Page 25 of Love Undiscovered
“The Queen’s shoe is but a chalice for the nectar from the gods that is our reward,” Chance said as the other guy headed towards the keg.
“Those are myBadgley Mischkas!” I cried to no one in particular, since apparently no one cared. Then watched in part horror and part fascination as the guy began to pour beer into my beautiful shoe.
“They’re open-toed,” my voice softening as I realized it wasn’t going to matter. He was pouring beer into my shoe, and then trying to drink out of it. Too drunk to realize it was all pouring out the toe of the shoe before he could get it to his mouth.
I couldn’t help but scoff at the lunacy.
“You’re paying for those shoes.” I knock on Chance’s head with my knuckles to get his attention.
“My Queen has a second chalice for the next brave man to partake from it,” he yelled.
“Do you ever talk in a normal voice?”
He ignored me.
Another guy, Yens I presumed, handed me a trophy shaped mug, filled to the brim with beer. I had to grip it with both hands, making it difficult to hang on to Chance and not fall.
“Fuck it,” I said and took a long pull from the beer. It had already been a stressful week with a huge paper I’d had due for my lab practicum, which I’d barely completed on time. And now, clearly, I’d entered the collegiate twilight zone.
My left shoe disappeared.
I knocked the trophy cup on Chance’s head to get his attention. He looked up at me.
“You wanna tell me what the fuck is going on? And how you’re going to pay for my shoes?” I asked, making my tone as snotty as possible.
“Pay for your shoes?” He sounded confused.
“Your idiot friends took myopen-toedshoes and tried to fill them with beer. They’re ruined.”
“It’s an honor. Because you’re the Queen,” he said, yelling the last three words.
“Why am I the Queen?”
He looked up at me again. “How is it that you don’t know this? Do I have to explain everything to you?”
“Yes!”
“Fuck.” He walked us into the kitchen and set me down on a counter in the corner.
“Okay. What part don’t you understand?”
“Why am I the Queen? Where are my shoes? Why did those assholes try to drink out of them? And why the fuck did you put me on your shoulder?”
“Sweetheart, it’s the rugby championship celebration,” he said. I waited for him to continue, but he seemed to think it was an adequate amount of information to explain things.
“And?” I asked.
“And, you’re my Queen.”
“Are you simple?” I asked, once again knocking on his forehead.
“Quit hitting me on the head! And, am I simple? Have you never been to a rugby party before?”
“Nooo.” I drew the word out, thinking this should have been obvious all along.
“Wow. My Queen is a virgin.”
“I’m not a virgin.”
