“Yes.”
“Brian.”
“Yes. I’m his plus one on that getaway if he wins—since he’s single as fuck.”
I chuckle at his eagerness. A spa weekend in the middle of nowhere sounds amazing, so I get it. Still smiling, I write Brian Hicks, as well as Transformers in parentheses, and the unique voting number I was given to make sure there would be no cheating. Once the paper is folded in four, I slip it into the ballot box.
“There,” I say with a grin. “You’re one vote closer to a bromantic weekend with Brian.”
“Thank you, sis. Imma go convert more people.”
Before I can even say anything, he disappears into the crowd. I laugh softly, shaking my head. Coming here wasn’t such a bad idea after all. I am genuinely having fun. I look around at my friends and colleagues, easily spotting Tami in her red dress. She cleverly came as the very first Black Barbie. She’s absolutely stunning in her long, glittery red gown with a side slit high on her thigh and long sleeves with openings alongthem. With that, she has a golden clutch, a heavy golden necklace, and her natural hair is styled into an afro.
She’s so pretty that I feel bad about my own costume, wishing I’d gone the sexy way instead of trying to be clever about it. But this was the best I could do in the short time I had, and I’m pretty proud of it.
As I approach her, I force myself not to look at the corner where Lex has been sitting all evening. True to himself, he isn’t wearing a costume and actually looks mighty serious in his dark blue suit. He even has a reddish tie, so I wonder why he’s so formal. Also, he’s wearing his old glasses for some reason—the thick-rimmed ones he keeps in his nightstand—and it’s messing with my head. It’s why I haven’t been drinking all night long. I can’t get drunk and risk spilling my guts to him, can I? Or worse, let someone know I used to tap that. Hard. Or I used to let him tap me hard.
“Hey, girl,” I greet Tami once I’m with her.
“So, who did you vote for?” she signs, excited.
Ah, shit. I definitely should have voted for my sweet and supportive roommate instead of Brian. But Mace got to me first, and I didn’t have a second to think.
“It’s anonymous,” I sign with what I hope is a sly smirk. “But just know I couldn’t resist helping a Black queen get a spa weekend.”Well, that’s not a lie…
She smiles and winks, and I do feel bad for the deception. I’m not being a very good friend right now. But maybe I can make it up to her by swaying someone else’s mind and making them vote for her.
That’s what I decide to do, fending the crowd in search of an amicable ear. When I end up by the bar, I can’t stop myself from checking the other end of it. I don’t know if I feel relief or disappointment when I notice Lex isn’t there anymore. Has he left already? I don’t know why I’m surprised. Last time, I practically had to drag him to the Kelex anniversary party, and he couldn’t leave soon enough.
Honestly, I kind of get it. I’m tempted to return home, slump down on the couch, and spend the evening watching some random channel. I’m already wearing the outfit I need for that, which is quite convenient.
When I can’t find anyone who’d vote for Tami for me, I step outside. A few people are out here, enjoying the fresh breeze or smoking a cigarette. God, it was hot in there. The cold air of late October feels great on my face.
Maybe I can take a few minutes to cool down before returning and continuing my quest. I sneak away from the Kelex crowd to lean against a wall a few steps away, seeking some quiet time. I close my eyes and rest my head against the cold brick, focusing on the muffled soundsfrom inside, the noise of the streets, my colleagues talking and having fun…
Being around people after isolating myself for almost a month is more overwhelming than I expected.
“Are you having fun?” asks a low, familiar voice to my left.
Of course… Of all the placeshecould be right now, it has to be right here.
My eyes whip open, and I look in the voice’s direction. A few feet away, Lex is leaning on the wall. He looks exhausted, his features tense, his shoulders slumped.
“Uh, yes. It’s a great party,” I answer, straightening up. His eyes scan me from behind his glasses, and I feel stupid for my costume choice. When people don’t get it, I just look like a slob. And there’s a high chance he has no idea who I’m supposed to be.
“I’ve been trying to guess what your costume is for the past hour,” he explains, confirming my worries.
His voice is a little off, his words slightly dragging, which is odd. When he pushes his tall body away from the wall to face me better, his moves lack their usual precision. He’s drunk. I’ve never seen him drunk before. Not even tipsy. He never allows himself enough alcohol to lose control.
He comes closer to me, and his assertiveness tells me he might still very much be in control, just a little off. He stops a few steps away, and I stay unmoving, wondering if this is a good idea.
“So, Andrea, what’s your costume?”
“It’s from a movie,The Big Lebowski. I’m ‘The Dude.’”
That somehow seems to amuse him as his lips twist into a grin. “Ah, I knew it would be some obscure reference.”
I almost smile at that. “It’s a very famous movie that millions of people have seen and loved.”
