What's in a Name

Emily traced her lash line with a deep blue eyeliner pencil from the inner corner to the outer, letting the edge of the line feather up. The smoky eye shadow made her look dark and mysterious and the blue gave just enough contrast to let her hazel eyes pop against her creamy white skin. She patted on a peach colored lip-gloss and stepped away from the vanity with a smile, blowing her mirror image a kiss. Just as she reached for a mascara wand her cell phone rang in the catastrophe she called a bedroom. Her clothes were beginning to pile up she noted; maybe it was time to do some laundry. After all, it wasn’t very lady like to have such a messy bedroom, not that she ever cared much for what others thought. She shrugged off the thought and weaved through the mix of clothes scattered around the room. She stuck her hand inside a pile of clean clothes on the chair beside her closet, felt a small cold surface, and pulled out the ancient device. The front of the tiny red phone flashed a name and she grinned as she flipped the top and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?" she sang into the microphone in a melodic voice she used only for the person on the other line.

"What the hell, Em?" The voice started on the other line "you said you'd be down in two minutes." Emily heard another voice in the background and her stomach turn, "It'll be fifteen by the time I hang up."

Emily pressed the top of the perfume bottle her lover adored and felt the fruity mist tickle her throat. "You can't expect to flaunt me around town looking less then desirable can you?"

The voice on the other end scoffed "get your a*s down here or I’ll leave without you."

The phone bleeped and Emily looked down to see the call disconnected. "A*s," she murmured taking her bag off the bedpost and hurdling over the mess through the apartment like a track star making her way toward the door. She knew better then to keep Cody waiting, because Emily had been left behind, and on more than one occasion. Emily rushed to close and lock the door behind her, juggling bright red stilettos in one hand and her keys in the other before hopping down the three stories of her four floor walk up. She opened the downstairs door and spotted Cody's black 1967 Chevy Impala idling across the street. Cody leaned against the hood clad in dark blue jeans and a tight white shirt under the usual worn leather jacket. A cigarette dangled from Cody's fingertips as smoke danced provocatively from the burning ember tip making Cody look effortlessly bad, her personal Al Capone. She couldn’t help the prickle of goose bumps race along her arms as Emily imagined the feel of the soft well-worn cowhide of the jacket beneath her fingers when she’d later slide it off Cody’s shoulders. How it’d feel as good as satin bed sheets on a naughty night after a few drinks, the thought was enough to forget about plans and drag Cody into bed. Coming out of her estrogen induced haze she noticed a girl standing too close for Emily's personal comfort in front of Cody, chatting enthusiastically, hands waving wildly in front of her. It wasn’t just any girl; it was a girl with a tiny waist big a*s and perky tits, a goddamn siren.  Emily put on the heels quickly and shimmied her way to Cody making sure her tight black skirt gave a good view of her smooth, long legs and her curvy hips. Cody smiled as Emily approached and let her draw herself close enough to fit as Cody’s second skin.

Cody nodded toward Miss. Home-wrecker. "Baby, this is Nicolette. We work together at the animal clinic."

Emily looked her up and down and faked a smile "Hi"

Nicolette pushed her chest out, her breasts all but popping out of the tiny red-bombshell excuse of a corset. "So nice to meet the girlfriend sweet Cody mentions."

Emily ground her teeth together at the obvious display before her. The girl must be insane; she thought, she‘s screaming f**k me, and in front of her Cody no less. This b***h. "I'm sure." Emily replied keeping to herself her thoughts and comments about the name Nicolette being a s**t’s name. Not to mention how she was dressed like a porn star.

Cody remained cool, as if this woman didn’t have everything Emily lacked. "It was awesome running into you, Nick," Emily grimaced at the nickname and tensed uneasily looking at Cody. The b*****d had already given her a nickname. She thought as Cody continued, "But I better get a drink into this girl before she gets antsy."

Nicolette, or "Nick" as Cody would put it, frowned sticking out her bottom lip and bat ridiculously fake lashes "Oh sure I better head back home before my roommate calls out for a search party anyway."

Cody laughed as they said their goodbyes, ushering Emily to the passenger side of the car. Cody's hand slid over the curve of Emily's a*s reassuringly before turning and heading over to the driver side.

Emily waited until Cody sat and the car was in drive before she started to prod, "So, Nicolette seemed awfully smitten."

