Page 10 of Stroked
I walked them to the door and squeezed Lucy, then stuck my hand out for Jason and he reciprocated.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate your help. And I’ll see y’all later at the club. Around six or so?” I asked.
“I’ll make sure she’s not holed up in the office all day,” Jason said as he grabbed Lucy’s hand and started walking out.
I closed the door behind them, then went to look at my new art room. I stood with my hands on my hips and envisioned all the little touches I could do. I needed to start with the bed. It was stripped, but I had another bedding set. It would be tacky bare.
I went to the linen closet and pulled out the sheets, pillowcases, and a quilt. I made up the bed, then finished getting my supplies off my bed and from the boxes in my bedroom closet and moved them all to the new art room.
The space was coming together nicely. All my brushes and paints had a home now and my blank canvases were neatly tucked away in the empty closet. I could get some shelves to help organize that more. I left my completed paintings stacked against the wall in various spots around the room. Even though it cluttered it a bit, I liked having them out. Like my own art gallery. I hung some canvases on the walls to give it some life but thought some string lights would really pull it together.
I took a few of the smaller canvases and perched them on stands on the side table in the living room and hung a few on the wall in the living room to replace the things Lucy took with her. I even found some old sculpture in one of my boxes and put it on my coffee table. It was a little risqué, but Jason and Lucy were the only visitors I planned to have, and they knew how I was. It wasn’t meant to be vulgar. It was meant to be beautiful and loving.
It was two female bodies intertwined, but while intimate, it wasn’t in that way. They were holding each other, melded together, calm and still, after sharing their bodies with each other. The moments after, when two would become one.
I had always been fascinated by the concept of love. I loved my parents, I loved Lucy, but didn’t think I had been given the capacity to love a partner. My first real girlfriend, and last, was in college. Angie.
I’d felt something for her, but I didn’t think it was that kind of love. I was good to her, though, and was monogamous with her. However, when I discovered she hadn’t been with me, I wasn’t as hurt as I’d thought I should be. Still, because of her infraction, plus the fact I obviously didn’t love her that way, I decided we should split. It had been just under a year, but if it was real love, I should have, at least, cried, right?
However, when I told her it was over, Angie went crazy. She tried to destroy the apartment. She broke things, screamed, and turned over the coffee table. I finally got control of her and held her until she calmed down, but made her leave after that. Luckily, Lucy was there for the whole thing, because Angie tried to turn me in to campus police for assault because I had bruised her wrists trying to restrain her from tearing apart our stuff. When they came to the apartment, and Lucy corroborated my story, it fizzled out.
Still, the whole situation was so fucked up. In an instant, someone who said they loved me had not only cheated on me but then tore up my home and tried to have me locked up. I waited a few months, then casually dated after that, never bringing anyone back to the apartment again.
Over time, I realized that my lust after some of these beauties would never turn into anything more. And then the attack happened. I was broken for a while. Luce held me together, but barely. I almost left college. Instead, I dropped the classes I was taking, and with help from Lucy and some of my art friends, made them up online and over the summer so I could still graduate on time.
When I hit twenty-one, Lucy, already old enough to drink and desperate to take me out, had heard of this amazing place called The Lounge. It wasn’t far, so we started going. Back then, it was a mix of people. Somehow, over time, more LBGTQ+ started coming and fewer straight people. Lucy didn’t mind and some of our other college friends still showed up, but then I met Jaz, so we started hanging out at the club. Lucy was dating casually, a bunch of losers, but still dating, and urged me to get back out there. A lot of time had passed since both my crazy ex and the assault, and I was honestly craving human touch.
It didn’t occur to me to go back to The Lounge at first, so I joined Tinder, before Scissr really became popular, and lady after lady always wanted to meet there. Over time, it became my go-to. However, I quickly realized that as much as I craved human touch, I wasn’t looking to find love. At first, I casually dated, but eventually, they all became hookups. And I liked it. No awkwardness, no silent dates, no weird conversations. Just two consenting adults having fun and enjoying each other.
I looked down at the sculpture. Even though I had accepted that wasn’t the life I’d live, I felt a little envious of my work. Oh well, I could still enjoy living. I decided to suck it up and go take a shower. After moving furniture and the muggy walk back and forth to the lovebirds’ apartment, I felt gross, even though I took a shower earlier.
Chapter 8
Amy
I made it to the club a little after six. I had showered and found a cute romper with sweet little flowers printed on it. I loathed rompers, but it was hot outside and it was very flattering. Clearly, a man designed them. You had to get naked to use the damn bathroom. I had an early day the next day, which meant The Lounge wasn’t in the plans, so I went with cute sandals instead of heels. I loved that about the club. You didn’t have to dress up.
“Amy, over here,” I heard Luce yell from at the bar.
I walked over and hugged her. “Hey, another big crowd. Isn’t it the house band tonight?”
“Yeah, I think folks who came last night enjoyed themselves! If we keep this up, we’ll have to hire another bartender!”
I looked around and smiled. My bestie was so happy. And she helped do this.
“Hey, Amy. Check out this crowd. Our girl is turning this place around,” Jason said, walking up behind Luce, wrapping his arm around her waist, before planting a kiss among her curls.
“It’s hopping. I need a beer.” I waved to grab someone’s attention.
“Hey, honey, here ya go,” Jaz said as she pushed an open Blue Moon across to me. I sat on the stool next to Lucy.
“Let’s order some fries. I need a snack.” Luce’s idea was great. I had pizza earlier with them and didn’t want to go anywhere else tonight.
She ordered, and a few minutes later, Matt was bringing our baskets of fries out. Jason was running around the club, helping where he could, and Matt and Jaz were slinging drinks like crazy behind the bar.
“So, you said the new exhibit was gonna keep you busy. Will I see you this week?” Lucy asked between bites.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I have so much to do for the opening. The artist and a small group will do a walk-through Wednesday afternoon, then we have the preview Thursday, and the opening Friday. So, the next few days are kinda crazy. But I’ll try to stop by for a drink if I can.” I shoved some more fries in and flagged down Jaz for another beer. “What about you? This place is nuts. What are you gonna do if it stays like this?”
