Not the Girls You're Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi

Author:Aminah Mae Safi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

15

The Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

Lulu wandered. It was not an aimless, pleasant wander. It was only directionless insomuch as she did not have a good lay of the architectural land beneath her feet. She wandered because she did not know where she needed to go to find who she wanted. She wandered because her thoughts were absorbed with predicting Audrey’s movements as much as with not getting lost in the Harrisons’ cavernous, beautifully appointed home. So Lulu wandered—purposeful and without direction.

Lulu didn’t remember greeting people as she moved through the house. She knew she did. She was raised too precisely to have ignored people she knew at such a juncture. But she didn’t remember whom she waved to or hugged. Her actions were rote, if charmingly so. She smiled where required, she laughed when she felt the conversation swelling to a point. And then she wandered off again, searching.

When at last Lulu found Audrey, there was no exhale of relief in the discovery.

Audrey had one hand on the neck of a plastic handle of vodka. She poured what was clearly her fourth shot into a cheap disposable cup. Her eyes were glassy. Three-shot Audrey was wide-eyed and full of possibilities. Four-shot Audrey was aggressive and not at all alert. Four-shot Audrey was a bar brawl waiting to happen. Thank God they’d never been let into a real bar.

Lulu caught Audrey’s hand as she finished the pour. “Stop it. We need to talk.”

Audrey’s face formed into a doofy half smile. “Cheers.”

“Audrey, please.”

Audrey threw back the drink, heedless. Her smile widened, grew toothier—sharper. “I’d offer you one, but I know you’re the designated judgmental bitch for the night. Better than the designated slut, right?”

Lulu stared at Audrey. “Fuck you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Fuck. You.” Lulu took a deep breath. “I’ve been looking for you all over this house like a crazy woman, and the first thing you do is throw Ramadan and Anderson in my fucking face? Well, fucking fuck you very fucking much.”

“Such a lady.” Audrey managed to pour herself another drink without breaking eye contact with Lulu.

“No, I’m not.” Lulu slammed her hand down on Audrey’s drink cup, spilling the contents across the floor.

“That was totally unnecessary,” Audrey said. Benign words, but Lulu could tell Audrey’s rage had gone from a heated lump of coal to pure molten lava.

“I agree. That shot was unnecessary. I think you’ve had enough to drink for the night. Maybe for the century. I’m honestly impressed. Who would have thought you could accomplish so much in three short years?”

“What are you, my mother?” Audrey sneered.

“No. I’m your friend.”

“I thought you were my friend.” Audrey took a long draw directly out of the handle in her hands.

Lulu stared. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re someone who hangs around and makes herself feel better by comparing her life to mine.”

“How could you say that?” Lulu didn’t shout. She could barely take in the air to get her vocal cords vibrating. What a sucker punch those words were.

“You’re so free from feelings.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.