Left behind in their wake, Ariana and Eliza found themselves standing alone together, a few feet apart. They looked from the retreating figures of Lyra and Selene to each other. A moment of awkward silence passed between the two strangers, united only by their chaotic, dramatic friends.
Ariana raised an eyebrow, then a slow, amused smile spread across her face. She shrugged. Eliza, recovering from her embarrassment, let out a short, incredulous laugh and shrugged back.
"Well," Ariana said, gesturing to the still-thriving party. "Might as well enjoy the show."
Eliza nodded, a grin finally breaking through. "Mai tai?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm Eliza. I'm... a friend of Selene's. And, I guess, an acquaintance of Lyra's."
"Right. Ariana. I'm Lyra's friend," Ariana replied, the introduction feeling strangely formal amidst the chaos of the party. "Nice to, uh, properly meet you."
The awkward small talk was quickly cut short as Ariana noticed Eliza's balance begin to waver. She went from slightly unsteady to a boneless, giggly weight in what felt like seconds. When a guy with overly-gelled hair sidled up to her with a sloppy grin, Ariana saw the dangerous glaze in Eliza's eyes. Without a second thought, she slid an arm around Eliza's waist, pulling her close.
"She's with me," Ariana said, flashing the guy a wink that was more warning than invitation. He backed off with a shrug.
Now, holding a swaying Eliza upright, Ariana sighed. What am I supposed to do with this woman now?
"Do you have a car? Can you even drive?" Ariana asked, her voice raised over the music.
Eliza, her eyes struggling to focus, just fumbled in her purse and shoved a set of keys into Ariana's hand without a word.
Ariana stared at the keys. "Woah there, you should trust people so easily! Are you that drunk??"
Eliza squinted at her, a lopsided smile on her face. "Why wouldn't I trust you, Selene?"
Ariana blinked. Oh. So she's that far gone. "I'm not Selene, though?" she tried. "It's Ariana. We just talked about this like two minutes ago."
"Nonono, you're Selene!" Eliza insisted, poking Ariana's chest with a uncoordinated finger.
Realizing arguing with a drunk person was a special kind of futility, Ariana just sighed. "Right. Okay. Let's get you home."
She clicked the key fob, and a sleek sedan nearby chirped in response. Of course she drives a nice car, Ariana thought, maneuvering Eliza into the passenger seat and buckling her in.
"Alright, Eliza. Address. Where do you live?" Ariana asked once she was in the driver's seat.
Eliza's only response was a soft snore. She was out.
"Perfect," Ariana mumbled. With no address to input, she did the only logical thing: she drove to the nearest decent-looking hotel. She managed to get a room with one king-sized bed. "I guess I'm gonna be on the couch tonight," she muttered to herself, half-dragging, half-carrying Eliza into the elevator.
Inside the room, she deposited Eliza on the couch. "Stay. I'm getting you water."
She returned from the mini-bar with a bottle of water to find Eliza in the same spot, but her demeanor had drastically changed. The giggly drunk was gone, replaced by a heartbroken one. Tears streamed down her face.
"Why not choose me, Selene?" Eliza sobbed, her voice cracking. "I was always there for you! Why would you choose an avoidant person? Why not me? Am I not enough? I'm a secure person! I can communicate! Not like that librarian!"
She punctuated her words with soft, pathetic punches to Ariana's chest before collapsing against her, sobbing into her shoulder. Little did Eliza know, she was pouring her heart out to the best friend of the very librarian she was cursing.
Ariana's initial shock melted into a deep, unexpected pity. This wasn't for her to hear. These were raw, private feelings meant for someone else. But she couldn't just push her away. Gently, she began to rub Eliza's back, brushing her hair away from her tear-streaked face. "It's okay," she murmured softly. "It's okay. I'm listening. I'm here. You're not alone." She almost added, but I'm not Selene, but stopped herself. It was pointless.
Just as she was settling into this bizarre role of comfort-for-hire, Eliza's body went rigid. A sickening gurgle escaped her throat.
"Oh no," Ariana whispered.
It was too late. Eliza vomited all over herself, Ariana's lap, and the hotel room floor.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Ariana exclaimed, jumping back in disgust. "After all that, you're just gonna throw up on me? How rude!!"
