I watch Selma from my position at the bar, and take note of how incredibly happy she is. Her eyes were closed as she laughed at something Juno, her drag partner for the night, said to her. Each of us had a drag partner; Selma and Juno, Katy and Miss Reese, Caitlyn and Honey, Angela and Lola, and Samantha and I.
"Bitch, get my drink!" Samantha playfully says to the bartender. She turns and looks at me, "You want a drink?"Before I can even answer she turns back to the muscular bartender and pegs for two drinks.
"How come you aren't enjoying yourself?" Samantha asks me as we wait for our drinks.
"It's kind of hard to right now." I reply to her over the loud music.
"What happened? Tell Samantha all about it." She says.
"It's silly," I shrug. Our drinks arrive and Samantha grabs mine and hands it to me.
"If you don't wanna talk about it, then drink about it." She tosses her double shot of vodka down her throat and I follow pursuit, hoping and praying that it works and I can forget this whole fight ever happened.
The alcohol burns my throat and then we chase it down with another shot and then suck on a lime. It reminded me of when Shawn and I first went to the club and he bought me my first shot.
"It's just I've always been one of those girls who never wanted a relationship," I say.
"Hold that thought, baby girl," Samantha says as she places a finger over my mouth. She turns and flips the red hair of her wig over her shoulder and leans over the counter. "Honey, I'm gonna need you to keep 'em coming."
She removes her finger from my mouth and places it on her hip. "Go on."
"I had a relationship before, but it was like a fling, so I don't think it would properly count as a constant relationship. I mean, we would always get back together in the summer and then break up when it was over. Anyways, he spotted me at a party, showed incredible interest, and just wanted me. And he was so intimidating and dangerous and this bad boy that everyone was afraid of. But I wasn't. I mean, I was afraid watching him beat up this guy. But he never scared me. Not even when he took my virginity."
Samantha hands me another shot and I place the glass on the counter. "I've always been one of those who just wants her career and her future, ya know? And maybe a dog or two, or a fish. Fish just mind their business and stay in their fishy lane."
For the next two shots, I pour to Samantha about the fight. She becomes my therapist for the time being. It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if it was just sober words coming out of a drunk person. She assured me on the dance floor that it was okay and even hugged me ever so tightly. Bodies danced around us as we hugged and she ran her hand up and down my back.
"Are you gonna be sad over some guy?" Samantha asks me as she holds onto my upper arms. "Girl, lemme see what he looks like and I'll tell you if he's worth a tear or two."
I reach into the side of my bra, which makes Samantha laugh, and retrieve my phone. I unlock it with my touch and scroll through my photos and find a picture of Shawn where he isn't posing. I click on one where he's sleeping and show it to her. Samantha takes the phone and looks at the screen. Her eye go wide and she places her hand at her chest.
"Bitch, I would cry over someone as fine as him!" Samantha says which causes me to laugh. "But you? You are not going to shed a tear, baby girl. As long as you are with Samantha Francesca, you are not going to shed a single damn tear! Understood?"
