Lost in Texas Ch. 02

Laurie sat Alice on the bed. "So why don't you tell us why we got a call from Michelle telling us she was worried about you, and why she thinks you're keeping something from us."

Alice opened her mouth, but Heather cut her off. "And don't tell us 'nothing.' You went to bed with all your clothes on yesterday. You've cleaned the room so much they could perform surgery on the floor, and you're haven't changed or apparently bathed since yesterday. I'm familiar with the signs of depression sweetheart. I've been there more often than you know."

Alice felt tears welling up. She wasn't sure why. She hadn't really felt the need to cry before. What was there to cry about? She just had to figure out what she had wrong and go make it right with Jamie. Because things hadn't gone like they were supposed to. You have sex with someone and they're your friend. That was how it was supposed to work. "I . . . there's nothing wrong. I just . . . I just . . ." She just sat their, wringing her hands. She had forgotten what she wanted to say.

Laurie wrapped her arm around Alice's shoulders. The girl was trembling. "Michelle told us that you told her that you went to O'Malley's last night. Did something happen while you were there?"

Heather sat on the bed opposite them. "If there's nothing bothering you, then you won't mind telling us."

"I went to O'Malley's, just like you said." She was obviously struggling to keep her voice even, though she couldn't keep it from cracking. "I wasn't having much fun without you guys. The singing was especially bad though. This one guy managed to ruin a song I didn't even like. Do you know how hard that is to do?" She glanced around nervously, but neither girl was taking the bait. They weren't going to be distracted. "But right before I left, this girl sat down and started talking to me. She was really pretty and sexy and sweet. She kept telling me how nice I looked. She asked if I wanted to go back to her place to chat." Alice was beginning to feel like her throat had swollen shut. She wondered if she was getting sick. She told her friends everything that had happened at Jamie's place. Every word seemed etched clearly in her memory. Laurie's arm started trembling, and Heather looked angry again. But it wasn't her usual cynical-angry. It was her bleeding-forehead angry. "So that's it. I guess I just offended her somehow or did something wrong." Her gaze darted almost frantically between the two girls. "So I'm trying to figure out what it was so I can go apologize to her and maybe she'll like me again." She fell silent after that. Maybe they would be able to tell her what she did wrong.

"Alice," said Heather between clenched teeth, "what was this girl's name?"

"I . . . I don't think I should tell you. You look really angry and you shouldn't be. Whatever it was must have been my fault, so I don't want you . . ."

Heather had suddenly gotten up, told Laurie she'd be back in a bit, and left the room.

" . . . to go storming off," Alice finished.

Laurie found herself needing to be the voice of reason, which wasn't traditionally her strong suit. But this was important, so she chose her words carefully. "Honey, you need to let me say this. Don't interrupt. You didn't do anything wrong. This girl did. I've been around people like that before. She was a user. She saw someone she thought she could manipulate. Someone shy and naïve and alone."

"No," interrupted Alice, ignoring Laurie's earlier request. "She was so pretty and . . ."

"That's got nothing to do with it! I think deep down that you know it. Did you think that men had cornered the market on being pigs? Women are just as underhanded and devious. This girl sounds like a major shark, and you were her meal. You had to realize what she was doing, didn't you?"

Alice wasn't sure what to say. "Well, it didn't feel like it did with Michelle or Jane or Freddie, if that's what you mean. But didn't Jane say that everyone was different? I thought that maybe she just approached sex a little differently. I kept expecting for her to be nice like Michelle had been. I felt comfortable with Michelle, and I had only known her for a day. Why not this girl? Why couldn't I get her to like me the way you like Heather and she likes you?"

Laurie was flabbergasted. "Is that what you wanted? To fall in love just like that? Did you forget that I was after Heather for an entire year before she even noticed me like a girl instead of pest? Love isn't that simple to find sometimes."

"But you found each other. Like Jane found Michelle and Freddie. Why can't I find that? Why can't she see me like that? Why did she use me like that?" Alice gasped. It was like someone had flipped a light-switch on in the middle of the night, and her eyes suddenly were forced to adjust.

