. “Better?”
Anya shakes her head, still laughing. “Worse,” she yells over the music.
I crumble up the napkin and toss it on the table. “Who am I kidding? The lipstick doesn’t help anyway.” Self-pity. I’ve had more drinks than I probably should have.
“What?” Her eyes go wide.
