Chapter 17
The whole group slept all day after the Jam Zone party. Lena had kept her promise and got them in as V.I.P.s for the whole event. It was the first time Denise had ever felt like she was a celebrity. The club was packed. Beautiful women were all over. None of them expected to see so many bisexual and gay women in the club. They were not the kind of women that Denise would go for, but Cooley enjoyed every minute of it.
Denise headed to the kitchen, where Lena was sitting eating a muffin. “Hey, girl.” Denise hugged Lena. She tried not to look at the shorts that Lena had on. Denise decided that she wasn’t going to ever try what she did the other night. She didn’t want to ruin her friendship.
“Hey, did you enjoy the party?” Lena asked her as she watched Denise walk around the kitchen. It was something about Denise in wife-beaters. She looked cute to Lena in them.
“It was amazing. I can’t believe I got to meet all those celebrities, and I know Carmen is still floating after meeting Supa Sonic.”
“Yeah, she was lusting all over Sonic. That was so funny to me. I have never seen her even look at women like that before.”
“Yeah, well, she is gay even though she tries to hide it sometimes. I was tripping off that rapper trying to get with you; well, all those rappers trying to get with you.” Denise knew she was a little jealous at all the men trying to get with Lena. She wanted to fight them all off of her, but Lena handled them very well. She obviously had to do it a lot.
“Yeah, that always happens. Brandon doesn’t even care anymore. He likes it, I think. The fact that so many men desire me is like a notch on his man belt or something.” Lena sounded a little upset. She hated when Brandon would let men get on her. She always wanted him to pull her away, but he never did.
“Well, I couldn’t let that happen to my girl. It would probably be a fight.”
“I can’t see you hurting a fly.”
“Yeah, I try not to,” Denise said as she took a bite of her muffin.
Lena noticed how full Denise’s lips were. She wondered if she was a good kisser. “Denise, tell me something. Why are you never trying to get with women? I have seen them try a lot on campus, and you never bite. Why is that?” Lena watched Denise’s expression; she could see the pain in her eyes.
“Well, I told you before, I just want to concentrate on my schoolwork and basketball. You know, work on my future first and relationship later.” She cracked a smile.
But Lena wasn’t buying what she said. “Is that really all it is?”
“Look, women aren’t always what they say they are. I would rather not date right now and wait for the right one, than get involved with the wrong person again.” Denise felt herself getting upset. She started to think about Crystal. She was still trying to get over her.
“Okay, I hear you.” Lena accepted the answer, but she knew it was something more involved.
New Year’s Eve approached. All of them were excited to be spending New Year’s Eve in Atlanta, and they expected a great night. Lena was sitting in her room reading a magazine when Cooley, Carmen and Denise all entered at the same time. They were all smirking, and she knew they were up to something.
“Lena, we just wanted to thank you again for such a wonderful holiday. It wouldn’t have happened without you.” Carmen was the first to speak.
“No problem,” Lena said, suspecting something else was coming.
“Yeah, so, tonight we are treating you to something.” Cooley added, “You’re going to our club tonight.” Cooley was smiling very hard.
Lena never thought they would ask her to go to a gay club. “Um, I don’t know about that, you guys. What if someone sees me?” she said, hoping she didn’t sound mean.
“So what, If someone sees you, all you have to do is ask what they are doing there,” Carmen added.
“We’re not taking no for an answer.” Cooley added as she walked out the room. “And don’t try to dress all down like some straight girls do. It’s a dead giveaway and makes niggas like me try you harder.”
“Try me?” Lena didn’t know what to think. She knew they were serious. She sat on her bed and thought about what Brandon would say if he found out.
“Lena, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.” Denise was the only one still standing in Lena’s room. She could sense the anxiety in her. “It’s not that big of a deal. We’re not going to make you go, but we would like to show you how we get down.”
“I just don’t know what Brandon would have to say.”
“Don’t you know the golden rule?” Denise asked.
Lena looked at her, not knowing what she was talking about.
“What goes on in Atlanta stays in Atlanta.” Denise smiled and walked out of the room.
Lena decided immediately to go.
The line outside of the club was wrapped around the side of the building and snaked its way around the corner.
