don't leave me this way

t w o

Lisa walked closer to the building Valentina had sent her to and felt a smile fall on her face as she saw beautiful and happy women all over the streets, laughing and gossiping over whatever and whoever. She soon enters the building and makes her way up a few flights of stairs before she starts looking for the number door she was searching for. She spots it fairly quickly and knocks on it and waits for a moment before a small puerto rican girl opens it and looks up at her slightly afraid.
"Hola, Anita?" She asks.
"No, yo soy Maria" she replies.
"Maria, quien es?" Another woman's voice shouts through.
"Sorry, I never asked your name"
"I'm Lisa, Valentina sent me"
"Un amigo de Valentina" Maria calls back.
"Let her in" comes the reply and the girl opens the door wider to let the brunette in.
A woman with darker skin walks into the small kitchen and smiles at the girl who had just walked into her home.
"Hola Anita" she smiles holding her hand out to shake hers.
"Hola"
"I apologise, I don't speak much, if any Spanish, I hope that's not an issue"
"Of course not, we're practising on our English anyways" she laughs as she motions for Lisa to sit down at the table.
"So what can I do for you today? I hope Bernardo has not been causing any trouble" she sighs.
"No, your husband has never caused me any issues, I'm here because I'm looking for a dress for the dance and Valentina said you were perfect for the job"
"Ah sí, well I can make you a dress fit for such a beautiful woman as yourself by the end of the day"
"Oh thank you so much, will this be enough to cover it?" She asks pulling out the wad of cash from her bag and watches as Anita's eyes widen in shock, showing she hadn't been expecting as much as she had.
"Oh dios mío, that's more than plenty, I can only take half of that, keep the rest, buy yourself something pretty" she smiles as she helps her up and retrieves her measuring tape to get the girls measurements.
"Thank you, it will most likely go to rent unfortunately"
"Ah so you have your own place in the city?"
"I do, although the person I practically live with doesn't help much with it"
"Ah I assume it's a boy"
"It is, the same boy who's funding this dress"
"Oh so he's your boyfriend" the Puerto Rican lady teases with a smile on her face as she moves round the girl to continue measuring her up.
"No no, he's just my closest friend and a nightmare to take care of" she laughs.
"I understand, my Bernardo comes in looking pretty rough some nights too" she says as she finishes the measurements and leads the girl over to the materials she had.
"Now let's find you the right colour" she smiles before holding up different pieces of fabric and comparing it to the girls skin, eyes and hair before she settled on a deep red silk like material.
Anita smiles at her and spins her around to face the mirror.
"Right, let's get to work"

••• 

It was a few hours later and Lisa held the red dress in her hands, staring down at the beautiful garment before she pulled it close to her chest. Anita looked at her with a large smile on her face.
"Thank you Anita, a million times" she nods and hands her over the cash before pulling the woman into a hug.
"It's my pleasure, I'll see you at the dance yes?"
"Of course, wouldn't let your handiwork go to waste" she giggles.
"Adios hermosa" she nods closing the door behind the brunette.
The girl folded the dress in her arms and made her way down the stairs and out into the New York sun. She breathed in and out happily before she started making her way back home and walking up to her apartment. She opened the door and made her way through to the bedroom to hang up the dress in her wardrobe admiring the piece of clothing before making her way back to her kitchen.
She opens the fridge and sees that she is missing so much food, not surprising that when she closes it there is a note held up by a little magnet.

'You need to get groceries, sorry x'

She rolls her eyes and grabs money out of her pot and got a bag from the coat hanger before she starts to make her way down the stairs. She was honestly tempted to start charging Riff for all the food he stole and for the nights he spent there, she wouldn't have to worry so much then.
She made her way back out onto the streets and headed down to the shops to collect her groceries. She walked down the street and looked about at the people before some of the boys she recognised as the jets started to run past her, one of them bumping into her making the girl fall down next to him.
She looked up and saw John, the youngest member of the gang and bit the inside of her cheek angrily.
"John, tell me what's happening"
"I can't Lis, sorry" he says getting up and running before a group of the sharks come running past.
She rolls her eyes and pushes herself back up, dusting away the dirt off of her clothes before she starts to make her way around the corner to find her friend and most likely bail him out of a situation.
By the time she arrives at the demolished sight, the two groups are being held back by police, Officer Krupke at the front of the group followed by the Lieutenant. She stands at the opposite side of the street trying to look for the boy she was for sure going to scold and eventually found him with his head down.
Bernardo was stood in front of him having a go before she sees the boy raise his head and say something snappy that makes the shark jump at him.
The Lieutenant walks through them all and calms them down, before he starts teasing the sharks like the biased man he is. The sharks don't take this and start to leave before they break out into song making the bystanders applaud for them. Once the crowd of men have disappeared she makes her way over to the group of boys who are being left behind by the officers.
"Wait, I got a question, how tall were you before you yknow shrank?" Riff asks the lieutenant as the girl makes her way over making the boy roll his eyes playfully.
"Don't worry Krupke, I got him from here" she tells the man and he nods as she walks past and looks at her best friend.
The rest of the boys step back and look at the pair knowing that whenever Lisa was around, she meant business.
"Hey Lis" he starts before she pushes him slightly.
"Explain yourself right now"