Incognito

by Maria Jackson

  “Just to get you alone,” Pearl said. “I used to think about you a lot, you know. I couldn’t find anything about you online, so I stopped looking. But it must mean something that I ran into you here.”

  Starshine huffed. She had thought about her too, but not in the same way.

  She just needed to get Pearl calmed down, and then she could go back. She would talk to Kylie, and everything would be normal again.

  “It’s hard to believe I’m finally here,” Pearl said. “I should’ve gotten all of this for free five years ago.”

  What exactly was she even expecting? “Well, you know…” Starshine trailed off, with no idea what to say to that. This might be difficult to handle. Pearl was a little too crazy.

  “I want to see you dance again,” Pearl said, licking her lips. “You look so damn good, even better than you did back in college. I can’t believe you were hiding such a sexy body all that time.”

  She reached out for Starshine’s arm, then dragged her claw-like fingernails along her chest. Starshine did her best not to recoil at the touch. It made her sick to let her do it, but she needed to satisfy Pearl to the point where they could calmly go out front again.

  “Shame on you for keeping that gorgeous body hidden,” Pearl said, biting her lip as she looked at her.

  Pearl didn’t even realize that this body belonged to Starshine, not to Stella. She had only gotten fit and toned once she had come here. If she had stayed her nerdy journalist self, she would never have looked this good. She was a waitress now, and she was different.

  She stood awkwardly next to Stella, trying to think of what to say to get her out of here. Before she could come up with anything, Pearl stood up next to her and put her hands all over her.

  “Pearl, you need to sit down.”

  “I want to touch you,” she whined. “I’ve always wanted you. You know that. Now I’m going to have you.”

  “That’s not what this is about. I didn’t bring you back here to have sex with you.”

  “It’s the party room. I want to party.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t mean anything except that we serve groups back here. I don’t owe you anything, so take your hands off me.”

  Pearl’s eyes narrowed, and she took a step back. “Are you seriously telling me that you don’t want me?”

  “Yes.”

  She took her seat again. “Fine!”

  Starshine crossed her arms and took a deep breath. “Could we just talk, maybe? How have you been?”

  For a minute, things were fine. They made small talk and caught up a little. Pearl seemed to have gotten it through her head that they were only going to talk. Things were going to be all right.

  Starshine glanced at the door for a second. When she turned back, Pearl had her top off.

  Starshine’s eyes widened and she froze, choking on her own breath. Pearl was really sitting there in nothing but a bra—thankfully she had kept the bra on. She posed on the table, giving Starshine what she must have thought was a seductive look. “What are you waiting for? Come here,” she said.

  Springing into motion again, Starshine covered her eyes with her hand. “Put your top on.”

  “My gosh, you’re bossy,” Pearl said. “I like that. Want to tell me what else I should do? Maybe take off my pants?”

  “You’re literally crazy.”

  “Tell me,” she said, her hands at her waistline.

  She may have had a nice body, but Starshine was way, way beyond caring. This woman couldn’t have tempted her even if she wasn’t head over heels for somebody else.

  “Let’s have sex,” Pearl said. “We were supposed to do it five years ago. We were brought back together for a reason. That’s why we’re here alone. I waited so long for you. I need you on me.”

  “Pearl, no,” Starshine said, peeking through her fingers to see if she had put her clothes back on. She hadn’t.

  “What’s the matter? It will feel so good. I’ll make it so good for you. Don’t you want me?”

  “We’re in the middle of a public place. There’s people all around us.”

  “The door is closed. Nobody will have the slightest idea of what we’re doing in here. Come on, get over here.” She lay back on the table, lifting her legs and spreading them wide. “Or would you rather have me go down first? I don’t mind.” She climbed onto her knees.

  “It’s not going to happen,” Starshine said. “I’m not interested.”

  “What, are you saying you have someone else in your life?”

  Starshine thought of Kylie, wondering what someone as crazy as Pearl might do if she thought she did have someone. “That’s not relevant. I’m not interested. I’m just not into you like that, and I never was. I didn’t have sex with you back in college because I wasn’t feeling it. That’s all.”

  “You’re single, I’m single, we’re alone,” Pearl said, her eyes glazed over. “Let’s do it, Stella. I know you want me, even if you say you don’t. I can tell how turned on you are.”

  Turned on? She’d never been less turned on. She was absolutely repulsed by this woman. Thankfully Pearl couldn’t remember what she had studied back in Haberdee. She was just hung up on Starshine’s looks, and didn’t care about her mind. That spoke to what kind of person she was.

  “Pearl, stand up and get your clothes on. We’re not having sex. In fact, we’re going to go back in the main room. You can find your friend and have a nice dinner. I won’t tell anyone what you tried, but I can’t stay with you in here.”

  She moved toward the door, hoping that would tell Pearl she was serious. Even if she just left her in here alone, that would be better than staying in here with her. This was seriously fucked up.

  As she put her hand on the door handle, Pearl’s nails dug into her shoulder. “Wait, Stella. I just remembered what you were in school for.”

  Starshine’s blood went icy, and she stared at Pearl with the chill running through her veins. “You do?” She didn’t have any more eloquent words.

