In the Best Damn Dress I Own

There, right in front of me. My love’s lips were pressed hungrily to that bitch’s. I felt so much hate at that moment; rage was ripping through every vein in my body. I wanted to kill someone, namely Erika and Frank. I had never felt such a rage toward the man I loved, but his was beyond anything I had ever felt. He knew what had happened between Erika and me, and now he was kissing her.

On my stiletto, I turned, stomping out of the alley. Before I could get to the door, I heard sneakers pounding against the pavement. A hand soon clasped around my shoulder, and I saw the orange letters; W, E, E, N.

“Gerard, wait…” I smacked his hand away, causing it to whip back to his side instantaneously. Turning around to face him, I saw Erika grinning in victory in the background.

“Why should I wait for you, huh? I just caught you cheating, and you expect me to just be fine with it? Well, I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m not. Fuck, I know we haven’t had sex lately, but you could have just told me. You didn’t have to go running around with a skank behind my back.” Erika’s look of accomplishment turned to a sour one. I could have chuckled at her face if I wasn’t so furious.

“Please, just let me explain,” Frank pleaded. His eyes were watery and his lip was quivering. So many romantic movies told me what he was doing. He was trying to make me feel sympathetic so I would take him back. Then, he’d do it all again. I had seen it all before, and I didn’t want any of his crocodile tears.

“Sure Frank, explain why you were sucking my enemy’s face off. I’d love to hear how you got caught up in that situation.” My voice was dripping with sarcasm. I didn’t want to know why he was kissing Erika; that would only hurt me more.

“Baby…” His sentence was cut short as the sound of skin connecting with skin echoed through the alley. My hand withdrawn, he brought his own up to his now assuredly stinging face.

“Don’t call me that,” I seethed. My teeth were clenched and my eyes were set directly on his. “Don’t bother coming home tonight.” My voice was cracked as I tried to maintain my show of ferocity. In all reality, I just wanted to break down and sob. I wanted to fall to the floor. I wanted to go home to my mother and eat a whole tub of ice-cream. I couldn’t do that though, because then Frank would know how much I needed him.

Instead of falling to the floor, a sobbing, weeping mess like my heart told me to do, I turned on my heel again and marched inside. I passed Evaleene, who looked worried as the tears finally started to make their way down my rouged cheeks. My hand quickly made a motion to signify that she shouldn’t worry.

Passing the dressing rooms, I flung open the restroom door. No one was there, so I chose a random stall. Once seated on the toilet, I let my body rack in sobs. My eyeliner was running, but I didn’t really give a fuck at that moment. All I knew was that I was alone again.

I tried thinking of why Frank would do that to me. Deep down inside, I knew the answer. Why did I ever think that he would want to date a freak who dressed like a woman when he could date an actual woman? It all made so much sense now.

Through my sobs, I didn’t hear the bathroom door open, nor did I hear the sequined stilettos march across the tiled floor. All I heard was a knock on my bathroom stall, and a falsetto voice saying, “Genna, are you alright?”

Oh, that’s just what I needed; Evaleene. She was so sweet though, coming and checking up on me like that. I suppose I owed her an explanation.

I opened the door, only to reveal a middle-aged woman, dishwater-blond hair piled in a bun on her head, clad in a pin-striped dress-suit, and French-tipped nails poised to knock again. Without hesitation on seeing my tear-stained face, she wrapped my in a motherly embrace. I could tried composing myself, but couldn’t. I broke down again, my sobs muffled by Evaleene’s jacket that matched the suit.

She stroked my back caringly, ever so often mumbling “It’s okay. It’s all going to be alright.” I thought about how cliché that sounded, but it was so heartwarming that I chose to ignore it. Right now, it was Evaleene’s arms I wanted to hold me.

Once I felt like no more tears could fall from my hazel eyes, I stood up straight. Evaleene looked at me, and I knew she deserved to know what was wrong.

“Evaleene, I’m sorry for breaking down like that. I really don’t know what’s come over me.” She looked at me sympathetically, and I knew why. I was so damn pathetic.

“Oh, Genna, that’s alright.” I nodded, confirming that I understood. I wasn’t incompetent, and I knew that it wasn’t ladylike to cry in public. Evaleene was just being overly nice and trying to make me feel better about the present situation.

“Right, well, I think I should probably tell you why I was crying.” Her attention was instantly drawn to me, as I knew that all women loved gossip. I sighed before continuing, “Well, Frank rather broke my heart.”

I felt tears begin to prick at my eyes again, and I tried holding them back. A couple of gasps to control myself later, I was fine, a little unstable, but fine. Evaleene had already enveloped me in another hug, and I gently pushed away from her.

I tried to speak, but nothing came out. Evaleene saw this, and took advantage of it so that she could speak.

“What did Frank do? I mean, just ten minutes ago you two were chatting it up and laughing at each other’s jokes. You looked so in love. How could he have hurt you in such a short period?” Her eyes shone with questions. She was right to be confused, as all she had said had been true.

“When I walked out to have a cigarette with him, I saw him all over Erika. It was horrible.” The questioning look in her eyes faded to that of sympathy again.

“Well, I’m going to have a talk with that woman. That’s just so unladylike.” I chuckled at her attempt to make me feel better. Once I did so, her eyes shone again. “There’s that laugh I’ve been looking for. Now, I’m going to go and talk to the other girls for a bit. You get yourself cleaned up and then come and gossip with us. It’ll be fun.” She wiggled her eyebrows as she said the last sentence, and I giggled again.

I saw her turn on her heels to leave the bathroom. I couldn’t let this moment stop there.

I called out to her, and she halted, turning once more to face me. Her eyes shone with that inquisitive look again, and I knew there was no turning back. My heart was beating a faster than I had ever felt it before, and my palms were slick with perspiration. My lips started to form the words, but nothing came out. The sentence got stuck somewhere between my vocal chords and my mouth. I tried again, my words barely audible and just above a whisper.

“Evaleene, there’s something else I think you should know as well.”