Page 103 of A Dead Girl's Guide to Living
Or maybe, God help me, it was the hope that for once, I wouldn’t be the only one standing awkwardly at the edge of whatever was about to happen here.
By the time we walked into Frankie’s, I was already feeling halfway to emotionally drained, my own nerves chewing me up from the inside, setting me on edge.
The bar was sensory overload in its highest form. Pulsing neon signs lined the walls—rainbows, martinis, vinyl records scattered among them like a collage of pure chaos. No matter where you looked, every surface seemed to hum with life. A giant wooden bar stretched across one side of the buzzing room, framed by shelves stacked with bottles that glittered like trophies.
Posters of old pride marches and drag queen pageants covered one wall near the booths tucked into the corners. Ahandful of high tables crowded around a small elevated stage at the back, nearly all fully occupied.
A figure stood on the stage, just above the dance floor, draped in sequins. They wore a glittery blue blazer that shimmered under the giant disco ball, and their booming, deep voice carried across the room.
“Welcome to Frankie’s! It’s trivia night!” Their voice tilted upward, practically singing the word trivia. “If you’re a walk-in, don’t fret. We’ll find you a team! No one ever plays alone at Frankie’s.”
They wiggled their brows at the room, then threw out a fishnet-covered leg, showing off a terrifying pair of blue platforms.
Dove was practically vibrating with joy beside me, bouncing on her toes. “Oh my God, yes! Trivia!”
My internal organs were already seizing up, my eyes darting at every new sight or sound. I hardly registered Dove taking my hand, wrapping her fingers around mine, and leading me toward the high tables. I was too deep in my own mind, mentally calculating every possible way this night could end. Humiliation? General awkwardness? Blacking out from embarrassment?
All had high odds across the board. I was a punter’s dream bet.
“We don’t have to—” My weak protest was cut off.
“Come on, Ellis,” Dove said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Trivia! You love facts. We couldn’t have shown up on a better night. Oh, look, there are two seats free there.”
As Dove dragged me along, I caught sight of Liv strutting across the bar in her sequined outfit, shimmying as if the whole room could see her, as if we were her personal audience.
“Hi!” Dove’s voice rose, bright and friendly, snapping me back to the present. “Were you two waiting on anyone else, or could we crash your team?”
I looked up.
Two girls, maybe midtwenties, a brunette with a crooked smile and a faded band tee, and a petite blonde with a tattoo sleeve peeking out from under her flannel.
“For sure!” the brunette said with a smile. “Our friends bailed on us anyway. I’m Jules.”
“And I’m Siena,” the blonde added, her eyes twinkling as she looked us over.
Dove grinned and nodded as we slid into the seats. “I’m Dove, and this is Ellis.”
“Dove,” Siena repeated, her blue eyes shining. “That’s a unique name.”
“Like the bird,” Dove said, her lips still curved in a smile. “Not the soap.”
Siena let out a giggle, and I didn’t miss the quick side-eye her friend Jules shot her. When Jules caught me watching, I hurriedly looked away.
The rattling laughter of other tables and the clinking of glasses filled my ears as a hum of easy energy buzzed around us. No one here looked like they cared about schedules or binders or the crippling need to plan an exit strategy.
They were just living.
Loudly.
I swallowed and curled my fingers under the table, digging my nails into my palms as I tried to ground myself.
There were so many people.
A waitress came over to take drink orders for the table. The two across from us ordered some kind of cocktail. Dove ordered a Coke, and I asked for water, once again avoiding eye contact with the two strangers.
“Relax,” Dove breathed into my ear as the others ordered. “They won’t bite. Maybe if you ask...”
I shot her a look, and she smirked, that stupid dimple showing again, sending my already flurried emotions spiraling.
