Love Galore (Chaennie)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Motherfucking Bruce Springsteen.

That's Jennie's refrain tonight.

Because you can blame it on the rain that's trapped her in this bar, blame it on the night that no one seems to want to end, blame it on the alcohol that's loosened Jennie's carefully suppressed instincts, blame it on the Tetons tank top Rosie's wearing which accentuates her toned arms, but at the end of it all, Jennie places the blame for her current miserable, painful, hyper-libidinous state on one person.

And that's motherfucking Bruce Springsteen.

She has nothing against the man, nothing against New Jersey, nothing against good ol' working-class heartland rock. He can write a tune. But he needs to work on his lyrics.

Because, right now, Rosie's bouncing up and down in the middle of the bar, singing along to the repetitive chorus playing on the jukebox at the top of her lungs.

I'm going down, down, down, down.

And those are just words that Jennie really doesn't need to hear coming out of Rosie's mouth.

Jennie checks her phone again, trying to see if she can get a car to take her away from this place. The rain seems to have monopolized all cars available for hire, leaving her stranded at a party she didn't want to go to in the first place. It's Rosie's birthday. Jennie had planned to drop by, make an appearance, then leave as soon as it's socially acceptable. As much as she wants to spend time with Rosie, she knows that Mark will be there and that is not something she's ready to handle just yet.

But Rosie's plans for a birthday picnic on Governors Island was derailed by an unexpected rainstorm, which is how they all ended up in a dive bar at the edge of Red Hook, far from subway stations. At least there's one saving grace: Mark isn't here yet, delayed by inclement weather.

Jennie would be happy to spend this time with Rosie. If it wasn't for motherfucking Bruce Springsteen, whose music has Rosie singing, dancing, gyrating, her tank top riding up her toned abdomen. Jennie tries not to look. Tries not to think. Tries to pretend that she doesn't remember every inch of skin underneath those clothes, how it feels, how it tastes.

Rosie, oblivious Rosie, is a threatening, tantalizing tripwire, and the only defense Jennie has is a tall glass of whiskey soda which she clutches with both hands and sips at gingerly, a prop she holds up in excuse every time Rosie sidles up close and asks if she wants to dance.

I'm going down, down, down, down.

Yeah, and those words aren't helping.

The song comes to a merciful end. But then Rosie loudly proclaims, "Again!"

Ten, dutifully posted by the jukebox, drops in more coins and pushes some buttons. The song starts again and Jennie can't suppress the pained groan that escapes. There Rosie goes again, dancing up a storm in the middle of the bar with Lisa and Ashley.

Jennie takes a huge gulp of her drink, thinking it might quench her metaphorical thirst. It doesn't. Just the opposite, when the alcohol burns through her, it gives her a small jolt, emboldening her to glance at her personal temptress. The sight of the blonde swiveling her hips nearly liquefies her on the spot.

"Can you not?" comes the tense complaint of Alice Park as she approaches the bar. "Stop looking at my sister like she's a piece of meat."

"I'm not," Jennie rebuts defensively, unconvincingly. "I'm... looking at her normally."

"Well, then, stop being 'normal.' It's gross and I don't need to see that." Alice catches the bartender's attention and holds up the empty glass in her hand. While the bartender gets her another drink, she turns her attention back to Jennie. "So. Were you about to tell Rosie that you have feelings for her, only to kick her out of your apartment the moment Mark showed up, then run off to the other side of the country, ghost her for a month and finally come back with an 'oops, nevermind'? And no, Rosie didn't put it like that. She was much more circumspect about it. Even complimentary because you somehow come off like a saint in her story. But reading between the lines, I think that's what happened. Am I wrong?"