Page 44 of Euphoria
Chapter 15
Phoenix
So far,Karaoke night or whatever the fuck everyone is calling it, isn’t too bad. Bambi has definitely loosened up from being so damned tense. She and Ainslee were the first ones to hit it off again because they know each other, but they never really became good friends. It would’ve benefitted both of them.
I look at Orion who is on his phone texting and trying to hide his smile. I elbow him, “Who are you messaging?” I ask him in Greek.
He looks up at me. “Nothing gets past you, huh?” he responds in Greek,
“Nope. I know it’s a girl and it’s not the woman you’re married to.”
He snorts. “Obviously. I don’t like her, when will you fuckers get that, but anyway, me and her are friends.”
“You and who?”
“I’m not telling you her name. You’ll bug her because that’s you, but don’t worry, I’m just trying to be there for her,” he replies.
I look my brother up and down. “You? The man who has liked no one outside of Ainslee as a female... cares about being there for another person?”
Orion rolls his eyes. “She deserves to have someone by her side, dude. She has no one, and she’s sick.”
“You like her, don’t you? Have you told her you’re married?”
“Technically, I’m not married,” he replies.
I say nothing for a moment. I cock my brow, “What did you do?”
“I signed Ares’s name on the marriage certificate, so technically she’s not my wife.”
Ainslee turns our way like the noisy sister she is. We both knew she was listening to every word we said in Greek. Ainslee covers her mouth and tries not to laugh. “Ares is going to kick your ass,” she says in Greek.
Orion shrugs but I know he’s not looking forward to fighting our brother. Ares fights dirty and doesn’t care if you disapprove or not.
“Alright!” The host of Karaoke night gets our attention. “Up next we have Ainslee and Bambi performing Big Bad Mama by Foxy Brown!!”
Cheers erupt from our table. I look at Bambi whose eyes are wide, but she sucks it up and stands. She chugs the shot and downs her drink. She’s definitely tipsy. She removes her hoodie, and she has a black lace bustier tank. I stare at her and when she turns to move towards the stage, Bowie, who’s sitting right next to me, and I take a deep breath in at the same time. “Did you know she had that?” I ask him.
“No, I didn’t,” He says.
Bambi’s whole back is covered in a colorful tattoo, sort of like her painting. It’s half a Phoenix with large wings with one golden eye and the other baby blue. The expanded wing on the right side turns into music notes. Right under there’s her X.O. with both of our names. I love this girl.
“But I chose the song because we both know she’s going to kill it.” Bowie adds.
“Yep! And she loves Foxy. She probably thinks we forgot.”
“She thinks you’re both dirtbags, doesn’t she?” Orion interjects.
Bowie flips him the bird and looks back at Bambi as the music starts.
Ainslee is already dancing to the music like it’s her favorite song. Ainslee loves music so any and everything works for her. She sings off key sort of to the beginning as Sisqo starts it off and the girls cheer for her, then when Foxy’s part starts, Bambi lifts her mic and starts timidly. She’s not even looking at the lyrics. She’s warming up as the chorus comes on again and Ainslee is dancing around Bambi. Then the second verse comes in and she shuts her eyes as she raps even more. Her body loosens up as she moves to the music. By the time the chorus comes back on and it’s Ainslee’s turn, the girls at the table are cheering her on.
She’s finally in her element as she runs her fingers in her hair and she’s dancing seductively while she raps along. She opens her eyes and performs like she once did with only Bowie and I in the room. I place my fingers in my mouth and whistle loudly. When she’s done, we all clap for their odd but combo that works. Ainslee does a curtsy and Bambi smiles proudly. The girls stand and demand an encore. Bambi runs over to our table, grabs another shot glass and downs it. “Okay! But after this, we have to do a song together,” she says to Ainslee, Karessa and her sisters.
“I need another round of drinks before that.” Imala, the youngest LeClaire answers. She looks at her husband, Wyn, who stands and goes over to order them more shots.
Bambi cheers and then runs back to the host, whispering the song in his ear. Jennifer Lopez's Dinero feat. Cardi B comes on and Bambi forgets all of us as she does her thing. She does the first verse and the chorus, and I smirk at her when the second verse comes and JLO reps where she’s from but Bambi reps Guantanamo, Cuba where her mother is from. She smiles and continues. Flowing smoothing between Spanish and English.
“I didn’t know she had it in her,” Orion says.
