Bad Romance

Nadia got off the bus. A sunny day. Fresh air. A gentle breeze. Rustling green. Nadia hadn’t smoked a single cigarette in days. The air was cleaner. Fresh. Damn fresh.

Xiao Mei rushed in for a hug. Waiting by the bus stop.

“Ooh…” Nadia smiled as Xiao hugged her tight. Breathing her in. Nadia’s smell.

Xiao Mei looked up in the hug, her cute eyes at first growing narrow and shrewd.

“Meanie… I would have totally come to Berlin with you… I was so dead bored,” she said.

“I know,” Nadia smiled. She was floating on cloud nine.

“You look different Nadia,” Xiao Mei said.

“I have a boyfriend now,” Nadia said.

“Whaaaa—?” Xiao Mei gasped.

Nadia and Xiao Mei walked through the 19th. Everything was more vibrant. They got a kebab to share. Too much for either of them to finish alone, and they didn’t mind the saliva.

“Leon? You mean the guy that got away?” Xiao Mei.

“We met up in Berlin and things were just… perfect,” Nadia smiled.

“You guys totally fucked…” Xiao Mei laughed.

Nadia blushed.

They turned the corner and Tom was there. Carrying six coffees. He crashed into Xiao Mei and they both got wet. Luckily no burns. All iced mochas.

“Dude!” Xiao Mei said with her clothes stained. Frappe cream on her nose.

“Sorry sorry… Gosh…” He said.

“Tom?” Nadia said.

“N-Nadia?” He smiled with a wet sticky face. His curly black hair, damp. Glasses spotted with beige drops.

Xiao Mei, wet. You know this butt?!

Luckily they were outside a department store. Tom bought Xiao Mei a towel and a new shirt. Xiao Mei chose an expensive one with Piglet on it. Serves him right!

“I’m so sorry,” Tom said, “Old glasses can’t see well…”

“It’s okay…” Nadia said, “You might need to get new glasses…”

Xiao Mei fuming. Fucking leave! You shirt ruining asshole.

“Oh yes! I have the best idea! I’m going to my friend Frankie, oh you know her, well her party tonight. Come as my guests! It’s free pizza and alcohol!” He said loudly.

“Okay… Pleasure doing business with you,” Xiao Mei shook his hand. Free pizza is a done fucking deal.

Nadia smiled weakly, “Sure..”

They arrived at a small flat on the 19th. There were flashing coloured lights. Some guests were smoking outside and eating pizza. So many people.

“Hurry… We need to get the PIZZA before it all runs out,” Xiao Mei said. Nadia was looking at the cigarettes. She had a pack in her purse.

Xiao Mei had a few costumes saved from dental school parties over the years. A yellow Kill Bill outfit. She wore that. And a slightly oversized maid costume which fit perfectly for Nadia. It was all frills and had a little headband too. Nadia looked cute. Xiao Mei had a katana.

They knocked on the door. A moth mask. Frankie removed the mask. She smiled. She wore makeup. Her beautiful red hair tied into twin buns. She had little beetle freckles painted on her cheeks. Green eyeshadow.

“Hmm… What’s the password?” She said.

“GIVE ME PIZZA,” Xiao Mei said flatly.

“Sounds good enough to me… Oh my god you are so cute,” Frankie squeezed Xiao Mei’s cheeks.

“Whaaaaaa—”

Tom was doing the robot in the living room. He was aptly dressed as a robot. There were at least forty people in the small flat.

Xiao Mei had inhaled six slices of cheese pizza. Nadia nibbled on the one. It seemed that Frankie moved out of the hotel and into a flat. It was a housewarming party. The house was decorated with paintings of bugs. Creepy crawlies. Yuck.

“I thought you would come as a butterfly!” Tom said coming to greet Xiao Mei and Nadia.

“Butterfly?” Xiao Mei said.

A drunk lady wearing a sexy cop outfit cut in, “You are under arrest Tom!”

“Aye! Carolina! Good to see you,” he smiled and waved bye to Nadia and Xiao Mei.

Tom was busy. They'd talk later.

They danced. Xiao Mei taking the lead. Holding Nadia’s hands. Jumping and swaying. Stripping really gave you moves. Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” blasting.

Nadia saw a lot of Alice in Xiao Mei. That chaotic free spirit and, of course, relentless appetite. But in other ways they were completely different. Xiao Mei was smart, organized, and methodical. Alice was a mess. Xiao Mei played the piano and violin superbly. Alice sang like a squawking seagull. They were both good people.

Outside now. 2 AM. Many guests loitered here too. Some leaving.

“Why are we out here… So cold…” Xiao Mei shivered.

Nadia pulled out her pack of German cigarettes, “Surprise.”

“Let’s go…” Xiao Mei thrust her katana up.

Warm smoke. Oooh yeah. They sat on the steps. The night, drafty, but clear. Light pollution. No stars. The fuzzy orange hue of street lamps. Cars passing by.

“Are you still gonna work at Carte: Rouge? With a boyfriend?” Xiao Mei said.

“I don’t know…” Nadia said, “He doesn’t mind.”

“I didn’t tell you… I’m quitting after graduation,” Xiao Mei said leaning on Nadia’s shoulder, “Becoming a tooth fairy instead.”

Nadia was happy. Xiao Mei graduating and becoming a dentist. She worked so hard.

“Promise we will be sisters forever…” Xiao Mei said. Her eyes big.

Nadia smiled and put her arm around her, “Cross my heart.”