Page 21 of At Your Door

“Oh, don’t look at me like I’m the crazy one. You’re the one who ma—”

“—YOU TOLD ME TO!!” I cut her off before she could finish, wincing at my voice getting loud.

“Fake it. Notactuallydo it—that was all you,” Eleanor finishes, her lips tight and her arms folded across her chest.

And I have nothing to say to that.

“Now, clearly, there’s more to this, don’t you think?”

My shoulders drop in defeat. I still can’t figure out what to say, but something is tugging at me from the inside.

“Don’t you want to go out tonight and see what else could happen? You never know; you could have fun!”

I chew on my bottom lip, listening to Eleanor sell this night to me like a car salesman trying to reach his quota. Maybe it’s because she’s a Libra, but she can convince me to do anything.

“And besides all that, you deserve a night out! Your damn apartment flooded—let’s get fucked up tonight!!!!!”

***

It took us another hour and a half to get ready before we finally headed to the bar. Halfway through one of my mini panic attacks, El told me she texted Monica—which I didn’t even know she had the number for—to tell them not to wait for us; we’d just meet them there.

That did take some of the pressure off, not having to consider a car ride with Griffon anymore. I don’t think my brain can handle the thought of us in such close proximity with nowhere else to go. I thought her apartment was bad, but fuck, that sounds like a death wish.

I can't tell if this is any better now that we’re on the way in the Uber. I’m already sweating, partly from stress and partly from how tight this halter-style jumpsuit is. Maybe it’s because it’s a few years old, but it’s probably still my nicest outfit. It’s all black, with a deep V in the front that almost reaches my belly button. Thin leather straps wrap around my waist and across the opening in the front, revealing my skin.

It’s sexy—El got it for me one year to wear for New Year’s Eve, and of course, this is my first time wearing it. But as she told me before we left, “Better late than never.”

I can feel each strap around my waist tighten with every breath I take. My thin black heels are already killing me, and I feel like I’m skiing down the pavement.

Am I actually torturing myself for…Griffon?

I don’t get the chance to think that over further when the car comes to a screeching halt.

“Here ya go, ladies! Stay safe tonight!”

Eleanor doesn’t even take a second before ripping open the door and hopping out, trying to drag me with her.

I barely manage to say, “Thank you, you too!” before my body is yanked out, and I stumble to catch my balance.

“What the fuck, El?!”

“Look! I’ve always wanted to come here!”

Finally, I follow her gaze to see a brick building with a small set of stairs leading to a steel black door.

Right next to it, on the wall, hangs a hot pink LED sign that reads

:

GIRLS

GIRLS

GIRLS

My eyebrows furrow. “I don’t get it—this is where they wanted to go?”

Like most things, El just chuckles and grabs my hand before heading up the stairs. Once we reach the top, she turns back to me, winks, then turns around and knocks exactly four times.

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