‘We both need admission.’
Stephen looked down at Laura and raised his eyebrows. ‘What happened to Laura?’
Eve smiled, realising her idea had worked. ‘This is Laura, with …’ She twirled a blue strand of hair around her finger. ‘Modifications.’
Stephen gave Laura’s shoulder a squeeze and waved them in. Laura entered, her arm wrapped around Eve. A neon sign hung from the entrance, probing red, with PUNCHLINE in a cursive slant. Laura took in the scene. Bodies swayed from side to side, their skin glistening with sweat. Above the wraparound bar, the DJ booth blared house music. To her right was a narrow hallway, with couples leaning against each other.
Eve wound her fingers in Laura’s and pushed through the bodies.
‘Move out the way, bitches!’ All Eve had to do was flash a smile and they parted to let them through. Eve found a spot next to the DJ booth and led Laura in front of her. The song morphed into one Laura had vaguely heard once.
Eve placed her hands on Laura’s hips and swayed them back and forth. She took little notice to the humming bodies that surrounded them or the raised arms above their heads.
Leaning forwards, somehow Laura caught her words. ‘It’s just you and me.’ Her breath tickled Laura’s neck. Laura watched Eve. Her narrow hips became fluid and effortless against the fabric on her skin. Laura moved closer to her until she could almost taste her perfume. She stared at her like she was the only person in the nightclub. After the third song, Laura forgot herself. She gave in. She shut her eyes to the pulsing bodies and moved every part of her body. Her arms and legs became fluid with one another. She moved her hips and rocked her head back and forth. Eve pulled off a long shimmy and smiled when Laura’s laugh got lost against the sound waves.
Leading her to the long bar, Eve leaned over in search of two shot glasses. She set them down on the black glossy counter and called out the young barmen’s name. He turned around, confused, then smiled when he saw Eve. His black shirt clung tight to his wide shoulders and muscled chest. He moved swiftly over.
‘I haven’t seen you in here in a while. Who’s your friend?’ He asked, his eyes running over Laura.
‘This is Laura … Laura, this is Ben.’
‘Nice to meet you.’ He had a kind smile.
Ben and Eve made small talk until Ben noticed the empty shot glasses in front of them.
‘What’s your poison tonight?’ He asked, motioning to the glasses.
Vodka, please.’ Eve reached for her small clutch but he waved her money away.
They clinked the small glasses together. Laura downed it quickly. It made her feel instantly more at ease. Eve drummed her hands on the counter, the alcohol awakening something in her. ‘One more song?’ she asked.
Laura wiped at her brow and nodded. Eve licked the last drops of vodka from her lips and grabbed Laura’s hand. They swayed together in a thoughtless stream of movements. Laura turned and reached for Eve when the nightclub started to pulsate black and white from the light machines. She stole a kiss from her in the darkness, her lips tasted of vodka and sweat. It reminded her of a thunderstorm, playing havoc on her lips. After the song finished, they made their way for the entrance. This time Laura led her forwards. They hit a brick wall of bodies by the door, where four guys stood scanning the crowd. The tallest stood just over a foot taller than Eve, his eyes on Laura.
‘I wouldn’t mind tasting that rainbow.’ His friends laughed along, waiting to see what Laura would say.
‘Ehh, well, I’m never gonna be able to look at Skittles the same way now.’
Eve made a retching face.
He flashed Eve a crooked smile. ‘Can we buy you girls some drinks?’
‘Sorry, we were just on our way out,’ Laura said.
‘Where are we going then?’ The guy made a move to follow them.
Eve waved him away. ‘Why don’t you stay here and hit on the rest of the club … I’m sure there’s one girl crawling with chlamydia who simply couldn’t resist you.’ Eve stared through him. They shifted under her gaze, letting them pass. As they closed the gap, he reached out for Laura but only managed to tangle his hand in her hair. Eve shoved him backwards. The physical contact took him by surprise, he nearly lost his footing. Eve reared up like she was built twice the size and a foot taller. ‘Go after any other girl.’
He regained himself. ‘Why not her?’
‘Because she’s my girlfriend.’ Eve reached for her hand and pulled her forwards through the crowds of people until they were alone on the pavement.
‘Is your place far from here?’ Laura asked, breaking the silence.
Eve stared straight ahead, her jaw tensed. ‘I was going to take you home.’
‘I’d really like to see your place.’
Eve pressed her lips into a thin line. ‘Okay, it’s not too far from here.’
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Eve’s body was on edge from the way the guy in the club had looked at Laura. Jealously had never been one of her best vices, especially when it came to her overbearing nature to people she cared deeply about. Eve barely felt Laura pull her closer when they came to her street. They climbed the three sets of stairs to her floor. Eve fished for her keys. Opening the worn door, she reached inside and flicked on a light switch, letting Laura go in first.
‘You called me your girlfriend,’ Laura whispered, when the door shut quietly behind them.
‘Did that surprise you?’
Laura tilted her head. ‘I mean, yeah, a little.’
Eve managed a smile. ‘I wish I could have said it in better circumstances.’ Eve slid off her high heels and walked barefoot to the kitchen. She filled a glass with tap water, hoping it would calm her down. She let the glass overfill, staring as the water pooled and ran down the trail. Her arms gripped the side of the sink. Across from the door, Laura fiddled with the perfumes and make-up set in her small cupboard. Piles and piles of paperbacks were stacked against the wall. Each pile seemed to defy gravity though none had toppled over. Laura moved towards the double bed at the back of the room. A large horizontal organ-glass stained window hung above the bed. Eve turned, following her gaze.
Pointing to it, Eve said, ‘Like the sun is on the verge of disappearing.’ A spoken thought she had never shared with anyone.
Laura nodded. ‘Beautiful,’ she whispered.
Something about the room told her there had never been loud conversations between the four walls. Laura found her words needing to be true, to be honest, as if she were waiting for confession. There was a solace to the space, a peace Laura hadn’t felt in a long time. Laura’s eyes drifted to an old wooden turntable next to a stack of vinyls. She flicked through them. Laura settled on a single and thumbed the needle onto the track. The soft beginnings of the song stilled in the air, she stroked the side of the turntable and read the sleeve. ‘King of Wishful Thinking’.
‘I love this one.’
‘I got most of them from yard sales.’
Laura sat on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes against the lyrics. Eve watched her from the kitchen. Laura felt the bed shift against Eve’s weight. She