Jonna's life as a teacher is all routine, until she receives an online invitation from a near stranger, Zachary, and drops everything for a weekend of fun.
As the weekend evolves into much more, Jonna explores many facets of herself, with another s...
Of all things, Laney called to invite Jonna to a party.
They had exchanged minor pleasantries, with Laney casually dropping an invite.
"I'll have an Uber pick you up."
Jonna had said yes, a bit too quickly.
As a black SUV pulled up in front of her, she cursed her over eager nature. She should've insisted on driving herself. That would make leaving all the easier.
Jonna reached for the door handle. A glint of red reflected off the glossy surface. She hesitated.
Red is too much. Tonight is a mistake.
Then the door swung open from the inside.
"Come on in here."
Laney, buckled and seated, grinned at Jonna, waving her inside.
~*~
Jonna's hands twisted in her lap.
She wanted to say a million things to Laney: different versions of an apology, a life update, come ons, but the words lingered unsaid.
Laney sat next to her, hair coiffed in a neat coil, a black suit hugging her body.
Perhaps sensing Jonna's nervousness, Laney broke the silence.
"The other day, the doorman said another pretty brunette watched me from across the street, all Single White Female like."
Jonna grimaced.
A million lies flashed in her head, but she settled on the truth with "When you put it like that, of course it was me."
"And you saw---,"
"Your girlfriend?"
Laney mulled the term over. "She's something."
"I had a dream about you two."
The words hung over them, rich with insinuations. Laney cocked her head to one side, sizing Jonna up.
"We doing anything interesting?"
Jonna shrugged, hoping her face remained impassive. "Must've been, because I thought about it while someone went down on me."
To her surprise, Laney laughed. In relief, Jonna laughed too. When the laughter petered out, the awkward silence crept back in.
Laney exhaled loudly. "I knew it."
"Knew what?"
"That you'd like this kind of party."
Just then, the car stopped moving. John peered out the window at a stately two-story house. Paint peeled off the clapboards and the windows were sealed shut with two-by-fours. The house seemed like it was abandoned, or worse, the scene of a haunted house or future crime.
Jonna turned to Laney. "Party? Here?"
~*~
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