Sequins and Shots - Book Three of the Café Latte Trilogy

Part Two: Chapter 9

Last chapter of Part Two! See you next week for Part Three (the bit that takes place during Fire and Freedom!!)

Love, Cam

♡

Chapter Nine

Harper

Quitting alcohol sucked pure balls.

I said as much to Raven, who grinned and said, "You have such a way with words."

In all fairness, Raven was taking the lack of alcohol with significantly more grace than me. In fact, she had transitioned so seamlessly from gin and tonic to virgin raspberry fizzes that I wondered if her drinking had only ever been a way to fit in with us. Another way we'd sort of failed Raven over the years, really. Ross and I had a long-lasting bond, Edward and I were now twice-over lovers. Raven had been someone I cared for greatly since she had joined our group, but I had to admit we hadn't ever bonded quite the same way in the past.

It was different now. Raven was a bright beam from a lighthouse while I navigated rocky waters. I loved her for taking this step with me, even if I also felt guilty that she was probably missing out on time with Ross and Edward.

"How are things with Ed?" she asked me curiously, looking at me over the top of her phone. We were hanging out at our apartment, both of us knackered after work.

I felt my heart thud painfully against my chest. "Fine," I half-lied. We were, oddly, fine. We'd separated cleanly, I was now living with Raven, and Edward had moved in with a drag friend of his. We'd slipped right back into being best friends, and despite that feeling strange in itself, I was thankful for it. I was already uprooting a lot of my life.

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's just been really busy," I said, which wasn't a lie. "He's got his first drag gig coming up and I think he's spending every free moment rehearsing because he's actually petrified. Even though it's just hosting a queer open-mic night. Gotta start somewhere."

"Yeah," Raven mused. "I should do his social media. He's lazy with it, but that's how you establish a fanbase."

"Sure," I nodded. "Makes sense. Let's be real, Ed has his phone only so he can play app games. Social media is his least favourite thing." I hesitated, and then asked, "How's Ross?"

Raven's face darkened. Her brother was a bit of a sore subject. Since quitting booze and clubs, I'd barely seen Ross. He seemed to take it as a personal offence, especially after our horrendous argument, and he'd doubled down on partying.

"I take it not good," I cringed.

"He's fine," she snapped, irritated at the very thought of Ross. "He's just being Ross. Just like, extra Ross."

I hesitated, and said, "I think I've hurt him, y'know. Hurt him in a way I can't just take back."

"Yeah, you did," she said bluntly. I appreciated Raven's candor most of the time, but sometimes it did feel a bit like a gut punch. "But he's hurting you now, too. Neither of you are particularly well-adjusted."

I winced. "No."

She fixed me with a look. "But you're trying. You're looking after yourself. You're improving yourself. Don't let Ross drag you down if he's just going to throw himself off the deep end anyway. If it means we aren't friends with him anymore, then... then that's what it'll mean. He has to want to sort himself out."

The thought of not being friends with Ross was deeply upsetting to me. He was like the other half of my entire being, and had been since the moment the doctor called and said we needed to talk about my blood test when we were sixteen.