Laurie saw the gears finally clicking in her friend's head. "Alice, you're nineteen. You don't need to find 'the one' right off the bat. I got lucky, that's all. I had a parade of wannabe-lovers wander by, but that's all they were; wannabe's. I haven't had eyes for anyone but Heather in a long time. You're still discovering who you are. How can you find your soul-mate if you don't even know who you are yourself yet?"

Her friend was barely listening. She realized that she was sitting on a bed in cum encrusted underwear pining away for someone that had used her like a sex toy and disposed of her like a tissue. She had never dated in high school, so she had been completely oblivious to the obvious signs of insincerity. She had been used. And suddenly she started to cry. Once she started, she couldn't stop. She pressed down on her dress, tucking it between her legs. She was ashamed that she had wanted to spread them for that woman. She was ashamed because of what she'd done and how weak she had been. And she was ashamed that she couldn't stop crying.

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Meanwhile . . .

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Heather stormed into O'Malley's with the firm intention of killing someone. It was mid-afternoon, which was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, so the place was mostly deserted. Luckily she knew the hostess from school. They had never been friends, and the girl was one of those people who had waited for Heather to blow a fuse every day, but at least she didn't have to introduce herself. She tried to calm down. There was no need to antagonize the girl, particularly since she was about to ask a favor.

"Hey."

The girl looked around, as if surprised that Heather was speaking to her. "Hi. Heather, right?"

"Yeah. You're . . . Jennifer?"

"Well, Jenny for short, but yeah. I'm surprised you remember me."

"I remember everyone I've ever yelled at," Heather said with a smile.

Jenny chuckled. "You have quite a memory then." She was apparently pleasantly surprised by Heather's change in attitude from the previous semester. Heather actually smiled at her. It was a pretty smile, though somewhat unnerving.

"Yeah. Well, I have a question or two. Were you working last night?"

"Yeah. I worked until close."

"Did you see my friend Alice in here?"

"You guys are friends now?" She looked perplexed. "I thought you couldn't stand her. Or anyone. It's been weird seeing you all come in together."

Heather felt a little embarrassed. "Things changed a bit over the summer. It's a long story. But I was curious if you remember seeing her."

"Yeah. She was sitting over there in the corner. Kept expected you and your other friend to show up." Jenny almost had to force the word "friend" out. It wasn't one that anyone was sure how to use when referring to Heather and Laurie those days.

"Was she with anyone?"

"Now that you mention it, I saw her talking to a redhead that comes in here from time to time. Bit of a looker and a lot of a player, if you catch my drift."

Heather gritted her teeth. "Oh, I get it." Jenny looked suddenly worried. "No, don't worry. I'm not mad at you. But you wouldn't know the girl's name, would you?"

"Sorry," Jenny said, apparently sincerely. "But I know I've seen her in her before. I could ask Mike when he comes in. He was tending bar yesterday."

Heather wrote down her number on a piece of paper. "If he knows her name or how to get a hold of her, I would really appreciate it if you or he would call this number and ask for me. Don't leave a message if I'm not there though. I want to hear it live and in living color."

Jenny was looking suspicious now. "Mind if I ask what this is about?"

The dark-haired girl realized she would probably have to be honest if she were to get any help from this girl. She remembered Jenny as being a generally decent person. "Yeah. She was very disrespectful to my friend and I don't appreciate it, so I'd like to have a few words with her. I won't let anyone know you helped me. I just really don't like that sort of person."

"Is there a sort of person you do like?" joked Jenny.

"Apparently, blondes with big boobs."

Jenny's eyes widened. "So it's true? You and that Laurie chick . . ."

"Yep. Surprised me too."

"Isn't that a little weird, considering how you used to yell at her all the time?"

Heather flushed crimson. "I'm not proud of that. But being with her isn't weird. It's actually . . . well, kind of perfect." Heather couldn't believe that she was talking so openly about this with someone she barely knew. But she felt a need to confess her affection all of a sudden.

Jenny had a pleased smile. "I'll make sure to call you if I hear anything."

"Thanks. And by the way, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For whatever I yelled at you about." With that, she headed back for home.

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Back at the dorm . . .

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Alice was finally regaining some of her composure when Heather came back. Laurie ordered the poor girl to go take a shower to help clear her head. Alice reluctantly obeyed. Once she was gone, Heather turned to Laurie.

"So, did she tell you who this bitch was?"

