Page 62 of Served
I enjoyed my solitude. I just also happened to enjoy women. Women could be so clingy and needy, though. I never understood why it always had to be this huge deal and all the feels must be felt. Couldn’t two consenting adults just enjoy each other?
Once I finished up, I hopped out of the shower, opened the bathroom door to let the steam out, and noticed my bedroom door open. But it was okay, I could be naked all over now. Once the steam started to fade from the mirror, I caught a glimpse of myself as I brushed my teeth. I guess I could see how a lady would want to spend more than one night with me.
I wasn’t hung up on my looks, but I fared well amongst both sexes, even though I didn’t want the attention of one. I didn’t have Lucy’s sparkling blue eyes, but instead, dark doe eyes against olive skin. Still, she would kill for my lashes and eyebrows. She had to pencil her brows in and wear mascara everyday thanks to her blonde hair, while my brows were dark and had a good natural shape. My lashes had been turning heads since I was child.
After I finished brushing my teeth, I wiped the bubbles from my full pink lips. Lucy could get away with not wearing makeup, but she always did. I didn’t care for it. I loved my natural features, and so did lots of beautiful ladies. That thought made me grin at myself. I finished my routine, then went to find something to wear before heading to the club.
I dug out a cream colored Roxy dress and some sandals. The Georgia heat was no joke, so the pants and jeans weren’t working out for now. The dress hung nicely, not too tight, but hugged me in the right places. I was lean and tall but had a little shape to my hips. Nothing like Luce with her banging curves. But I still liked my shape.
I bounced from my room and could see across the apartment into her room. There were still some boxes and things, but we mostly cleared it out today. Normally, I would be running in to see what she chose to wear. Instead, it was quiet and still, besides me. I sighed as the fact I now lived alone washed over me. Why was this so hard? She was literally just down the street and I’d see her in fifteen minutes! This was ridiculous.
Suck it up, Amy.
I was much tougher than this. I shook off the bad vibes, then grabbed my wristlet and headed out for the night.
As per usual, I got multiple catcalls from skeevy college boys as I walked the short distance to the club. The only downside of living so close to the college was the abundance of shitty, arrogant college boys. But the rent was low, the club was just down the street, and we had tons of food options and a local grocery store open 24/7. Before I worked at the gallery, I had a decent job serving at a nice restaurant that was within walking distance, but I could also catch the bus and be there in three minutes. The Lounge was just far enough away that I didn’t have to worry about anyone following me home.
I made it to the club and found Luce at the bar talking to Jaz.
Jaz nodded her head to acknowledge me, immediately popped a Blue Moon, and slid it across the bar. Luce slid off the stool and squeezed me.
“You made it! Did you eat anything?” Luce asked over the music. Saturday was open band night at the club and the music was typically much louder than the house band. They went low-key with the house band after some drama with the last one and Lucy a couple months ago. But several nights a week, the club had bands come play in hopes of being discovered, and there was also a DJ that filled the gaps. Luce was in control of all of that now and it suited her well.
“I’m good. Cool band. Where’s Jason?” I yelled back to her.
“Umm, hewashelping Matt with the kegs.”
“How’s the new guy working out, by the way?” I asked, looking for the ruggedly handsome new bartender. Jason must have been trying to keep the aesthetic consistent because, at first glance, it could have been him.
“Oh, Matt? He’s great. Super nice, hard worker. Too bad you don’t like dudes, he’s a cutie. And thank God for him tonight. They normally don’t have to swap kegs during business hours, but it’s packed tonight.” She took a swig from her Blue Moon, so I scanned the room. Itwaspacked. And while the band was loud, it was good.
“I bet it’s them. Good find!” I tipped the top of my bottle to hers.
She yelled over as she watched the band. “Yeah, I really loved the demo they sent, and they seemed to have a decent following, so it’s good for us, too!”
I finished my beer and raised it up to show Jaz. It was hilarious to watch every man move his head as she walked past. Not that I blamed them. I met her at an art show several years ago and she was stunning. That night, her taupe skin glowed and she had her black hair slicked back with a braided bun on top. The black dress she wore that night hung off her slender body with just spaghetti straps holding it atop her trim but muscular shoulders. And those lips. Those full, nude lips. She has a few more tats now down her arms, but she only had one big one across her shoulders peeking from the low cut back of the dress that night. Remembering her when we met sent heat to my cheeks, and suddenly, she was in front of me.
“Need another, babe?” she asked, pointing to the Blue Moon.
I felt my head jerk as I snapped out of my memory.
“Yeah, please.” It’s nice to dream, but Jaz was straight. What a waste. Oh well, I probably wouldn’t want her as much if she was a lesbian. And I loved Jaz. We hit it off the night we met, and she told me to check her out at the club she bartended at, so Lucy and I started coming and have been patrons ever since. Jaz was getting close to being done with graduate school, which she took locally, hence working here. But she originally graduated from Spelman. Beauty and brains. Again, waste.
I felt a new presence behind me, so I turned, and Jason was there, wrapping his arm around Luce. I watched her face as she practically melted into him. It wasn’t long ago that she was similar to me. She did date men longer than a night, and brought some home, but she never kept them long and never got attached. Then Jason broke through, somehow. He literally saved her from a sick asshole, then won her over with his perfect build, his perfect beard, his perfect blond hair, and his perfect dark brown eyes. “He’s just perfect,” she always said now.Gross.
The worst part was, I’d had the chance to get him out of the picture, but knew she was miserable without him, so I’d facilitated their reunion. Which, I supposed, had been the right thing to do. But I did wonder what would have been had I not intervened for good.
I started to feel a knot form in my stomach. As much as I tried to be happy, jealousy kept taking over me. I hated that I was acting this way and feeling this way. She was happy. I’d never seen that sparkle in her eye. I was her best friend. I should want her to be happy. So, why was I so miserable?
“Hey, I’m gonna go up toward the stage to get a better look at the band,” I said as I leaned over to her.
She nodded and grasped Jason closer.
I grabbed my beer and glided across the floor. Even though the town was pretty diverse, this club didn’t usually attract a lot of my kind. Not that it mattered. I would never date someone I met here. If it went bad, what a mess that would be.
I made it to the edge of the small dance floor in front of the short stage. The club was aged, but still fun. The bar was long, there were plenty of tables scattered around, even some soft chairs in different spots, and just enough room to dance or get closer to the bands on the dance floor. The lighting was more like a nightclub than a bar, but the club itself had a more dive-bar feel to it. But there was always good music and live bands.
Since Lucy started working as the entertainment manager at the club, the music had been better than I could remember any other time. She was talented, and could sing herself, but she had always wanted to be a songwriter and loved the behind-the-scenes aspect of music. After the debacle with the band a few months ago, she swore off singing in any bands. Open stage night always brought in decent bands from all over the state, but tonight, the club was buzzing.
