Yagi sipped her lemon drop martini. One of her favorites. Right next to the cosmopolitan and strawberry daiquiri. She relished in the sour and sweet notes of her favorite drink. The mixture sat on her tongue before she swallowed. She sighed in bliss. A perfect way to end her week.
She loved Fridays. No work to complete back in the office and no one badgering her about drinking. Her last relationship ended due to the guy criticizing her for consuming alcohol. Such a hypocrite. He drank most of his paycheck on partying with his old college buddies. Whenever she suggested he cut back, he ignored her and continued on. She cut things off before it went nasty.
She learned her lesson from entering those high energy bars at her age. Men flocked to hit on her. Alcohol laced their breath as they spouted cheesy pick up lines. Her lack of patience and exhaustion from work fueled her snappy words. Each man swore awful words for her bitchy attitude before they found a woman for their needs. A coworker told her about this bar. She insisted this place provided privacy and a chill atmosphere. After one Friday night, she labeled this spot as her own hang out spot. On certain Fridays, her coworkers accompanied her.
The ringing of the bell hanging on the door rang. Peeking over her shoulder, she saw a well dressed woman strutting inside. The clothes screamed designer. Nothing she could afford on her office salary. Unless, she saved for months and cut out some of her expenses. This woman wore high heels which clicked with each step. Her dress clung to the right places, stopping right before her knees. Her long perfect curls stayed well intact.
Her presence caught the attention of the bars patrons. The men ogled her, their eyes trained on her as she made her way through the bar. The women glared at her for taking the attention. Yagi turned her attention back to her drink.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw the same woman sitting at the bar. Her face still obscured from her eyes. Her dress caught onto a gap on the chair and ripped when she tried moving around. She gripped her manicured nails tight, her hands trembled from the strain. Biting her lip, she tried hiding it with her long sweater. Frustration clear on her posture.
Yagi felt sorry for her. She had those incidents where her own clothing ripped on her bad days. It sucked.
Once she got a glimpse at her face, she asked in surprise. "Aina?"
"Yagi?" Aina tried concealed the tears with her handkerchief but her sniffling and hiccuping gave her away. "It's been years."
"Yeah, since high school graduation." Yagi swirled her drink in her hand. "Do you need company?" Aina thought about it before she nodded her head. "Alright." She collected her things and settled on the empty seat beside her. "Bad night?"
"You can't even imagine." Aina swiped out her compact and checked her eyes. She whined. "Ugh, I can't go into my photo shoot with red eyes. Why did this have to happen tonight of all nights?" She touched the bottom of her eyes. "My eyes are puffy too."
Yagi stifled a laugh. "Put frozen tea bags on your eyes or an ice bag. It will help you."
"I don't believe in wives tales." Aina huffed, shutting her compact with her hand.
"I saw them in a magazine." Yagi stretched out her arms above her head. "Then again, I shouldn't place such faith in an article where there's no results posted on there. My friend used one of those masks you can make at home. She broke out in hives."
Aina cracked a smile. "Oatmeal makes a nice mask for sensitive skin. Blend it out and mix a little bit with water. Once it dries, you have to wash it out with warm water."
"Ah," Yagi nodded her head. "Good to know. I'll have to use my old oatmeal for that. Thanks."
Aina discreetly wiped her face with her handkerchief. "No problem."
"You're married?" Yagi stared down at the expensive wedding ring on her left hand. Sparkling and gleaming underneath the shining lights at the bar.
Aina shook her head as she removed the ring from her finger. Her fingers pressed against it, the diamonds caused indentations on her unmarred skin. "I'm leaving him." Yagi arched her brow. "I caught him cheating on me tonight."
"Shit." Yagi hissed. "What a bastard. You're better off without him."
Aina scoffed. "I'm sure you're happy that this happened to me. At our school reunion, no one welcomed me and shut me out. They smiled but I'm sure they thought I would shrivel up into nothing. They'll all celebrate my misery." Tears trickled down her face as she rubbed at her face to remove her shame.
"I'm not going to say anything." Yagi gulped down the remained of her drink. "Bartender, another lemon drop martini, please!" She rethought it when she added it. "Make it two!" She turned to Aina. "You like lemon drop martinis right?"
"Yes." Aina uttered out. "Why are you being so nice?"
"Aina, high school ended years ago. We're both adults. No need to hold onto old grudges." Yagi shrugged her shoulders. "Before you ask, I missed our high school reunion. My workload caused me to work overtime during that time. My old friends told me about the ones who missed. They said nothing about you though."
Aina rolled her eyes. "They wouldn't have said anything. Do you come here often?"
"Almost every Friday. It depends on my workload." Yagi waited until they got their drinks when she asked. "So, do you want to talk about him?"
Aina bit her lip. "I thought I loved him. Every aspect of him was perfect. Perfect for someone like me. I did everything to keep his affection for me. I wasted a big amount of money for youthful skin and hours at the gym. This helped my modeling career. But," She gritted her teeth. "He demanded more attention and scoffed whenever I mentioned my modeling career."
Yagi said. "He wanted you to become a housewife."
"Exactly." Aina stared down at her drink. "He told me that a wife stayed at home. I didn't need to work to provide for the home. Out of nowhere, he stopped complaining. He even kissed me goodbye whenever I went on a photo shoot. I thought he supported me but he just wanted me out of the house so he could screw her." Aina gulped her drink down and slammed the glass on the counter. "Bartender, can I have another one please?"