Denise looked over at Lena, who looked very nervous. She grabbed her hand. “Look, if anyone tries to mess with you tell them that you’re with me, okay.”
Lena looked at Denise and smiled. She was glad Denise was there for her.
They headed inside the packed club.
“This seems just like a regular club,” Lena shouted over the music. The club was packed like the Jam Zone party. It even seemed a little more crowded. She noticed a woman lipsynching to Beyoncé’s “Work It Out.” The lady had on an outfit that put Beyoncé’s outfit to shame. “She is beautiful,” she said to Denise.
“She’s a man,” Denise responded back.
Lena’s mouth dropped.
Denise laughed at the expression on Lena’s face. She had to pull her away from the stage.
They headed upstairs to the lesbian floor, which was just as packed as the floor they came in on.
Lena was mesmerized by all the various looks of the women. She saw everything, from feminine women to very hard-core stud women. There were older studs, dressed in their best suits, with their women in matching feminine outfits. Lena laughed ’cause it reminded her of the HBO documentary, Pimps Up, Hoes Down and how the pimps dressed themselves and their hoes for the annual Players Ball.
“Are you okay?” Denise asked.
“This is wild. I need a drink,” Lena said. She took hold of Denise’s hand as they walked through the crowd.
Denise got a warm sensation when Lena grabbed her hand. She hadn’t felt that sensation since Crystal.
“Wow, it’s a lot of people here.” Carmen suddenly felt very insecure when they walked into the already crowded club. She started to pull on her outfit, afraid some imperfection on her body was showing. She felt someone grab her hand.
“You look great. Stop pulling on yo’ shit,” Cooley said. “Now go out there and pull you a stud.” Cooley smiled at Carmen.
Carmen headed out to the dance floor. As soon as she made it on the floor, an attractive stud started to dance on her from behind. She quickly showed off her moves, grinding on the girl to the beat of the music.
“I’m Tasha,” the stud said to Carmen.
“I’m Carmen. Happy New Year.” Carmen turned around to the stud.
The stud pulled her close. “It is now.”
The moment their eyes met, Carmen was officially glad she came to Atlanta.
Carmen and Tasha danced for a few more songs.
Carmen spotted Lena and Denise and headed over to meet them at the bar.
“Hey, guys, this is Tasha,” Carmen introduced them. She looked at Lena, whose eyes had become very tight. “What’s up with Lena?” she asked Denise.
“She has downed three Incredible Hulks.”
Carmen knew that Lena was drunk. She couldn’t drink that much Hennessy and Hpnotiq, especially when it was mixed together.
“Oh my God, Lena, are you okay?” Carmen noticed Lena closing her eyes.
“I think I need to throw up. Where’s the bathroom?”
“Come on, I’ll take you.” Denise put her arm around Lena.
“No, I can make it by myself. Enjoy yourself, meet a chick or something.” Lena quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Carmen looked at Denise, who was watching Lena as she walked away. She had a very concerned look on her face.
“She will be okay. She’s just going to the bathroom.” Carmen laughed at Denise, who threw up her middle finger to her. “Oh boy, my friend, you have it bad.” Carmen laughed again. She immediately knew Denise was falling for Lena.
“Whatever, man. I’m going to find some honey to dance with. You worry about your little friend over there.”
“Oh, I will do just that.” Carmen headed back to Tasha as Denise headed to the dance floor.
“I didn’t lose you that quick, did I?” Carmen asked Tasha, who was sipping on her drink.
“No, you didn’t. Here, I bought you a Cosmopolitan.” Tasha handed the martini glass to Carmen.
“Thanks.” She took a sip of her drink.
It was fifteen minutes before midnight, and Carmen and Tasha were inseparable. They danced the whole time.
Carmen felt so free as she moved to the music. She didn’t know what song was playing anymore. All she heard was the vibrating beats. Bright lights were spinning around; the floating feeling disappeared, and she suddenly felt like she weighed a ton. She closed her eyes. Her whole body felt strange. She started to feel sick.
“I need to sit down,” she said to Tasha.
“I got one better. Let’s head to my hotel room and ring the New Year in there.”
Carmen really didn’t know what Tasha said, but she agreed. She just needed to sit down. Suddenly everything started to fade out. All the bright lights were dimming quickly. Suddenly everything went black.