"No, because she really doesn't want YOU to do anything rash. I think she'll get over it now that she's acknowledged what happened." Laurie grabbed Heather's hands. "Please don't do anything violent. I'd hate to have to visit you in prison. Though you would look cute in stripes. Have you ever . . . "

"I'm not going to stand by and let her do that to my friend."

"Alice is a big girl. It happens to girls her age every day all over the world. She got played. It was contem . . . contem . . . it was really mean, but it wasn't illegal. We can't guard her against every evil the world spits her way."

"Maybe not, but if I can find this one chick, I can certainly show her the error of her ways." She sat down on the bed and gave Laurie a quick kiss. "By the way, the word I think you work looking for was 'contemptible.' Besides," Heather said sighing, "how could I have been so blind, or so selfish for that matter? She was obviously messed up, and all I could think about was . . ."

" . . . was us," finished Laurie. The two of them sat on Heather's bed, shoulder to shoulder. Laurie lay her head on her girlfriend's shoulder and took her hand. Heather could almost hear the cogs turning in her head. The way Laurie's forehead scrunched up when she was deep in thought was so cute!

"Alice has left Wonderland, hasn't she?" Laurie asked at last. "Out of the rabbit hole and off with her head."

"I think the 'off with her head' was while she was still in Wonderland."

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I need to work on my anagrams."

"Analogies, sweetheart. Those are called analogies." Heather kissed her on the tip of the nose. "You're so cute when you get philosophical. Did you know that?"

"Hmm." Laurie just snuggled up against Heather. Just then, Alice emerged from the shower. She was wearing her pajamas and her hair was still plastered against her head.

"So, did I make a big enough idiot of myself?" she sniffed.

Heather smiled. "No. You could never be a big enough idiot for us." Alice chuckled a bit. Her eyes were red from crying, but Heather felt the worst of it was probably over. She and Laurie stood up and knelt on either side of the distressed girl, giving her a hug. Then Laurie pulled up a chair.

"Give me your foot."

"What? Why?"

"Just gimme." Alice raised her foot, and Laurie took in her talented hands and started to give her a foot rub. Heather knew from experience how good those felt. She placed a couple of pillows behind Alice's back as their friend settled back, enjoying Laurie's talented hands.

"I think what my eloquent girlfriend is getting at is that you need to try and relax."

"Yeah," said Laurie. "So we're just going to kick back, and I'm going to massage all your worries away, and we're going to sit around doing girly stuff and watch movies."

Heather looked over. "Did you say 'girly stuff'? There is no chance in hell . . ."

Laurie looked over, pouted her lips and used her arms to scrunch up her cleavage. "Please?"

Heather sighed. She really needed to develop a defense against Laurie's pout-attack. "Okay, I'll go rent the movies. Alice, what did you want to watch? Let me guess . . . horror?" Heather found it strange that the shy girl had such an affinity for horror films. She knew more about them than anyone else Heather had met. Heather was (slightly) concerned that she was rooming with a potential serial killer.

"If you don't mind . . ."

"Hell, doesn't bother me," Heather returned. If she was going to have to endure girlish antics, at least she could take comfort in the fact that Laurie got scared watching those types of movies, and she invariably wanted to cuddle during them.

"I don't care," Alice whispered, then seemed to find a little bit of internal fire. "Just find something where a redhead gets disemboweled."

Heather smiled and gave Alice another hug. "That's my girl." She turned to leave.

"Oh, could you pick up some ice cream?"

"Ooh yeah! Chocolate!"

Heather stopped in the doorway. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and closed the door behind her.

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Later in the week . . .

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Over the course of the week, Alice was pretty much able to recover. She might have become a little more guarded than she had before, but her friends were sure it would pass. She wasn't the first girl to be the recipient of a one-night stand (even though it hadn't even lasted the night). Heather did get a phone call from Jenny, the hostess from O'Malley's. She had talked to the bartender Mike, and apparently there was a bit of a story to that woman. Heather found out that the girl's name was Jamie Franklin, and she was a snake of the worst kind. Mike had noticed her casing Alice out before, but she was afraid to make a move. Apparently, Heather's reputation as a woman not to be trifled with had preceded her. So Jamie had simply waited until the dark-haired girl wasn't around to make her move. The girl hit a different mark each week with almost uncanny accuracy. Mike knew she lived nearby, but didn't have an exact address and suspected she was unlisted. But he knew that she rarely hit the same haunt two weeks in a row, so she was likely to disappear for a while. Heather thanked Jenny for the information and hung up. 'It may take a while, you fucking whore, but I will find you,' she thought. 'And I'll show you just what kind of bitch I can be.'

