infinate playlist

4.

JENNIE

As Lisa merged onto the city road, she looked over at me and asked, "So where do you think Fluffy's gonna be?"

"Should we try Mercury Lounge?" I suggested.

"Yeah, that's good," Lisa shrugged.

"But you know Fluffy's not going on till super late, though. So I guess we have some time to kill, then," I said as I grabbed a random CD off the dash of the car. I slid it into the CD player and music started to fill the car. "So... your friends are all gay, right?" I took my eyes from the road in front of us to look over at her.

"Not all my friends," Lisa answered.

I nodded my head in understanding. "Not all your friends, but the ones in the van are gay?"

"Yeah," she answered quickly before awkwardly adding, "I mean, they're all gay. Yeah. One hundred percent, you know, gay every day, all the time."

A relieved sigh left my lips, "Okay. That's a relief."

"If anyone's gonna get raped in that van, it will be a guy."

I paused before I responded, "That's... good," because what the fuck else was I supposed to say to that?

Lisa was silent for a few seconds as well. "You wanna get a drink or something?" she asked, glancing over at me before looking at the road again.

"I don't drink at all."

"I don't either."

"You don't?" My eyes diverted over to her again. "Are you straightedge like I am?" I teased, raising my eyebrows.

"I don't really subscribe to any label," Lisa shook her head.

Ehh. I internally groaned. I don't know why I tried to take advice from a guy named Bambam. Lisa is definitely still hung up on her ex and it's starting to get exhausting carrying this conversation. I audibly sighed, "Fine."

We rode in silence for a bit before I smiled and asked in a joking manner, "Hey. What's that banging?"

Lisa looked around the car frantically, "Is it my car?"

My smile grew on my face and I answered, "I think it's drums," I laughed at my own joke. "Get it? Rhythm? Rhythmic drumming on drums?" I paused and Lisa just looked at me. "Because when you're in a band, you need drums and you're in a band and you don't have drums." The smile stayed on my lips as I waited for Lisa to retort against my joke.

"Thanks, I haven't heard that before," was all she said.

Playing with my hair awkwardly, I added, "I didn't mean your band wasn't good. I just meant you need a drummer." But my words were just coming out so fast and the air around us was filled with this awkward aura. "You can just drop me off up here. If you want."

Not even a few seconds could pass before some guy from the sidewalk threw himself in front of Lisa's car and banged his hands on the hood. "Taxi! Yeah!" Lisa stopped the car and the guy ran to her door and swung it open. "Hi," he started, glancing at Lisa before he looked to me and then back to Lisa. "Bowery Ballroom."

"No, I'm not a cab, sir," Lisa tried to tell him but he and his lady friend were already climbing into the backseat. "I'm not a cab," Lisa repeated.