She felt like she could relate to the raindrops- it seemed like she’d fallen into something so big she could no longer find herself it, because it was so unfamiliar to her. She couldn’t figure out exactly what it was she felt about Nick- or why she felt that way. She wasn’t used to it, and she didn’t like it.
She looked at her watch- it was time to get ready for work. She didn’t know what to expect for the night- sometimes the rain kept people away, and sometimes it brought out a full house. She got up and went inside the house, shaking the water from her long hair. She grabbed a towel, drying herself off as she walked upstairs to her room. She turned on the cd player and went to stand in front of her closet, trying to decide what to wear.
She settled on a pair of super-low cut jeans with rhinestone studs along the seams, then debated between two cropped t-shirts, a white one that read, “Don’t worry.. it’ll only seem kinky the first time” and a black one with silver letters saying, “There are only two types of men in the world… the ones who want me… and the ones who want each other” and then opted for the black one.
She finished getting ready- drying her hair, doing her makeup- she felt the need for glitter to offset the dreary day, slipped on her clothes and a pair of chunky black boots and headed out the door.
~~~~~~
Kirsten kicked the back door to the club open, unable to just push it open because of the pizza and cheese bread she was carrying. “Brandie! I got the food!” she hollered.
Brandie appeared immediately, claiming to be starving. She and Kirsten’s evening picnics were often the highlight of her days. They took turns bringing food- sometimes cooking, sometimes bringing carryout, and would spend a while talking and eating before the club opened and the craziness began.
Kirsten set the boxes on the bar and went to grab plates and beer for both of them. She set a paper plate and bottle of beer in front of Brandie, who was already working on a slice of pizza. “Nick gonna be here tonight?”
Brandie shrugged, “Dunno. If he shows up and you see him.. tell me so I can find someone else to be with.”
Kirsten cocked her head, “What?”
“Y’know, another guy for me to play with.” She said, taking a drink.
“Why?”
“Because I want to? God, it’s not all about.. him!” Brandie snapped.
Kirsten looked across the bar at Brandie, looking her directly in the eyes. Her voice was cold, “Your whole life is a fucking game, Brandie. Aren’t you ever going to get tired of playing it?”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Brandie asked, her fingers tightly gripping the bottle in front of her.
“You can lie to me.. to yourself… try to hide it.. whatever.. but I know what’s going on… I can see it…”
Brandie interrupted her, “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. I don’t want him for anything other than sex. I LIKE having lots of guys and I CAN have lots of other guys and I WILL have lots of other guys because that makes me HAPPY!”
“Brandie, I never said what I saw happening.” Kirsten said quietly, knowing she’d hit a touchy spot from Brandie’s reaction. She took her plate and drink, grabbed one of the recipe books from behind the bar to study up on and went to eat on the stage.
Brandie got off the barstool she was sitting on and hurled her beer bottle into the glass- recycling bin, shattering it.
Kirsten looked up, startled by the noise. “Brandie, I’m not trying to piss you off. You’re my best friend and I love you… and I just don’t want you to kick yourself in the ass for losing something you could so easily have.”
Brandie glared at her from across the room. “Thanks for your concern, but stay the fuck out of it.” She said, going into her office and slamming the door behind her.
~~~~~
Nick was digging through the bottom of his closet, looking for a pair of shoes that weren’t tennis shoes when the phone rang. Three rings later he finally made it out of the closet to answer the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey, what are you doing?” AJ asked.
“Lookin’ for something to wear.” Nick replied, returning to his search in the closet.
“What for? Got plans for tonight?”
“Yep. Got a date.”
“A date? Is that what you call bangin’ Brandie now?” AJ laughed.
“No.. it’s not Brandie.” Nick said.
“What? I thought you liked her…”
Nick sighed, “I do, but god, what am I supposed to do? Just wait around for her and hope I’m horny whenever the phone rings and she wants to fuck? I know there’s something there, man. I feel it and I’m sure she does.. but she’d never tell me.”
“So.. what? You’re giving up on her?” AJ asked.
“No… I’m just going along with her. I’ll give her what she says she wants.. and maybe then she’ll realize she wants more.” He replied.
“Who’s playing who now? And how do you decide who wins?” AJ was surprised Nick was taking that kind of approach to the situation; he usually couldn’t not throw himself entirely into things.
“I’ll win when she comes around.” Nick answered casually.
“And if she doesn’t?”
“I got played… she wins.”
~~~~~~
AJ scanned the floor of the club, trying to locate Brandie in the crowd of people. He couldn’t see her at the bar or in the dj booth. Finally he went over to the bar, greeting Kirsten with a hug and a kiss and finally asking where Brandie was.
“She’s in her office.. but watch out.. she’s pissy tonight.” Kirsten answered, sliding a Corona down the bar.
“Uh oh, why?”
“I swear it’s because of Nick…but, of course, she’ll never say.” Kirsten said, before running down the bar to attend to an impatient patron.
AJ wandered over to Brandie’s office, knocking on the door. When she didn’t come to the door, he just opened it and let himself in. “Brandie? Baby?”
Brandie turned around in her chair to look at him, “Hey AJ.”
He crossed the room and sat on the edge of her desk, “You look hot tonight, why aren’t you out there teasin’ all the boys?” he asked, chuckling lightly.
“Just been thinking.” She said, moving her chair closer to him and reaching to hold his hand.
“About?” he squeezed her hand, he could tell she was completely distracted by something, her manner seemed totally different than usual.
“All sorts of things. Just can’t decide what to do about something.” She shook her head a little, “but it’s not important. What’s going on with you?”
“Not much.. just needed to get out tonight. Amanda’s out of town, my mom’s got some dinner party with a friend and Nick’s got a date, so I figured I’d come hang out with my girls.” He said, noticing how Brandie visibly flinched when he mentioned Nick had a date.
“Well.. I.. I’m glad you did. Come out and dance with me.” She replied, getting up and leading him out of the office, into the sea of gyrating bodies. She had to do something to get her mind off Nick.