The bass shaking the club was drowning Amy out.
"I can't hear you Amy, text me okay?" Reagan spoke loudly.
"OKAY" Amy shouted, making sure that Reagan could hear her.
Reagan hung up her phone, adjusted her headphones and took a swig of from her bottle of beer. She had to bail on Amy today, an emergency job that she wasn't in the position to turn down. Who turns down easy money? Plus she needed to make some cash for her and Amy's two month anniversary. She checked her phone one last time before replacing a vinyl on her turn table.
Amy sighed and rubbed her face. Was she upset that Reagan had to bail? No, of course not. Well maybe a little. Karma had been profusely apologising and following her around like a lost dog and she didn't have anyone else but her girlfriend to speak to. Well, there was Lauren, obviously. But Lauren couldn't scratch the itch that Reagan could in just a few words. Amy considered ringing Reagan again when her Mom knocked on her door.
"Amy? Karma is here"
"What? Why" Amy shot up from her position on her stomach.
Amy's door opened and Karma was standing in her doorway.
"Because I want to apologise…again" Karma added rolling her eyes at herself.
"You did and I accepted your apology did I not?" Amy shrugged.
"Your mouth said that you accepted my apology but I know you Amy, you haven't forgiven me."
"Do you know me?" Amy muttered while flipping her phone between her fingers.
Karma shifted awkwardly. "So..?"
Amy waved her hand toward her bed, indicating that she would like Karma to sit down. Karma obliged, watching Amy spun her phone with gritted teeth. Karma decided she should be the one to break the silence.
"So..you have a girlfriend?" She rolled her eyes at what she realised was a lame conversation started.
"Yep" Amy answered shortly, her phone making a soothing repetitive click against her rings.
Reagan checked her phone. Still no text. Was Amy pissed at her because she had to bail? Her hand unconsciously shot to the hickey on her neck and she stroked it fondly. It had been a few days since Amy had marked her and it was still as red and angry as the day it was given, with no sign of fading. Reagan had decided ages ago to stop hiding it and let it disappear in it's own time. With no sign of a message from Amy she turned her attention to the crowd. Everyone was sweating, their hair plastered to their head, their clothing wet and hanging from their frames. Reagan wanted in. It looked kind of fun, she hadn't been in the crowd for a while and it would be nice to be on the other side of the decks for once. Reagan flicked a few knobs, pulled a few dials and grabbed her beer as she made her way down to the dance floor.
Karma had been counting the clicks of Amy's ring against her phone, it had to be at least two hundred by now. She couldn't take it any more.
"Amy. Are you going to talk or what?" Karma sighed.
Amy let out a annoyed sigh. "Well you came to my house, to my bedroom, why don't you start talking?"
"Okay, so you have a girlfriend?" Karma started.
"Didn't you just ask me that?" Amy sighed again. "Are you here to grovel or to pry into my personal life?"
"I'm not prying! Best friends share things Amy. Or have you forgotten!?" Karma was getting loud and quite frankly annoying. Amy rolled her eyes.
"I'm not interested in hearing your best friend manifesto Karma, move it along"
"Okay well I thou-. Are you KIDDING me Amy!?" Karma snatched Amy's phone from her hand. The same phone Amy had unlocked and starting composing a message on just as Karma was about to speak.
"Give me my phone Karma." Amy said with a somewhat threatening tone.
"No, you're not even bothering to listen to me" Karma spoke defiantly.
"I can do two things at once you know Karma and if you think this will make me want to listen to you, you are sorely mistaken." Amy laid out her palm expectantly and was relieved to feel the weight of it in her hand again. "So what was you saying?" Amy asked, continuing her message on her phone.
Reagan was being knocked back and forth and sliding between sweaty bodies on the dance floor. Not what she wanted or expected really. She thought she was going to burn a little energy and kill some time but now she was regretting her choices, so instead of continuing with her useless mission she decided to head for the exit. She could do with some air anyway. Her phone vibrated but she couldn't feel it. Being outside was a relief, the air was crisp and she didn't have sweaty people brushing up against her.
"You okay?"
Reagan spun around twice before she saw a woman leaning against a wall, the woman let out a throaty laugh. The mystery woman was towering over Reagan even though she was wearing flats, she was wearing a leather mini skirt that made it seem like her legs went on forever. She topped off her outfit with a red off the shoulder ribbed jumper. Her skin was dark and rich with melanin, her smile was wide revealing a set dimples and a set of perfect teeth, even though she had a tongue piercing. She wore thick rimmed round black glasses that made her look like a professor.