During the week, Alice was forced by Heather to call Michelle to alleviate the woman's concerns. When the muscular woman heard about everything that happened, she calmly asked to speak to Heather again. Alice didn't know what those two women spoke about, but she later reminded her dark-haired friend that she didn't want Heather doing anything rash, particularly if it was something Michelle had suggested. Alice had finally realized that she was indeed a big girl, and that she was just going to have to move on with her life.

Friday night rolled around and, much to Laurie's pleasure, Heather decided to blow off her women's lit group so the three of them could reclaim O'Malley's. They wanted to let Alice know that she was safe there. Both Jenny and Mike had promised to keep an eye out for Jamie. Both of them were working that evening, and both were recipients of some outrageous tips by Laurie. Being the daughter of a senator did have some benefits.

Laurie and Heather were definitely over their issues, but Laurie sensed that Heather was a little off her game. She kept glancing around nervously, and Laurie thought she might be on the lookout for Jamie.

"Calm down. Mike said she wouldn't be here two weeks in a row." She kissed her on the cheek. "So just sit back and relax."

Heather glanced away. "No, it's not that. It's just . . ." She was cut off as Mike announced the beginning of the Friday night karaoke contest. The three girls turned and faced the stage. Laurie and Alice marveled at how horrible the first series of people were. Each week, ten people got to compete for a one hundred-dollar prize, but the jeering public was lucky to find one of them that could actually carry a tune. And people could only participate in the contest once every six months, to prevent the singers that were actually good from beating away the "competition" each week. The first nine singers went up and gave it there all. Unfortunately, they all sucked.

Laurie looked over at Heather, who didn't seem as enthusiastic in her insults as she usually was. "C'mon sweetie. What's wrong?"

The speakers squeaked and Mike's voice blared through the air. "Next up . . . Holy shit! Heather Englund!"

Alice looked shell-shocked, but it was nothing compared to the dumfounded look on Laurie's face.

Heather looked sheepish. "I guess I should have told you," she said nervously.

Laurie looked into her eyes. Her girlfriend was actually scared. This was one of the toughest girls she had ever met. This was a girl who, despite her and Alice's protestations, had every intention of kicking Jamie's ass the next time she saw her. Heather hadn't even tried to sing for anyone but her and their small group of friends since her high school talent show, which had ended very badly. Laurie realized something. This wasn't an idle decision for the dark-haired beauty. Heather was doing this for Laurie. She was keeping her promise.

"C'mon Heather," joked the voice on the intercom. "Your audience is waiting."

Heather stood up. She was actually shaking a bit. But as she headed up towards the stage, Laurie grabbed her arm, spun her around and gave her a very warm, wet kiss. The crowd went nuts. Hey, they were mostly college students, and what college student didn't like seeing two hot young women making out in public?

"Go get 'em," was all Laurie could think to say. "Then we can go celebrate."

Heather smiled. She liked that idea. She made her way over to the little stage and grabbed the microphone. The music started playing, and Laurie had to agree with the choice. It was Pat Benetar's 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot.' It was a song that required a little bit of attitude to sing, and attitude was something Heather had in spades. The raven-haired siren stumbled on the first line as her voice cracked a bit. But Laurie just smiled, and Heather noticed. Before anyone could even get around to the catcalls, Heather found her voice again and let loose like no one could believe. Jenny had stopped by the girl's table to say hi, and she actually had to sit down. She was another music major and, like everyone else, was completely unprepared for Heather's voice. By the end of the song, Heather was moving around, stomping her feet and obviously was completely consumed by her own performance. The crowd cheered so loudly that they actually scared some passersby. Once Heather realized the song was over, she buried her face in her hands, glancing over the tips of her fingers at the wildly cheering crowd. Laurie was willing to bet bottom-dollar that her lover didn't know whether to laugh, smile or cry. It was a baby step for her, but at least it was a step forward.