by Tara Ellis
Andre sat on a bar stool with a pint of Budweiser in his hand. He kept checking his cell phone for the time; looking at the entrance. He was waiting for someone to show up.
He was sitting at the bar in a club called The Gold Room. Joyce was the reason he was sitting there. After her flub in the arena her whole mood changed. He knew she was feeling terrible, but he was disturbed that she wouldn’t talk after leaving the stage. Joyce ran back to her dressing room with tears climbing down her cheeks; that was when he last saw her.
Before arriving he sent a text message telling her that he was still headed out for that night and that she should join him. He didn’t get a text back. He was weighing out the issue in his head to send another message. He thought about it hard. He really wanted to see her.
A hand touched his back. It was Vanessa. “Hey,” she said.
“How’s it going?”
“Actually today was alright, surprisingly.”
“That’s good. I don’t have a single clue where Joyce is or if she’s coming tonight.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. I thought she was doing great until the end. Oh did you see the episode tonight? Did they show it?”
“No, I watched it. They showed everything before she took that second leap. They would never embarrass a performer like that.”
The bartender came around asking Vanessa what she would like. It’s a shame, Vanessa knew she was too young to drink but she already was in the club so she figured what the hell.
“What do you suggest,” she asked the bartender. He told her the variety of alcoholic beverages they have, he even asked if she liked Merlot. At that Vanessa gritted her teeth through a smile and said no. After you wear a liquid you never want to drink it. She decided to purchase a long island ice tea.
“I didn’t know you could drink,” said Andre. He then leaned in closer asking “Do you have a fake ID?”
“The driver’s license is real,” she said. “Well on a second thought, the picture of me on here wouldn’t make it fake, just less legitimate.”
Andre smiled “I knew you had a dark side. Can I see it?”
She handed him her fake ID. He began to study it and something had poked in his mind. Nobody puts their real name on a fake ID. Not even the stupid criminals. “It says Selena Santana on here. Isn’t that your real name?”
Vanessa showed a guilty expression. She tried to work up a lie but her speech stumbled. She then excused herself to the bathroom.