  “I do,” Pearl said, nodding with a malicious smile curving up her lips. “You were studying journalism.”

  Starshine considered denying it, but that would have been useless. They both knew that it was true.

  “You always wanted to be a reporter,” Pearl said, closing her eyes as if going back to the memories of their few dates. “Sure is strange that someone who wanted to be a reporter would end up as a waitress at a place like this. Isn’t it?”

  Starshine lifted her shoulders and lowered them, hoping she seriously just found it strange. “Things happen. People change.”

  “Unless you’re reporting on the restaurant,” she slurred.

  Starshine trembled. “Why would I do that?”

  “You are, aren’t you? Do they know you’re doing it, or is it a secret?”

  “You’re crazy. You can’t tell anybody any of this. No one will believe you.”

  “I don’t believe you. I know what you’re doing.” She took a step back, sitting down again and opening her collar to reveal a deep line of cleavage. “And you know what you have to do if you don’t want anybody to find out.”

  Twenty-One

  The customers at Kylie’s table were nice, even pleasant, but Kylie couldn’t keep her mind on the conversation. She kept thinking back to Starshine and the things Pearl had said. They gave her a hint that something was up with Starshine, but nothing more than she had already known. She still hadn’t figured out the key piece to the puzzle.

  Just as she repeated Pearl’s words to herself again, she saw Starshine herself storm out of the party room. Stranger yet, she was dragging Pearl along with her.

  “Excuse me for a minute,” Kylie said, getting up before she had even decided she was going. She had to see what was happening with Starshine.

  Acting on instinct, she followed behind Starshine and Pearl. She was close enough to hear Pearl yell to let her go. “Get your hands off me!”

  Funny, that wasn’t what she was saying a few minutes
earlier.

  Kylie held back enough that Starshine might not notice she was there. She hoped she wouldn’t. She wanted to get the most authentic possible read on the situation. But if Starshine happened to need her, she’d be there to back her up.

  Starshine dragged Pearl right up to the front door and tried to push her out. The manager came running up from his office. “What’s going on?” Tony asked.

  “This woman needs to get out of here.”

  Tony blinked at Starshine, looking completely confused. Pearl was a small, nonthreatening woman. She appeared to be professional, even if she’d had a few drinks. However, she was frothing at the gills at the moment.

  “What’s going on?” Tony asked.

  “I need her out, and don’t let her back in. I want her banned for life from this restaurant.”

  Kylie was surprised to hear Starshine speaking so firmly. What could Pearl have done to make her react like that?

  Tony nodded. “All right. If you say she’s not welcome here, I believe you.”

  “Thank you,” Starshine said, letting go of Pearl as Tony took hold of her.

  Pearl writhed and wiggled, trying to get out of the manager’s grip, but he was too strong. She had no chance against him.

  Now that Pearl was being restrained, she practically screamed. “You need to get your hands off me, too! This isn’t right. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “She does seem a little unhinged,” Tony commented.

  From her vantage point just inside the door, Kylie had to agree.

  “Hey, everyone in there!” Pearl shouted, slurring her words drunkenly. “I’m getting thrown out for absolutely nothing. Does this seem right to you? I’m a paying customer, just like everybody else.”

  “Please get her out of here,” Starshine said, coming back toward the door.

  “I’ll leave,” Pearl seethed. “You don’t need to use force. I just have one thing to say, though. This person here is not who she says she is.” She pointed at Starshine. “Whoever wants to know the truth about Starshine, as she calls herself, can get in touch with me.”

  Taking a step back as Tony let go of her, she put her hand in her purse and threw down a handful of business cards. “That goes for you, or you, or any of you,” she said, pointing at Tony, Kylie, and the room in general.

  A small circle of people had surrounded the door, and their curious faces were poking out behind Kylie’s.

  “All right, show’s over,” Tony said, placing himself between her and the door. “You said you were going to leave now, and that I wouldn’t have to use force. Prove it.”

  “Oh, I’m done here,” Pearl said, walking toward the parking lot.

  Her friend burst out of the door and came after her. “Pearl, oh my God!”

  The two of them talked quietly as they got into a car. Kylie breathed a sigh of relief as they drove away. Even without knowing what had happened, she had been afraid for Starshine.

  Just as Kylie stepped out the door, Starshine walked in. She stood by the door, panting. Kylie decided to see what she could glean outside, then talk to her.

  “Good job getting her to go,” Kylie told Tony. “I was afraid you were going to have to get physical.”

  “A woman like that thinks she’s a lot tougher than she is.” Still calm, Tony bent to pick up the business cards that were scattered across the pavement. “I’ll keep these for evidence in case she makes any more trouble. There’s a chance we haven’t seen the last of her.”

  Kylie went to Starshine. “What happened?” she asked simply.

  Starshine shook her head.

  Why was Kylie even surprised that she didn’t want to talk? “You’re not going to tell me anything, S?”

  “I can’t even deal with thinking about it right now.”

  “She must have been acting up pretty badly,” Tony said. The tone of his voice made it clear that it was a question. Considering that he had thrown the woman out on Starshine’s request, he had the right to know why.