"Yeah, just, you know…life." Reagan smiled sadly.
"I hear you," the woman nodded sucking on her cigarette, her voice was raspy. Probably from an almost life time of cigarettes.
"Can I bum one of those?" Reagan asked nodding towards the cigarette in the woman's mouth.
"Sure, be my guest." She flicked open her cigarette carton and handed Reagan a couple.
Reagan placed one behind her ear and balanced the other between her lips leaning towards the open flame the kind stranger had now offered. Reagan sucked in the smoke and felt the familiar burn in her throat, she didn't smoke often just whenever she could bum one. It was safer that way.
"So what's your damage? My names Jack by the way."
"Reagan," Reagan pointed two thumbs at herself to indicate she was talking about herself. "And my damage? I was supposed to see my girlfriend to day, but I had to work instead"
"If you miss your girlfriend why are you at the club?" Jack cocked her head and smiled clearly amused.
"I'm working. I'm a DJ." Reagan nodded toward the poster to the left of Jack.
Jack pulled the poster from the wall. "DJ ROSA" she read aloud.
"My last name" Reagan clarified.
"Creative" Jack joked eyeing the poster. "You should get out of here, go see your girl."
"I can't leave" Reagan sighed.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Can't you?"
"All my equipment is here and I don't want the club owner on my ass." Reagan decided.
"I'll deal with it. As long as you buy me a coffee sometime. I have literally zero friends. I'm here on my own. It's pretty pathetic…I just" Jack trailed turning her attention to the ground beneath her.
"Hey. It's not pathetic, maybe a little sad. But aren't we all?" Reagan smiled at Jack. "Were you being serious about helping me out becaus-."
"Yes, go." Jack waved Reagan away. "I'll deal with it, don't worry."
"Wait, don't you need my number?" Reagan pushing herself off the wall towards Jack.
"Oh yeah, here." Jack handed Reagan her phone and Reagan added her contact details in under the name 'DJ Rosa'.
Reagan threw her butt on the ground and crushed it with her heel. She knew she must be out of her mind to leave all of her expensive equipment with a complete stranger, but she had a good feeling about her and she wouldn't mind making a new friend.
"Okay, thank you. I owe you. Coffee. I owe you coffee!" Reagan shouted while jogging toward her truck.
Jack shook her head and smiled as she watched Reagan retreat.
"….so long story short I'm sorry." Karma finished.
"It's fine Karma, really I'm over it. I just wanted you to grovel" Amy glanced down at her phone, she had fired off a message to Reagan a while ago and had heard nothing back from her. She considered sending another but decided against it.
"Tell me about her," Karma smiled. "about Reagan."
Amy paused and smiled a little, running through all the amazing things that Reagan is and does.
"Words don't do her justice. She's 19, she's a DJ, waiter, she lifts weights. The complete opposite to me, darker hair, eyes and skin. Her mouth forms a natural pout at all times, I love the way her eyes light up when she speaks about something she is passionate about, I love the way she speaks with her hands, it's just…." Amy sighed. Those hands, so soft and gentle although Amy has daydreamed more than once about those hands being rough and then soothing. Amy's eyes were faraway and a smile played on her lips.
"Hello?" Karma waved her hand in front of Amy's face.
Amy blinked and turned her head toward Karma. "Hmmm?"
"She's nineteen?, isn't that a bit? You know" Karma grimaced.
"A bit what Karma?" Amy snapped, she was paying full attention now.
"I don't know, you're 16. What does a 19 year old want with a 16 year old?" Karma mused.
"She just turned 19 and she doesn't want anything. She isn't a predator" Amy gritted. There was only so much more she could take.
"I'm just say-"
"How about this? How about you don't say anything. You don't know her, you don't know us. So just shut your mouth or leave my room. Do you know the law in Texas? Wait, don't answer that. I don't care if you do. You are supposed to be smoothing things over with me, but instead you are suggesting my girlfriend is a predator!?" Amy's face was red now, a steadily throbbing vein in the centre of her forehead. Karma knew better than to push it any further, she knew when she was beat. Karma made her choice and raised her hands in mock surrender.
Karma glanced the clock on Amy's wall.
"I gotta go anyway Li-"
"Yes Liam, something or other. Go. Bye" Amy interrupted. She was sick of hearing about the guy.
"We will continue this later," Karma assured Amy.
"Not likely" Amy muttered under her breath while practically pushing Karma out of the door.