I wrote this with the help of my amazing/fabulous friend Malissa! Luvvies to all my readers, please review darlings.

Santa Fe

"Is it hot there?"

I poked my head around the corner, Roger was searching through his closet with a puzzled look on his face. "I don't know!" I laughed. "You're the one that used to live there!"

"Arrg…" he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, tousling my hair. "You're so damn cute. What are you bringing?"

"Fishnets. Do you think there are clubs there?" I asked, putting my hand on my hip.

"Well duh," he said, "are there men there?"

I laughed. We had sold the majority of our stuff, so all we had left to pack up were our clothes. I missed my table, and my vintage fabric chairs, but it's not like we could bring them with us. Roger's car's trunk isn't nearly that big.

I looked over at the big window on the side of the apartment, then I stepped out onto the fire escape. Man, I was going to miss this place. It was where I met Roger, and where me and Angel had hung out. Some of her favorite boutiques and shops were just down the street. I glanced over at Roger. God, I loved him. I was doing this for him, moving to Santa Fe was a dream of his. And now that Collins had a place down there, it would be just like home. Except without the painful memories. There was too much in Alphabet City that hurt. Especially for Roger, he needed to escape the sharp pains that came along with April's memories. That's why Collins left. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't walk past the corner where Angel used to drum without collapsing with tears.

So we had to leave. There was too much here, we needed to start over. Millions of thoughts ran through my head as we approached the old pawn shop. Roger wasn't selling his guitar this time, I had saved tips from work, and then there was always the furniture money. The cold, metal bars that lined the shop's windows almost resembled a prison cell. The clunky, outdated car, with the remnants of what might have once been pretty blue paint, sat next to the shop. Roger went in, and came out with the keys. As we drove past the city, I said my last goodbyes. Something told me I would never be coming back.

We pulled up to Collins' restaurant. It was so Angel. Painted an almost tacky, but not quite pink, with gold glitter lining the window panes, it screamed Angel. In fact, the place was called Angel's. I heard Roger mutter under his breath, "Oh god. It's like a drag palace."

I rolled my eyes and we walked, hand in hand, into the restaurant. The walls were a soft baby blue, and the bar stools had zebra printed seats. Vintage couches mixed with bohemian looking tables filled the space. The blackboard behind the bar had one simple message on it. "No Day But Today," it read in bold red letters. "Try our specials!"

A tip jar sat on the bar, labeled, "Actual reality, act up, fight AIDS." We walked up to the bar, and the barista came up to meet us. She was shaking up what looked like a mojito. She was fair skinned, with sparkling blue eyes framed with long, dark lashes. A mass of blonde hair sat on her head in a messy bun that was threatening the laws of gravity. Her name tag read MALISSA with a small, pink heart dotting the I.

"Hi, can I get you guys something to drink?" she said, flashing Roger a bright smile.

I linked my arm in Roger's, to let her know he was taken. "Umm, no. We're looking for Collins," I said.

"He actually just went home. But he'll be back within the next hour or so. Are you guys his friends?" she asked.

"Yeah," Roger said. "I'm Roger Davis, and this is my girlfriend Mimi Marquez."

Malissa's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "Yeah, he's expecting you guys. Let me get you something, on the house," she winked.

"An old fashioned for me, and…" I gestured to Roger.

He shrugged, "Just give me the special."

"Stoli, okay?" the barista asked.

Roger laughed, it was so like Collins to make his favorite drink the special. "Yeah," he nodded eagerly.

The barista returned with our drinks, and looked at her watch. Her eyes widened, "I'm almost late for my second job!"

"Where do you work besides here?" I asked, sipping my drink.

"Oh, just this club down the street. It's called Alley Cats," Malissa blushed.

"Is it a stip club?" I asked, a little too eagerly.

"Umm, yeah," Malissa said cautiously. "But I don't dance there, I'm more of a bartender."

"Are you hiring?" I asked, again a little too eagerly. "I danced at a club back in New York."

"Kind of, Destiny quit last night. I guess you could come in and ask my manager," Malissa said gently.

"Great!" I said, stirring the little straw in my glass. Roger put his arm around me, as if to say he approved.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, so I turned around. There stood Collins, who hadn't aged a day since he left. "Hey guys," his deep voice bellowed.

"Collins, man!" Roger got up from his seat and embraced the taller man. "The place looks great! Ang-" Roger caught himself, "she would have loved it." Roger knew better than to say Angel's name, even though it had been almost a year, it was still a really touchy subject.

"Thanks Davis," Collins said. Then he looked toward Malissa, who was cleaning out a champagne glass. "I see you met my favorite barista.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm going to go try to get a job down at her club."

Collins smiled. This was the first time he had seen his friends since he left to open up Angel's. Seeing Mimi was hard, because it used to be that Mimi and Angel were always together. So seeing Mimi without Angel on her arm was painful. But life went on, even if time passed slow. And maybe Mimi and Roger staying at his place would help with the haunting dreams of his lover. So even though it hurt to see them again, in the end there really was only us.

Please review. Should I continue the story?