"You should slow down." Yagi snorted. "You'll get drunk quicker."
"I don't care." Aina snapped. "I want to forget his stupid face and get drunk."
"You have money on you?"
"Of course," Aina showed her string wallet, hidden behind her large coat. "Do you?"
"Yup." Yagi ordered another drink when she finished her current drink. "Do you have a place to crash for the night?"
Aina shook her head. "No. My ex-husband owns the apartment I live in. I can't go back."
Yagi suggested. "You can stay with me. My apartment is not too far from here. We just have to order a taxi."
"Sounds good."
Once they decided to stop drinking, Aina clung onto Yagi. She didn't push her off through any means. She welcomed having someone holding onto her. Through this embrace, she picked up the perfume Aina used. A soft sweet blend which swirled her mind. When their taxi arrived, they helped each other walk out the door. Yagi managed to calculate the amount, having taken the taxi from that location, she didn't have to count.
The ride seemed long for their taste. From their slurred words to holding each others hands, they tried making the best of it. Yagi paid the taxi driver when they arrived and walked through the front doors. The lack of people caused their voices and heels to echo through the emptiness of the hall. Yagi forgot the last time she enjoyed a night out.
Yagi pulled Aina into the elevator before she got left behind. The elevator started moving as Aina stumbled on her heels. Yagi caught her in time. Aina smiled at her as she gripped onto a railing to support her.
Aina laid her cheek against the coolness of the wall. "Ooohh...I feel hot..feels...good." She removed her jacket and shuffled around her hair. It fell from her hands, Yagi managed to catch it before it got dirtied.
"Clumsy."
"Oops." Aina smiled, winking at Yagi. "Y-You're so great.."
"I know...I know." Yagi smirked.
Aina pouted as she pushed her playfully. "I-I take it back." She gripped the front of Yagi's clothing and pulled her close. "Y-You...are mean..." Yagi connected their foreheads together. "Cute...and mean..."
Through impulse or stupidity, Yagi kissed Aina. Waiting for her snarling words and rejection, Yagi was surprised at the kisses coming from Aina. Aina wrapped her arms around her, molding their bodies together. After some hesitant kisses, they deepened their kiss. Their hands wandered to different part of their bodies. Yagi pressed Aina against the elevator wall, the railing dug into Aina's lower back. Bringing out a complaining whine from her lips. Yagi turned them around and settled in her place.
"Y-Yagi." Aina mewled when they broke their kiss. "H-how long until ...we get to your place?" She kissed down Yagi's neck and held her tight.
Yagi checked up at the rising number and groaned. "A few... more floors."
Aina giggled, she nuzzled Yagi's chest, her cheeks reddening. "Y-you're drunk. Very, very...drunk."
Yagi ran his fingers through Aina's hair, she inhaled the aroma of her sweet shampoo. "Not at all. I ...I can drink. A..lot. Y-You're drunk" They kissed again, the problems of the world left them for those moments.
The elevator dinged. Both woman stumbled out of the elevator, going straight to Yagi's apartment door. Aina held to Yagi, making it harder for her to keep balance. She fished out her keys and struggled through pushing the right key in the keyhole. Aina's perfume clouded Yagi's thoughts. Her kisses blanked out her mind.
The door just didn't open for her.
Aina smiled. "L..Let me." She took the keys away from her and pushed in the keys in one swoop. "T-There we go!"
"Thanks." Yagi muttered out as she unlocked the door and they stumbled on inside.
Yagi woke up in the morning without any clothes on. She sat up, pondering about the events of the night. Checking around, she saw a ripped up dress laying on the floor. A click from the door got her to turn her head. Aina walked inside her bedroom. She wore a grey t shirt and jean shorts. Her hair was still wet from the shower and wore no make up. A big change from the fancy clothes she wore during the night.
Aina stopped. Her face went bright red as she averted her gaze. The marks on her neck stood out against her pale white skin. She fiddled with her hands, her fingers brushing against her wedding ring. A sting of guilt formed in her chest. She shared the night with someone outside her marriage.
Remembering her husband's infidelity, she glared down at her ring. Knowing him, he scrambled to cut her away from his money. Not that she cared, she made enough from her modeling career to keep her afloat. His betrayal hurt her to the point of crying. Yet, she woke up feeling refreshed. Any thoughts of him didn't cross her mind until she looked at her ring.
A over embellished ring which meant nothing to her.
Yagi noticed Aina's rigid posture. She played around with her wedding ring as well. She bit her bottom lip. Aina was still married to her husband. The husband who broke her trust and slept with his secretary on the ruse of loneliness. A flighty excuse which no one believed.
Yagi gulped, she took her chance when she asked. "Should we try this out?"
Aina stared at her in shock. "You... want to date me?"
"Yes," Yagi smiled. "You're already leaving your husband. Unless, you regret what we did last night. We can part from here and never speak of this again."
"No, I don't regret it." Aina sat down on the bed and shuffled the ring off her finger. "I just..."
"Never thought about dating a woman? Me either." Yagi snickered. "You'll be my first."
Aina twirled a piece of her wet hair. "Let me fix everything in the divorce." Her determination showed on her face. "We'll pick it up from there." Yagi leaned forward and Aina kissed her.
The end.