The Love in You

As the show ended, I sat in my seat for a few moments, amazed by everything I had just seen. I had seen the show every year, but Janelle being the one on the stage made everything ten times as interesting and brilliant. When the woman next to me tried to push past my legs to get out into the aisle, I stood up and headed out into the crowded aisle.

I made my way with the group of people towards the lobby. I slipped my way over to an abandoned staircase and watched as everyone hustled out into the street, the children all carrying programs and cotton candy.

I felt my phone vibrate in my bag, so I pulled it out and saw that Janelle was calling me. I grinned and picked up the phone excitedly.

"Can I have your autograph Mrs. Superstar?" I joked to her. She laughed as I heard her open and door and slam it shut.

"So you liked it?"

"Liked it? I absolutely loved it. You were incredible. I had no idea you could move like that," I said like a crazed fan girl. I loved watching Janelle succeed.

"Thanks Kate! So do you want to grab a late lunch?" She asked.

"That would be great,"

"We should go to Chipotle. They have the best vegetable burritos in the world. They're so yummy," She said, making me hungry.

"Sounds great. Where should I meet you?"

"Are you in the lobby?"

"Yeah, I'm on the stairs near the door."

"Just go up the stairs and I'll meet you at the top," She said as I got up from my seat and started climbing the stairs.

"Ok, sounds good. I'll talk to you in a few, bye."

"Okay, bye," She said before I shut my phone and put it back in my purse. At the top of the stairs, there was a "powder room" and dozens of wall sized photographs of the Rockettes. I walked along the pictures, looking at how each one was dressed from a different era. Each was decked in a short, revealing dress and tap shoes. One looked like she was from the Renaissance, one was a flapper, one looked like a hippie, and I saw Janelle in a picture dressed like a little red and white elf in the second to the last picture. The last picture was of Santa.

The door to the right of me opened, and out came Janelle. She was wearing leggings as pants and a red blouse. She still had her makeup on from the show, as her face was covered in glitter.

"Hey," She said coming over and giving me a big hug.

"You were awesome! Great job!" I said hugging her back. We broke apart before linking arms as she led me to a door that read "Employees Only". She easily pushed it open before letting go of my arm. We both descended a metal staircase before she pushed open an emergency exit door, and the two of us headed out onto the streets of New York.

"Well how are you?" She said as she led us down the street. I shrugged, walking faster to keep up with her.

"I'm good. Your show made my day," She giggled a little before stopping in front of a store window to stare at a chiffon dress in the window.

"I need to go shopping. Do you want to come with me later after I go home and shower?" She asked me as we continued down the street. I was about to say yes when I remembered that I had already made plans. I saw the sign for Chipotle restaurant right next to Jamba Juice.

"Maybe. I was invited to go see a concert later." I said to her as she opened the door to Chipotle. She stopped for a moment and looked at me.

"Katelyn Marie Imblum, you already found a date after one day? That's my girl," She said as we walked inside. There was a long line to the register, but the amazing smell of the restaurant made me patient enough to wait for the food. We got in line before I decided to start telling her the story.

"Well it might not be a date. I met this guy Bill at the club last night. He's in a band, and he invited me to see their show."

"If it's at Zappy's Nightclub, you are not going." She said as the line moved forward a little.

"What's Zappy's Nightclub?"

"It's a stripper place and a whore house that plays music. When I first got here, a cute guy asked me to see him perform there. I went, and he wanted me to be his pole dancing stripper during his set," I stood aghast at how a poor, innocent Janelle got tangled up with a jerk like that.

"Did you slap him?" I said curious to see what she did.

"No. After two hours on the pole, I made out with him and lost my virginity in the bathroom," She said shrugging it off as the line moved drastically. I followed Janelle, but my mind was blank. Janelle was a bit of a slut I guess. Not to disrespect her, because I loved her, but I had no idea she was like this back in Rhode Island. I guess she was just waiting for the opportune time to let her true self out when she got away from her parents. When I never responded to her, she looked at me before giving me a half-hearted smile.

"You think I'm a slut don't you?" She said to me. I immediately shook my head.

"No, I never said that," I said defensively. She smiled knowingly at me.

"Well if I was you, I'd call me a slut. But the thing is that I just don't mind taking chances with guys. I had been trapped with my mom and dad for so long that I needed an escape. I figured I had to lose my virginity at some point. I haven't slept with everyone in New York you know, I have standards. But once a guy reaches those standards, then I screw him long and hard." She said defending herself. Deep down, I think she was trying to convince herself that she had been making the right choices.

"This is just a side of you I've never seen before." I said honestly. She just shrugged and smiled.

"I'm the same old Janelle. I'm just finally free to be me now," She said as we reached the front of the line.

"I'm glad you get to be you," I said to her, not knowing what else to say. She nodded at me before we looked at the menu boards.

"The best is the veggie burrito," She said to me before walking up to the counter. As she moved down, I ordered the veggie burrito before paying and walking down to the end to meet Janelle. We told the lady behind the counter what to put on our burritos as she wrapped them up and gave them to us in paper bags.

"Let's eat here," Janelle said as we found a table in the back that was free. I unwrapped my burrito and had a bite. It was the most amazing mexican food I had ever eaten. We sat there eating, a silence falling over us. Janelle looked at me.

"Do you think differently of me now?" She said, a look on her face like she was six years old again. I shook my head.

"I don't think differently of you. I just know more about you than I did before. You're still my lovable, funny, crazy, sister from another mister," I told her. She squealed and hugged me from across the table.

"I love you," She said to me.

"I love you too,"

"Now tell me about your date," She said. I laughed at her, wondering where to start.