She had no choice. She called the front desk for cleaning services. While waiting, she managed to walk a now-pliant Eliza into the bathroom. "Okay, we need to get you out of these clothes," Ariana said, trying to be clinical.
To her surprise, Eliza just nodded, obediently raising her arms. Ariana looked away, her cheeks flushing as she helped. Why is this woman being obedient now? she wondered, utterly baffled.
"Can you handle yourself taking a bath on your own?" Ariana asked, averting her eyes.
Eliza gave a drunk, solemn nod.
"Okay. You go take a bath. I'll wait outside. Call me if you need anything," Ariana said, closing the bathroom door with a sigh of relief. She dealt with the cleaning staff, tipped them generously for the horrific task, and then gently massaged her forehead. "It's gonna be a long night. Why do I always have to take care of drunk people?"
A sudden thud and a cry from the bathroom sent her rushing back in.
Eliza was on the floor, naked, clutching her knee. "It hurts! It hurts!" she wailed like a child. "I just finished brushing my teeth and I tried to get a towel and I slipped!"
Ariana just shook her head in disbelief. She scooped Eliza up noting with distant surprise that she was lighter than she looked—and carried her to the bed. She found a ice bucket, wrapped some ice in a towel, and tended to the already-bruising knee. Eliza continued to sob.
"I'm so pathetic," Eliza cried, "Slipping in the bathroom. Hahaha. I'm sorry, Selene. You should see the pathetic me. I'm sorry..." Her sobs subsided into hiccups as she leaned against Ariana.
Then, slowly, Eliza turned. Her tear-filled eyes found Ariana's. She reached up, her hands gently cupping Ariana's face, her gaze intense and heartbreakingly sincere.
"I like you, Selene," she whispered.
And then she leaned in and kissed her.
Ariana froze. The kiss was soft, surprisingly so, and tasted of mint toothpaste and the lingering bitterness of vomit. It was wrong on so many levels, but a jolt of something; shock, curiosity, a bizarre thrill; shot through her. For a fleeting, addictive second, she kissed back.
But reality crashed down. She's not kissing you. She's kissing a ghost. Hastily, Ariana pulled away, her breath catching in her throat. She gently but firmly disentangled herself and laid Eliza down on the pillows. To her utter astonishment, Eliza's eyes fluttered closed, and she was asleep within seconds.
Ariana sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers touching her lips. They still tingled. Her face felt hot, a blush spreading across her cheeks. What was that? She fled to the bathroom and took a cold shower, trying to wash away the confusion.
After her shower, she peeked out. Eliza was still asleep, looking peaceful and innocent, a stark contrast to the chaotic hurricane she had been. Ariana scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the sleeping woman. Why does a drunk person look so angelic when they sleep? she wondered, a strange, protective feeling stirring in her chest.
She resigned herself to the couch, pulling the spare blanket over herself. "It's been a night," she whispered to the empty room before finally succumbing to exhaustion.
The morning sun stabbed through the gaps in the hotel curtains, directly into Eliza's eyes. She groaned, a jackhammer pounding behind her temples. As she tried to sit up, the world swam, and the pounding intensified. Where am I?
This wasn't her apartment. Panic flickered as she scanned the unfamiliar room. Her eyes landed on the nightstand. There was a neat plate of pastries and a glass of orange juice, next to a business card.
She picked up the card. It was sleek, black, with a minimalist logo that simply said CREED. Beneath it was a name and title: Ariana Sinclair, Director of Management. A handwritten note was paperclipped to it.
Eliza,
Had to go to work. The accommodation is on my tab for now. If you're feeling charitable, you can Gcash me your half. My number's on the card.
...And I didn't enjoy what you did to me last night.
*- A*
Flashes of the previous night erupted in her mind like fireworks. The party. Crying. Throwing up. The bathroom floor. And then... a kiss. A deep, desperate kiss she'd initiated with who she thought was Selene.
Her face flushed a deep, mortified crimson. She looked at the card again. Ariana Sinclair. The friend. Lyra's friend.
"What have I done?" Eliza whispered to the empty hotel room, the business card feeling like a live wire in her trembling hand.