Until Ava

Chapter Three

Dallas jumped out, yelling, 'Ay! This is home, baby!'

I took a deep breath and one last look in the rear-view mirror. Breathe in, out. Breathe in, out. You got this. Just go with it. You need this.
Wig? Perfect. Lashes? I fluttered them. Nice effect. Brows? Wiggle-wiggle. Lip-

Dallas tapped impatiently on the window and opened the door, allowing in abusive sound waves my tiny ears were definitely not prepared for.
'How many times you gon' look in the mirror? And how many times do I gotta tell you you look fabulous? Come on outta the car.'
I took one last glance at the mirror, and well, I was not looking bad, except-
'Just a little more gloss.' I told Dallas, getting an eye-roll in return. I dabbed a bit of gloss on the centre of my bottom lip and pressed them together, elevating my thick, rich burgundy, glossy lips to thick, rich burgundy and glossier. There. Ready. Not really, but Dallas wasn't very patient.

I stepped a foot out, Dallas taking my hand and practically pulling me out, only to twirl me around. The night air felt good and was pretty calming. Dal knew I wasn't feeling okay, wasn't feeling myself. I almost lost my balance. Luckily, I had ditched a certain pair of heels and gone for sneakers. This would not have been the funniest of scenes tonight, and I was pretty sure there were some unfunny ones to come because, well, it was Dallas I was with. I steadied myself, glancing around, neon lights catching my eye.

'Uh, Dal?' I called, a bit confused.
'Mm?'
'I thought we were going to a bar?'
'Nah. I changed my mind.'
I stared at her blankly. 'Excuse me? Well, sis, did it occur to you to ask me? Hello? I did not change my mind!'
'The bar isn't the best place to find a lover so the club is where I go,' she sang into my face, the mint in her breath dancing in the air.
'Right.' I nodded, annoyed, 'I didn't know you liked Ed Sheeran.'
'What you talkin' bout girl, Sheeran is it.'
'Drop the LAFA bruh,' I rolled my eyes. She rolled hers too. I rolled my eyes at her rolling hers.
'But Dal, I'm not here to 'find a lover', I'm here to-'
'-get rid of the emotions, I know,' she smirked, 'but you came here with a net and a man-hook. Tell me, was that by accident?'

I evaded her eyes. It was more like 'a-whatever-happens-tonight-happens-tonight' kind of plan. I wasn't purposely going to hook up, but I didn't mind if that happened. If a conversation got more interesting than it should, then so be it. Right?

'Honey,' she turned my face to hers, 'you need to bang and let all this shit go. That's what you need right now. And as your long lost best friend, I'm gon' make sure you get it. You don't even look yourself, girl. You look all stressed out and shit. Where'd that confidence go? Tell you what, don't work your pretty ass out. I'mma hook you up with someone nice myself.' She wiggled her eyebrows.

'All this' wasn't some 'shit' to me, but I let it slide. To be honest, I was really going to need Dallas around tonight. Sure, I wasn't new to the club scene but it had been a while. And now I was coming back 'home', to a club, which was the best place to find a love-

I pursed my lips at Dallas and stood in her face, my hands on my hips.
'It's "The club isn't the best place to find a lover"! Ed Sheeran is on my side and you knew that, you-'
A mischievous grin spread across her velvet pink lips.
'Took you a while, dumbass,' she laughed, grabbing my hand, 'King K's waiting inside. Let's go get you an able man.'
I yanked my hand from hers.
'King Keziah?' I asked, 'ugh. Dallas, tell me there isn't nothing else you decided I shouldn't know.'
'Guess we'll have to go in to find that out,' she giggled outrageously. I gave her a look.
'King Keziah is the best person for this cause, Simone.'
I huffed.
'Thought someone said, "I'll hook you up with someone nice myself"?' I mimicked her. She rolled her eyes, reaching for my wrist again. I sighed.
'Fine. Let's go get rid of this baggage,' I mumbled, 'however that happens.'