Cody let out a cocky laugh with a grin that made a girl want to wail off with a smack to the face, "Did she? I hadn’t noticed”

Emily crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the side of Cody’s face “Oh really? You didn’t notice how she looked at you? What about what she wore? It looked like you were pretty interested before I got there.”

“She has a boyfriend, Emily."

Emily wasn't reassured "Well so did I before we met and just look what-"

Cody shushed and placed a hand on the top of her thigh just beneath the edge of the tiny skirt. Cody rolled down the window to let in a breeze and smiled. "This weather is crazy; Mother Nature is your typical female.            Mad indecisive and s**t."

Emily rolled her eyes and made a mental note to bring the situation up later where she had the upper hand, like when she had Cody pinned beneath her. They rode the rest of the way to the West Village in silence, Emily peering through the window as the New York City lights whizzed by. The thing they say about NYC being the city that never slept was no joke. No matter what time of day the streets were lit up like the sky on Fourth of July. Different colors in different shapes illuminated storefronts, walls and skyscrapers. Different types of people interacting and brought together by some kind of performer or artist on any given street corner. Emily watched in anticipation waiting for the familiar neighborhood of their favorite hang out to come into view. Driving down Seventh Avenue they drove passed Perry Street, Charles Street and West Tenth before reaching Christopher Street where Cody began driving up and down looking for a parking space. Lights stopped moving as Cody pulled up next to a church to park as people filed out like soldiers as a late Night Mass was being dismissed. Cody finished parking and got out of the car waiting for Emily to do the same. Emily stepped out and walked around the car to meet Cody on the sidewalk, saddling up as close as possible. Cody's hand slipped dangerously low on her back and held her possessively as Emily noticed a group of elderly women gathered in front of them observing a scene with obvious distaste.

Emily ducked her head into the crook of Cody's arm as one of the women shouted, "You two will burn in hell."

Emily winced and Cody shrugged off the woman's words shouting back "I'll see you there you judgmental b***h."

The woman’s friends fanned out from behind her like the ‘Jets’ in A West Side Story. The woman scowled, the deep lines of her aged face creasing more, transforming from gentle grandma to Freddy-F*****g-Kruger "you are sinners, and all sinners shall be damned."

Cody kept walking, shielding Emily from the string of hurtful words "Yeah, yeah, you old hag. Isn't the same guy who said that the one that said he without sin be the first to cast the stone or some s**t?"

Emily chuckled and looked up at the beautiful dark waves that framed Cody's high cheekbones and soft lips. She didn’t look back but she could feel the women shunning them as they walked "Thanks."

Cody looked at her gave her a squeeze as they made their way towards the bar. "Anytime my love."

Emily leaned on her tiptoes and kissed Cody's lips, swiping her tongue along the bottom one delicately, pulling back to look at Cody before things got too PDA. Cody’s face wasn’t a beautiful face, but it made you look twice, in more ways than one. Slowly they approached the brick front of the bar, the large lit up sign with the name illuminating the street. Flags of multiple colors hung in and above the large glass front window, instantly relieving Emily of all her worries. They strode into the loud bar and Cody released her as she sought out their group of friends. Drinks were already cluttering the usual back table where they gathered and familiar voices filled the air. The comforting blanket of acceptance slid over Emily’s shoulders as she neared the table, Cody on her heels, happy to let Emily lead the way. They walked over and sat in the stools reserved for them as their friends greeted them with tipsy hellos and profanities that made you smile.

"You made it!" Cass said sliding a beer across the table to Cody.

"I couldn't keep Em away." Cody answered as the bottle ice-skated into Cody’s waiting, hand.

Becky slipped an arm over Emily's shoulders and pouted "Aww, suga'," she said her southern twang thick in her voice "Why the long face?"

Cody took a long swig of the Corona "We ran into some Holy Rollers on the way here."

Jeremy sucked his teeth "Oh, Emily don't let them get you down, embrace the gay. They even made it legal here."

Emily smiled and slipped her hand into Cody's. Cody smiled running a hand through her hair and gave Emily a bright grin that lit up her face. The energy that radiated from her was like the first time Cody took Emily to pride. Cody placed her bottle onto a Stonewall Inn napkin and rubbed Emily’s knuckles with her thumb. Emily let out a relieved sigh and smiled at her friends. “Oh trust me I definitely embrace my gay.”

Reviews

[Amaya Sullivan]

You write very well. I cannot believe I am reviewing this first, but I really enjoyed this story. It flows well and description is well written with near perfect grammar (from what I read). You have a real talent.

Writing is my outlet as well!