  Starshine looked at each of them in turn, her face reluctant but sincere. “We were in the party room,” she finally said. “She wanted sex, and she tried to blackmail me for it.”

  Kylie opened her mouth, but she had no words. She could picture it happening. That woman was exactly the type of lunatic to do such a thing.

  Tony was blunt about it. “That’s not okay.”

  All Kylie could do was agree. “Definitely not. That’s just insane. I’m sorry you had to deal with that, S.”

  Starshine exhaled, looking at the ground. “I can’t believe that I did.”

  “Do you need to take a break?” Tony asked.

  “No, I’m fine. I’m just going to go back inside.”

  Kylie watched Starshine go back in. She was pretty confident if she thought she was going to be able to act normal for the rest of the night. Then again, she did have that talent at acting.

  “Poor girl,” Tony said.

  Kylie nodded. She didn’t doubt that Starshine had told the truth, but she was leaving something out as well. What exactly had Pearl tried to blackmail her about? What had she meant when she said she wasn’t who she claimed to be?

  “Yeah, poor girl,” she agreed. “I’m going to go back in, too. But… do you mind if I grab one of those cards?”

  Twenty-Two

  Starshine walked through the main room with a smile pasted on her face. She was glad that not too many people had seen the altercation. A few people had noticed when she had dragged Pearl out, and several had grouped around the door, but there hadn’t been much to see and they had gone back to what they were doing.

  So she made her way over to a table of friendly-looking men, who all smiled at her as she sat down. “How’s your night going?” she asked.

  “Great, how’s yours?”

  She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. “Fantastic. Can I get you anything?”

  She didn’t know if she was more furious or terrified. Pearl was an unknown quantity, and she had no idea what she was capable of. She hoped it was over now. Pearl probably wouldn’t be crazy enough to try anything more, especially once she sobered up. But what if someone contacted her and found out who Starshine was?

  What if Kylie did? Kylie would hate her if Pearl told her the truth. If there was to be any hope of Kylie accepting her for who she was, Starshine had to tell her herself. Kylie wouldn’t be happy about being deceived for so long. Starshine had been lying to her for months, even as she fell for her. Kylie had every right to be pissed off with her.

  Starshine looked up at the men around her, realizing too late that her smile had fallen from her face. The fear of losing Kylie gripped her, and she thought about just how much Kylie meant to her. She would absolutely hate it if anything were to happen to their friendship. And the fact was, she wanted it to be more than a friendship.

  She was pretty sure they’d already said no to her question. “How are your drinks?” Starshine asked, grasping at something to say. “They look very… wet.”

  The men looked at each other as if exchanging silent words. “They are pretty wet,” one said. The confusion on his face was obvious.

  Maybe Starshine could save this if she made a dirty joke. She tried to come up with one, but she had nothing. “I’m glad you’re enjoying them.”

  As she looked around, she saw Tony walking up to their table. Her heart beat a little harder as the manager greeted them. “I’m so sorry to take Starshine away from you, gentlemen, but I’d like to have a chat with her.”

  “You can borrow her as long as you bring her back.”

  These customers were always so kind. Starshine gave them a look of genuine appreciation as she got up.

  Starshine and Tony had always gotten along. Tony seemed to like the amount of questions that Starshine asked him. Some people were like that, flattered that someone was interested enough to be curious about them. Starshine had asked him all sorts of things about running a restaurant. She needed to get him on
e-on-one one of these days, too. Well, if she still had an article to write. She was beginning to doubt it.

  “I just wanted to make sure everything is all right,” Tony said. “We can’t have things like that happening here.”

  “I know. I tried my best to prevent it. I’m sorry.”

  “That woman isn’t welcome back here,” Tony said. “If you happen to encounter her, you can tell her that.”

  “I hope to not encounter her.”

  Starshine knew Tony was being kinder than he needed to. This could’ve gone much worse. She probably shouldn’t rely on being able to stay here for much longer. She did have plenty of material for her article. In fact, her boss had just been pressuring her to leave early.

  “I’m going to step outside for a break, if you don’t mind,” she said, standing up.

  The owner nodded, so she went back to her locker and grabbed her phone. Once she was outside and out of the bouncer’s earshot, she dialed Krista.

  “Hello?”

  Krista’s voice was sleepy, and Starshine kicked herself. She had completely forgotten that normal people were usually asleep by midnight. Well, it was urgent.

  “Sorry to bother you,” she said. “I just had a run-in with someone I used to know.”

  The sleepiness disappeared from Krista’s voice. “You mean, someone who knows you’re a reporter?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I don’t suppose this person was careful and cautious and had no plans to expose who you are, or you wouldn’t be calling me,” she said flatly.

  “No, it’s not that easy,” Starshine said. “If only! It’s more of a ‘disgruntled ex’ kind of situation.”

  “Shit.”

  Shit was right. This whole thing was pure shit. Starshine wondered how she had gotten into this. She should have stayed back in Haberdee where this kind of thing wouldn’t have happened.

  Of course, then she would never have met Kylie.

  “I don’t know what to do,” she told her, leaning against the brick wall. “I don’t know if it’s safe to stay here.”

  “You said you have enough material for the article,” Krista said. “Just go with it.”